OUT OF AN EMAIL
An atheist was taking a walk through the woods.
> >
> > "What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What
> beautiful animals!"
> > he said to himself.
> >
> > As he was walking alongside the river he heard a
> rustling in the
> > bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7
> foot grizzly charge
> towards him.
> > He ran as fast as he could up the path. He
> looked over his shoulder
> > and saw that the bear was closing in on him. He
> looked over his
> > shoulder again, and the bear was even closer. He
> tripped and fell on
> > the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but
> saw the bear right
> > on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw
> and raising his
> > right paw to strike him.
> >
> > At that instant the Atheist cried out: "Oh my
> God!..."
> >
> > Time stopped.
> >
> > The bear froze.
> >
> > The forest was silent.
> >
> > As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice
> came out of the sky:
> > "You deny my existence for all of these years,
> teach others I don't
> > exist, and even credit creation to a cosmic
> accident. Do you expect me
>
> > to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count
> you as a believer?"
> >
> > The atheist looked directly into the light, "It
> would be
> > hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me
> as a Christian now,
>
> > but perhaps could you make the BEAR a Christian?"
> >
> > "Very well," said the voice.
> >
> > The light went out.
> >
> > The sounds of the forest resumed.
> >
> > And then the bear dropped his right paw, brought
> both paws together,
>
> > bowed his head and spoke:
> >
> > "Lord, bless this food, which I am about to
> receive from thy bounty
> > through Christ our Lord, Amen."
> >
> > "What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What
> beautiful animals!"
> > he said to himself.
> >
> > As he was walking alongside the river he heard a
> rustling in the
> > bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7
> foot grizzly charge
> towards him.
> > He ran as fast as he could up the path. He
> looked over his shoulder
> > and saw that the bear was closing in on him. He
> looked over his
> > shoulder again, and the bear was even closer. He
> tripped and fell on
> > the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but
> saw the bear right
> > on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw
> and raising his
> > right paw to strike him.
> >
> > At that instant the Atheist cried out: "Oh my
> God!..."
> >
> > Time stopped.
> >
> > The bear froze.
> >
> > The forest was silent.
> >
> > As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice
> came out of the sky:
> > "You deny my existence for all of these years,
> teach others I don't
> > exist, and even credit creation to a cosmic
> accident. Do you expect me
>
> > to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count
> you as a believer?"
> >
> > The atheist looked directly into the light, "It
> would be
> > hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me
> as a Christian now,
>
> > but perhaps could you make the BEAR a Christian?"
> >
> > "Very well," said the voice.
> >
> > The light went out.
> >
> > The sounds of the forest resumed.
> >
> > And then the bear dropped his right paw, brought
> both paws together,
>
> > bowed his head and spoke:
> >
> > "Lord, bless this food, which I am about to
> receive from thy bounty
> > through Christ our Lord, Amen."