[Rhodes22-list] Joke

[Steve Alm]

An atheist was taking a walk through the woods, admiring all that the
"accident of evolution" had created."What majestic trees!  What powerful
rivers! What beautiful animals!" he said to himself.
 
As he walked along the river he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him.
He turned to look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly charging towards him.  He ran as
fast as he could up the path.  He looked over his shoulder and saw the bear
was closing in on him.  He ran even faster, he was so scared that tears were
coming to his eyes,  He looked over his shoulder again, the bear was even
closer.  His heart was pumping frantically and he tried to run faster.  He
tripped and fell to 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.
 
Even the river stopped moving.
 
As a 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 at 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," the voice said.
The light went out.
 
The river ran again,  And the sounds of the forest resumed.
 
And the bear dropped its paw...brought both paws together... bowed its head
and spoke: "Lord, for this food which I am about to receive, I am truly
thankful."