AN ATHEIST IN THE WOODS

              An atheist was walking 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 bear charge towards
              him.

              He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his
              shoulder & saw that the bear was closing in on him.

              He looked over his shoulder again, & the bear was even closer.

              He tripped & fell on the ground.

              He rolled over to pick himself up but saw that the bear was
             right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw   & 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 these years, teach others I
              don\'t exist and even credit creation to 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 you        could make the BEAR a Christian?\'

              \'Very well,\' said the voice.

              The light went out. The sounds of the forest resumed. And the
bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head &
spoke:

              \'Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy
bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen.\'