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 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.

His heart was pumping frantically and he tried to run even
faster. 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. And the
sounds of the forest resumed. And then the bear dropped
his right paw, brought both paws together and bowed his
head and spoke: "Lord, Bless this food which I am about to
receive and for which I am truly thankful."