>> >This story is of something that was alleged to have happened just a few
>> >years ago at USC. There was a professor of philosophy who was a deeply
>> >committed atheist.
>> >His primary goal for one required class was to spend the entire semester
>> >attempting
>> >to prove that God couldn't exist.
>> >His students were always afraid to argue with him because of his impeccable
>> >logic.
>> >
>> >For twenty years he had taught this class, and no one ever had the courage
>> >to go against him. Sure, some had argued in class at times, but no one had
>> >ever bested him.
>> >On the last day of every semester, he would say to his class of 300
>> >students, "If there is
>> >anyone here who still believes in Jesus, stand up!" In twenty years, no one
>> >had ever stood up.
>> >They knew what he was going to do next. He would say, "anyone who believes
>> >in God is a fool. If God existed, he could stop this piece of chalk from
>> >hitting the ground and breaking.
>> >Such a simple task to prove that He is God, and yet He can't do it."
>> >
>> >And every year, he would drop the chalk onto the tile floor of the
>> >classroom
>> >and it would
>> >shatter into a hundred pieces.
>> >All of the students would do nothing but stop and stare. Most of the
>> >students thought that God couldn't exist. Certainly, a number of
>> >Christians
>> >had slipped through, but for 20 years, they had been too afraid to stand
>> >up.
>> >
>> >Well, a few years ago there was a freshman who happened to enroll. He was
>> >a
>> >Christian, and
>> >had heard the stories about his professor. He was required to take the
>> >class for his major, and
>> >he was afraid.
>> >For three months that semester, he prayed every morning that he would have
>> >the courage to stand
>> >up, no matter what the professor said, or what the class thought.
>> >Nothing they said could ever shatter his faith... he hoped.
>> >Finally, the day came. The professor said, "If there is anyone here who
>> >still believes in God, stand up!" The professor and the class of 300
>> >people
>> >looked at him, shocked, as he stood up at the back of the classroom.
>> >
>> >The professor shouted, "You FOOL!!! If God existed, he would keep this
>> >piece of chalk from breaking when it hit the ground!" He proceeded to drop
>> >the chalk, but as he did, it
>> >slipped out of his fingers, off his shirt cuff, onto the pleat of his
>> >pants,
>> >down his leg, and off his shoe. As it hit the ground, it simply rolled
>> >away
>> >unbroken.
>> >The professor's jaw dropped as he stared at the chalk. He looked up at the
>> >young man, and then
>> >ran out of the lecture hall.
>> >
>> >The young man who had stood, proceeded to walk to the front of the room and
>> >shared his faith in Jesus for the next half hour. 300 students stayed and
>> >listened as he told of God's love for them and of His power through Jesus.
>> >
>> >Now you have 2 choices:
>> >1. Delete this and never look at it again.
>> >
>> >or
>> >
>> >2. Pass this along to your Christian and non-Christian friends, giving them
>> >encouragement we all need every day.
>> >
>> >If you chose option 2, you STOOD UP