There was a professor of philosophy at USC 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 had ever had the courage to go against him. Sure, some had
argued in class at times, but no one had ever *really gone against him*
(you will see what I mean later). Noboby would go against him because
he had a reputation.
At the end of every semester, on the last day he would say to the class
of 300 students, "If there is anyone here
who still believes in God, stand up !"
In twenty years, nobody ever stood up. They knew what he was going to
do next.
He would say, "Because 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 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 the students were convinced
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 get enrolled in the class. He was a Christian, and
had heard the stories about this professor. He had to take the class because
it was one of the required classes for his major. And he was afraid. But
for three months that semester he prayed
that he would have the courage to stand up no matter what the professor
said or what the class thought. Nothing they said or did 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 room.
The professor shouted, "YOU FOOL! If nothing I
have said all semester has convinced you that God doesn't exist, then
you are a fool! If God existed, he could 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 pleats
of his pants, down his leg, and off his shoe. And 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 stood up 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.
"'Have faith in God,' Jesus answered." -- Mark 11:22
Love always in Him "The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness
has not overcome it." -- John 1:5
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