Just A Story

[Ancilla Domini]

A university student was traveling across France on a train. He was, sadly, one of those poor unfortunate men who believed that science was indeed the way of the future, and that the Catholic Faith was superstitious nonsense. He saw the Catholic Religion as a thing of the past, full of myths and legends; where miracles were just pious lies meant to confuse the ignorant and the simple. Miracles of course, just didn't happen in the scientific world. To him, science and Catholicism were rivals; but he believed that science held the real truth and was the key to knowledge.
As he seated himself down, the young student looked towards his neighbor. Judging by his appearances, the old man beside him was a peasant who seemed to be getting along fairly well in the world. The student decided to start a pleasant conversation with this fellow passenger. Then he noticed, to his disgust, that the old man was praying Our Lady's Holy Rosary.

"Sir," the student said not too kindly, "do you still really believe in such outdated things?"
The stranger looked up from his prayers, "Yes, I do" he replied calmly. "Do you not?"

The boy began to laugh. "My dear man, I do not believe in such silly things. Here, take my advice: throw the Rosary out the window, and learn what science has to say about it."

"Science?" the old man asked, with his eyes full of tears, "I do not understand this science. Perhaps you can explain it to me."

The student saw that he was hurting this old man's feels by talking to him in this way. Poor simple man! he must have thought to himself. Led astray by such superstitious lies! I must show him the right way! The truth! The greatness of Science! Then he shall know what his prayers are worth. The boy decided that the present conversation would do more good if continued over a longer period of time. If communication was kept up between them, this stranger would over time see the error of his ways.

So the student said to him, "Please give me your address. I will send you some literature to help you on this matter." The old man searched about in his pocket and finding his traveling card, handed it to the lad. The boy, looking at his companion, glanced down at the card he'd been given. His face grew ashen and his pride sank when he read the stranger's name. "Louis Pasteur, Director of the Institute of Scientific Research, Paris."

[Nihil Obstat]

That young man's name? Albert Einstein.

 

:hehe:

[4588686]

The greatest logician who ever lived, Kurt Godel, was a committed theist.  He also starved himself to death because he believed he was being poisoned.  He also had a fundamental faith that his refrigerator was emitting noxious fumes.

Edited November 24, 2013 by Hasan

[arfink]

That young man's name? Albert Einstein.

 

:hehe:

 

[Nihil Obstat]

Smart man.

[young_and_faithful_]

Loved the story! I didn't expect that ending! Thank you for sharing :)