God doesn't exist.
By Rosa26
@Rosa26 (2618)
United States
October 19, 2011 1:44pm CST
Surfing in the internet I found this beatiful story that I would like to share with you.
A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said:”I don’t believe that God exists.”
“Why do you say that?” asked the customer. “Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn’t exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children?
If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can’t imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things.”The customer thought for a moment, but didn’t respond because he didn’t want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop.
Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt.
The customer turned back and entered the barbershop again and he said to the barber:”You know what? Barbers do not exist.”
How do you find this conversation?
How do you describe your faith if you are asked to?
“How can you say that?” asked the surprised barber.”I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!
“No!” the customer exclaimed. “Barbers don’t exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside.”
“Ah, but barbers DO exist! That’s what happens when people do not come to me.”
“Exactly!” affirmed the customer. “That’s the point! God, too, DOES exist! That’s what happens when people do not go to Him and don’t look to Him for help. That’s why there’s so much pain and suffering in the world.”
Is sad that there are people that think God doesn't exist.
Some of them like in this story clam that God doesn't exist because of all the calamities in the world but I think they haven't read when it says "John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
13 responses
@Rosa26 (2618)
• United States
20 Oct 11
Thanks Siri.
Psalm 89:2, 8
I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself... O LORD God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you.
Maybe the atheist cannot find God for the same reason a thief cannot find a policeman. ~Author Unknown
Have a great day!
@JohnRok1 (2051)
•
20 Oct 11
The story is told that when one London City Missioner was preaching in the open air, a tramp heckled him with "Christianity has been here for nearly 2000 years, and look at the state of the world!", to which the reply was "Water had been here for longer than that, and look at the state of your neck!" - similar moral, I think.
1 person likes this
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Whatever God's dream about man may be, it seems certain it cannot come true unless man cooperates.
Stella Terrill Mann
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
19 Oct 11
I do not believe in God and I am not sad. Most atheists are not atheists because there are bad things happening in the world, but rather for the simple fact that we think that there is more reason to not believe. Also, please don't assume that atheists haven't read the Bible. A great many atheists have read the Bible and have studied religion in general to a great extent, which for many is the very reason for their becoming atheist. And just remember that quotes from the Bible cannot prove the existence of God. Namaste.
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
19 Oct 11
I didn't get offended, I just think that you should know. I think that people should know what they are talking about. I also really can't understand how someone can believe in something without needing an explanation. I also respect how I think because I use reasoning. I know that you believe; that's established. The question remains as to why, exactly?
@Rosa26 (2618)
• United States
19 Oct 11
Hey sketc
If the question is why do I believe in God, the answer is because God have made myracles in my life and in the life of a lot of people that I know, because God is always there when I need him, because he listen my prays and answer them in his time.
1 person likes this
@stary1 (6612)
• United States
19 Oct 11
smilingjack
Thing is those little ones will grow up and decide for themselves..so far only about 10% of the population is atheist so I think many are seeing value in beliefs...
Halloween is my Birthday
..so it's one of my favorite times...but I relate more to Casper the frinedly ghost than the dark side
..
..so it's one of my favorite times...but I relate more to Casper the frinedly ghost than the dark side..@Rosa26 (2618)
• United States
19 Oct 11
Yes, I felt the same Stary is a beautiful story and because of this I wanted to share it with you guys.
And yes the children would acquire the story easier because of this Jesus said " the kingdom of heaven belong to such as these"
@ Smiling I see that you have good humor,.
. @sandacocos (64)
• Romania
20 Oct 11
There is something, or someone there, not in the way we imagine, but I believe he (or they) is only there to observe,not to help or get in the way.There are many things religion can't explain, or even science, for that matter.We are not alone, but whatever we do, or did, or will do, is all because of us.We are so little, but we give ourselves so much importance!
1 person likes this
@Rosa26 (2618)
• United States
20 Oct 11
We think having faith means being convinced God exists in the same way we are convinced a chair exists. People who cannot be completely convinced of God’s existence think faith is impossible for them. Not so. People who doubt can have great faith because faith is something you do, not something you think. In fact, the greater your doubt the more heroic your faith.
Real Live Preacher
@Rosa26 (2618)
• United States
20 Oct 11
Yes you are right Everybody have the right to believe what they want,because of this God gave us free will,and those who don't believe I understand why they don't believe to believe we have to have faith and the faith comes from God.
There is no single sentence which can persuade the doubter or the sceptic. There is no single twenty-minute sermon which can nail down the case for God. There isn't a four hundred-page book which will prove, beyond any refutation, that God is. In fact, there is no proof, irrefutable proof that will convince anyone possessed of elemental logic, that God exists.
At the same time, there is no proof that God doesn't exist. Sigmund Freud maintained that what people call "God" is simply their wishful thinking projected outside themselves. People believe in God because deep down they want to; they invent God in the way that a child invents an imaginary playmate. But of course this argument cuts both ways. We can just as easily turn Freud's argument back on Freud himself and say that people don't believe in God because they (Freud included) don't want to or don't dare to; they find it convenient not to have God around and therefore they invent God's absence the way a child wishes away someone she doesn't like.
corithian 13:12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror:then we shall see face to face.Now I know in part;then shall know fully,even as I am fully known.
This is what I believe.
@urbandekay (18278)
•
19 Oct 11
Nice story, but let us strengthen the argument as we don't want to make straw man arguments as atheists often do.
1, God is omnipotent
2, God is omniscient
3, God is omnibenevolent
4, Suffering exists and even those that wait upon the Lord suffer
If, therefore, God loves me, knows I suffer, why does he allow me to suffer? Since as he is omniscient surely he could prevent me suffering.
Ok, it has often been argued that God could not prevent suffering and allow me autonomy (Free-will)
This is a good defence but not bullet-proof, for the sceptic whines, why can God not give me autonomy and prevent me suffering?
Well, perhaps it comes as a surprise but yes, God could give me autonomy and prevent suffering but would you really want that?
Any world in which we had autonomy but escaped suffering would be trivial and lack logical coherence. Without such logical coherence we could not make sense of the world, language would be impossible and men would lead short trivial lives.
Still the sceptic has a response, ok he protests, perhaps some suffering is desirable but why must the suffering be so bad? Could we not just have a little suffering? But no that shows a misunderstanding of the human condition, the worst thing imaginable is exactly that, the worst thing imaginable, no matter what that thing is, the worst suffering would be the same in any world only the amount differs according to our action.
all the best urban
@urbandekay (18278)
•
19 Oct 11
Let us indeed hope so, it is better to light a match, than to curse the darkness
all the best urban
@RamJey (89)
• Singapore
20 Oct 11
Hi Urban,
That was excellent. Haven't seen your profile yet, but i guess you must either be a pastor or someone who has gone thru much in life or simply someone who has spend time thinking of the omnipotent. Whatever it is, it's an excellent piece of argument.
Best Regards
Ramjey
@PastorP (1170)
• United States
21 Oct 11
Pretty good illustration. First time I heard of that one. It does bring out the point about coming to God.
I mentioned my story on your last discussion. And yes, I believe that God does exist. The Pains, Calamities etc only happen when we humans go off-track and commit things that we shouldnt be doing.
@ReverendShaggy (415)
• Philippines
21 Oct 11
With this story it is very simple minded that the customer would try defending himself by saying there is no barber because that guy has long hair and an untrimmed beard. While I agree that the pains and calamities fallen on us are mostly of our own accord, as is going to a barber mostly, that does not make an infallible defense in the existence of God. On that same note it doesn't make one for his non existence either.
A few of these people in your post here have talked in one of mine as well, so I have some understanding from where they are coming from. In that post I recall also mentioning to them as I will to you, I am Christian through and through, yet I will not blindly follow something that I question. The thing I have always understood is that God simply helps those that help themselves. Much as a barber will cut your hair if you come and sit down in his seat. Praying to God for your health and your woes and the problems around you may ease your mind some, but if you aren't actively doing anything to personal overcome those problems you never will.
Faith is wonderful, Self realization is as well. I will argue with you all day long about the fallacy of the comments about the philosophers and intellegence aspect. To have knowledge is to have a better understanding. To be blindly lead is to be herded in with the masses and becoming a yes man.
In you last line you used it states my point just fine. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.But take heart! I have overcome the world." Now analyze that statement right there. Simply all it states is be strong you will overcome many struggles. That means you yourself, not God will overcome your troubles but you.
@Bluedoll (16774)
• Canada
19 Oct 11
Thank you for sharing the story Rosa. As it turned out in the end the customer found comfort in his thoughts and in the words for peace. I think though that he made a mistake. Though he might have wanted to express to the barber his joy, I doubt very much that the barber appreciated it. His mind, I think is made up just as the title on this discussion states, God doesn't exist. For him God does not. This is the barbers right to believe as he wants. Now if the title for this story had been God does exist then the customer would be expressing this to anyone with ears to listen or those with ears (that the barber had not cut into). And so I think it would have been better I think for the customer not to return to the barbershop at all but to continue to believe in God and continue to express his faith to others.
@spyboysatya (148)
• India
20 Oct 11
It was the one question worth fighting for on this holy earth....but now and today fighting for it, even arguing for it can resemble the person's foolishness level. It is the topic where most of blinders get uneducated villagers, where myths are more superior than truth, even mythological characters get alive there...Whenever i see towards sky, stars, sun , moon I see their actual reasons to be there and use the world's most holy thing the head, to find a reason for the celestial activities and the activities of our day today life....It's really a shame for an educated person to respond to questions like does god exists or not cause obviously IT'S NOT... yeah but we are human beings, the most successful social animal, we thanks to things, animals, nature, person we love, we be passionate, angriness, hatred and we do it cause we feel, and we feel due to activities inside our bodies, that's why we need someone whom we share things above than us(humans), so we go to churches, mosque temples, for peace that comes from a peace and good place, that's why humans made some books of some sets of rules to live the life with peace and whoever don't know bout that activities and there reasons, find excuses and always lead to myths like god punishes 'em, god make gifts for 'em etc....and by the way this is the century of biggest inventions, industries, scientists, businessman, internet websites], satellites.... so just beleive on you, your heart, your brain and the chruch of your body that will give you your GOD
@spyboysatya (148)
• India
22 Oct 11
Yes Rosa, this life is full of simple rules like believing in GOD, denying SATAN, doing good, and ignoring bad ....and these rules are only meant for a better social living....so, we must follow these things without questioning and must believe in it and do our normal day-today works...that's how I live too
@spyboysatya (148)
• India
22 Oct 11
Yes, its true that we the son of a divine power on mother earth always did try to find ourselves that who are we, where did we came from, how we lived here...and only history is not the solutions to this answers, future also lend something....
We are holy and divine cause we thank to the power of beleive that a power would have made us, a power generated us, and a power make us to rule this holy earth....
so we kneel and prey to that power...some defines it as god....some takes as the power of believe...some the power of science...so some the TIME...
the person sees good inside him prey to GOD, and who sees bad inside him prey to EVIL....That's how earth runs itself....
@girl_thinking (1959)
• Philippines
22 Oct 11
I believe in God.
Thank you for sharing this very insightful story Rosa26. This is just a good example on how to make people who do not believe in the existence of God realize that He is indeed real. We need to accept HIM first. :)
