The Table Cloth Story gave us some interesting exchanges. Here is another story to give us more food for thought. Does God exist? What do you think after reading the story?
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 BARBER SHOP AGAIN AND HE SAID TO THE BARBER:
"YOU KNOW WHAT? BARBERS DO NOT EXIST."
"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."
IF YOU THINK GOD EXISTS, SEND THIS TO OTHER PEOPLE--- IF YOU THINK GOD DOES NOT EXIST, DON'T BOTHER.
Source unknown
Very good point taken! Yes..
ReplyDeleteLive and let live, hor?
ReplyDeleteI know as an athiest (yes I am) I may offend with my comments, but that is not my intent dear friends. I just want to point to some things that don't "look right" to me in these kinds of stories. OK?
ReplyDeleteSo, the people who suffer with illness, go hungry, get killed in natural disasters, and so on, do so because they didn't come to god? What a petty, mean fellow! Or because someone else didn't come to god? Worse yet.
Don't look to "him" for help? Is that an admission that he is powerless? Or that people who were dying didn't pray hard enough? Like, the gods of China weren't as powerful as those of Japan when the Japanese army marched in to Nanjing (and much of Asia)? Or those of Japan were weaker than the Xian god of the USA when atomic bombs incinerated hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children? Or that Yahweh of the Jews was weaker than the gods of the Nazis? What? Does any of that make sense? Even one life of it?
And isn't it interesting that there are so many more - billions - of those suffering people in undeveloped countries? Does god favor people who are born in industrialized countries, but not those in say, African countries?
All a lot of tosh if ask me.
There is value to be found in some religions. It isn't in the belief of some "god" who makes stuff happen if we pray to him like children asking toys from Santa Claus. It is found in the advice about how to act in life. (In my humble opinion) In Judaism it is found in the ten commandments, in Xianity it is found in Jesus's "Sermon on the mount", in Buddhism it is found in the eightfold path.
Love each other, do good deeds, be just. Not because there is some "god" but because we are on our own here people and no one else is going to make things better. We have to. It is our responsibility to do so.
If you want peace, be peaceful. If you want justice, be just. If you want to end suffering, understand that nothing can end it, as it is a part of life, but that you can decide not to make others suffer by your acts.
If you want to believe in god, Santa Clause, the "Tooth Fairy", and the Easter Bunny, fine. But don't think that doing so will change anything except in your wild imagination.
Just be kind and gentle to every living thing and protect all who are weaker than yourself. Know that what you do will determine not only your happiness or unhappiness, but those of others.
Including your barber. :D
Peace. Love. Wisdom. Compassion.
Such stories are twisted for the sake of humour, so it's best to laugh it off...though faith is a serious matter.
ReplyDeleteDear Pandabonium, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and beliefs. I too subscribe to what you put forth. With your permission, I'd like to post what you just said so that others will be able to learn from the wisdom of your words.
ReplyDeleteJoe, I'm with you about the twisted part and that it's best not to take it seriously though religion is certainly no laughing matter, neither is faith. Like I mentioned earlier, it is what you believe that makes it real and to each, its own. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
ReplyDelete