I just received this and thought it was great, would love to share it with you guys....
WHAT A GREAT ANALOGY OF GOD FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW BY ROBIN WILLIAMS NO LESS
This is one of the best explanations of why God allows pain and suffering that I have seen. It's an explanation other people will understand.
A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, 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 loving a 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 un-kept.
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 d irty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside.'
'Ah, but barbers DO exist! What happens is, people do not come to me.'
'Exactly!'- affirmed the customer. 'That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! What happens, is, people don't go to Him and do not look for Him. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world.'
BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!
'Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps if you're not willing to move your feet.'
Very good analogy... I have a hard time myself trying to get my head around the pain and suffering issue and I have never doubted the existence of god...
But to put it is the context of my own life experience.. I often find in hindsight that even when the worst things happen something good comes out of it.. and I discover in time that there was an ultimate purpose or important lesson to be learned...
People who suffer hardship are often the most spiritual people because when tested, there faith becomes more affirmed..
Aries01: Very good analogy... I have a hard time myself trying to get my head around the pain and suffering issue and I have never doubted the existence of god...
But to put it is the context of my own life experience.. I often find in hindsight that even when the worst things happen something good comes out of it.. and I discover in time that there was an ultimate purpose or important lesson to be learned...
People who suffer hardship are often the most spiritual people because when tested, there faith becomes more affirmed..
Suffering is meaningless - unless we grow and gain something good from it; then that suffering is turned into a great joy and we know the true meaning of love!
I do not wish anybody to suffer, but those people I most admire are those who have overcome either or both physical or mental suffering.
We ALL suffer - even poor little rich kids suffer.it's HOW WE DEAL WITH SUFFERING makes us either grow and blossom or wither and become bitter and twisted - right?
jimbhoy: Some people scream for him, beg to him , pray to him and do look for him in thier hour of need....Does he come
If you pray with ur heart... yes.. in fact he is always there.. bit like the prodical son story.. he is at home all the time waiting.. door open, waiting for us to return.. not even the most wayward child is not invited. JMHO
rusty_knight: Nice post - also decent men exist.............and I'm waiting for very very bad naughty naughty ladies to come to me for a quick 'trim' - lol
Aries01: Very good analogy... I have a hard time myself trying to get my head around the pain and suffering issue and I have never doubted the existence of god...
But to put it is the context of my own life experience.. I often find in hindsight that even when the worst things happen something good comes out of it.. and I discover in time that there was an ultimate purpose or important lesson to be learned...
People who suffer hardship are often the most spiritual people because when tested, there faith becomes more affirmed..
Hi hun..
Yes...I try always to stay away from controversy, religion and all...but...call it God, universe, energy, whatever name you put, it is out there...just cause some people don't believe doesn't mean it doesn't exist...I've been through very hard times and he has always been there...disguise as a friend, a partner,a kind stranger, but always there....
rusty_knight: Suffering is meaningless - unless we grow and gain something good from it; then that suffering is turned into a great joy and we know the true meaning of love!
I do not wish anybody to suffer, but those people I most admire are those who have overcome either or both physical or mental suffering.
We ALL suffer - even poor little rich kids suffer.it's HOW WE DEAL WITH SUFFERING makes us either grow and blossom or wither and become bitter and twisted - right?
True, we all have been through rough things and times, and what says a lot about us is how we manage to go through it, and if we learn the lesson...there's always a lesson out there...
BeautifulEri: Yes...and so does santa claus....jk....
All intelligent people question the meaning of their existence at some point in their lives........
I think it's fairly rational to believe in God - and also quite comforting.......... and faith can move mountains.
I really admire people who have a solid faith; myself - I am of little faith, but then Jesus said something about people whose faith was like a mustard seed - right?
jimbhoy: True, i can live with that... i believe there is a god, but i dont believe he/she/it is there till we die
JMHO
Hey Jim....
I can respect that....but just my opinion...hes always there...the point is people only think of him when they're going through rought times, when they're good they all think its cause they deserved it, when something bad ahppens, they believe they don't deserve it and God does not exist....mmmm...you may believe or not, but believe all the time not just when is good for you....JMO
Yes...I try always to stay away from controversy, religion and all...but...call it God, universe, energy, whatever name you put, it is out there...just cause some people don't believe doesn't mean it doesn't exist...I've been through very hard times and he has always been there...disguise as a friend, a partner,a kind stranger, but always there....
Hiya
Yeah me too.. it could be the smallest thing, but it will just turns up when I need it most.. its quite remarkable really I could tell u dozens of freaky stories
rusty_knight: All intelligent people question the meaning of their existence at some point in their lives........
I think it's fairly rational to believe in God - and also quite comforting.......... and faith can move mountains.
I really admire people who have a solid faith; myself - I am of little faith, but then Jesus said something about people whose faith was like a mustard seed - right?
Yes, as he said so many other things, like people who ahve been hurt the most have already gained paradise.....that's not fair if u ask me....
Just kidding...
Everyday when I wake up I thank God for everything I have...a roof, food, I can see, smell, walk, so many things we take for granted....I am a happy human being...and when I'm in despair I just tell God I don't understand the reason but I will most certainly try to learn the lesson..and in the end it's all good...
Aries01: Very good analogy... I have a hard time myself trying to get my head around the pain and suffering issue and I have never doubted the existence of god...
But to put it is the context of my own life experience.. I often find in hindsight that even when the worst things happen something good comes out of it.. and I discover in time that there was an ultimate purpose or important lesson to be learned...
People who suffer hardship are often the most spiritual people because when tested, there faith becomes more affirmed..
I always say to some of my patients that are suffering...if God sent down a million angels now and proved of His existence...there would be those that still disbelieved.... Suffering is not the question....it is the answer.
Yeah me too.. it could be the smallest thing, but it will just turns up when I need it most.. its quite remarkable really I could tell u dozens of freaky stories
You can start with just one, and I'll tell you one too...
Zarah: I always say to some of my patients that are suffering...if God sent down a million angels now and proved of His existence...there would be those that still disbelieved.... Suffering is not the question....it is the answer.
Exactly....free will you know???
We can always choose to be bitter or learn the lesson and move on...OUR choice....
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WHAT A GREAT ANALOGY OF GOD FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW
BY ROBIN WILLIAMS NO LESS
This is one of the best explanations
of why God allows pain and suffering
that I have seen. It's an explanation
other people will understand.
A man went to a barbershop to have
his hair cut and his beard trimmed.
As the barber began to work,
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 loving a 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 un-kept.
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 d irty long hair
and untrimmed beards,
like that man outside.'
'Ah, but barbers DO exist!
What happens is, people
do not come to me.'
'Exactly!'-
affirmed the customer.
'That's the point!
God, too, DOES exist!
What happens, is, people
don't go to Him
and do not look for Him.
That's why there's so much pain
and suffering in the world.'
BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!
'Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps if you're not willing to move your feet.'