This is one of the best explanations of why God

allows pain and suffering that I have seen: 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&nbs p;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 w orld."

why would he allow homeless kids who do pray to him, and are innocent suffer. i have seen kids like that i have seen people who pray to god, go to church, and are still homeless, and suffer.

[This message has been edited by Graemy (edited 08-12-2006).]

well every religion has something different for why that happens

From what i believe its to do with your last life, For all the bad you have done you have to pay.

All the bad thats happening in this life is going to happen but make sure you keep your slate clean as possible in this llife and you will be fine in you next unless you reach salvation that is

That's a pretty lame touchy feely explanation for why if there was a God, he's not a prick.

An omnipotent god could stop all suffering by snapping his finger, and if he was all good, would definitely do so if he is our father. A good father wouldn't sit by while someone sexually abused an infant if he could easily stop it. A father who would allow that to happen is an evil father.

There's no reason a barber should give a fuck about allowing or not allowing people to walk the streets with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards.

Some say that every soul occupies a body with an egenda. With something to acheive or something to "Remember".

It's also said that many of our desires are unconscious and that suffering may come from an unconscious choice to experience these things for various reasons.

To truly believe in and accept eternal life, and to believe that no lasting harm can ever come to us as souls, we would be released of suffering.

Pain is just the feeling caused by an experience.

Suffering is being afraid of pain. But with god, there is never a reason to be afraid. Pain is only feelings caused by certain momentary experiences. They are nothing to be afraid of.

It's kinda like a haunted house ride at the fun fair.



[This message has been edited by ---Beany--- (edited 08-12-2006).]

quote:Originally posted by ---Beany---

Suffering is being afraid of pain. But with god, there is never a reason to be afraid.

How about I brutally fuck your first born in the ass, while you sit by and tell him there is no reason to be afraid, for he has God?

Suffering is more than being afraid of pain. Get a fucking clue.

quote:Originally posted by Martini:

How about I brutally fuck your first born in the ass, while you sit by and tell him there is no reason to be afraid, for he has God?

Suffering is more than being afraid of pain. Get a fucking clue.

Hmm, my post obviously caused you suffering. Dude, don't be afraid of my alternative views.

quote:Originally posted by Frost:

well every religion has something different for why that happens

From what i believe its to do with your last life, For all the bad you have done you have to pay.

All the bad thats happening in this life is going to happen but make sure you keep your slate clean as possible in this llife and you will be fine in you next unless you reach salvation that is

that is buddhism, salvation being enlightenment. that is what buddhism believes.

But the religion i would be refering to is one which isnt realy spoken of on this forum, Sikhism /Sikhi

they are just like buddhism except they have a god and some other points. What you said is exactly what a buddhist believes.

That's the most retarded analogy I've ever heard.

Maybe if the barber in question didn't require money for his service and was capable of trimming all hair perfectly in one wave of his scissors, then it might hold water. Sadly, as it is, it misses the entire nature of omnipotence.

It's not that the barber simply chooses not to cut hair, it's that he can't cut the entire population's hair, and he would need paying for his service.

God must just choose not to, since he could.

quote:Originally posted by Graemy:

they are just like buddhism except they have a god and some other points. What you said is exactly what a buddhist believes.

Yh they are similar yet miles apart just as it can be said with Islam or Hinduism connecting to Sikhi

[This message has been edited by Frost (edited 08-13-2006).]

quote:Originally posted by ---Beany---:

Hmm, my post obviously caused you suffering. Dude, don't be afraid of my alternative views.

I spit shit all over my computer screen. you get like 100 points or somethin, better yet, you can choose. that made my day.

quote:Originally posted by Martini:

God, he's not a prick.

There's no reason a barber should give a fuck about allowing or not allowing people to walk the streets with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards.

That made me giggle because I imagined a forceful italian barber who becomes enraged at the sight of hippies.

I don't have enough cash on me to visit a barber. I don't think I have enough cash to go to God either.

Frost, would you mine sponsoring me?

quote:Originally posted by quasicurus:

I don't have enough cash on me to visit a barber. I don't think I have enough cash to go to God either.

Frost, would you mine sponsoring me?

aite then butttttt

you aint gettin more than 2 quid a week outa me!

So this isn't the type of thread where you defend your ridiculous analogy?

well its nice having a thread where people arent pushing their views onto other aint it? Whether the are rediculous or quite udnerstandable its your own views i guess and like it woul dbe boring if every one in the world followed the same theory

It really seems kind of redundant to pretend that all views are worthy of the same respect when clearly in cases such as this, some people have completely irrational views.

What about the part where the barber sends the man with long, dirty hair to an eternity of pain and suffering for not getting a haircut?

http://www.totse.com/bbs/confused.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/confused.gif)

I LOL'D.