The Bible says to have an answer for why you believe to those who ask > > > > you. This is a good example of an answer to one of the most common > > > > reasons people give for ignoring God and His goodness. > > > > A man went to a barbershop to have his hair and his beard cut as >always. > > > > He began to have a good conversation with the barber who attended >him. > > > > They talked about so many things and various subjects. Suddenly, they > > > > touched on the subject of God. The barber said: > > > > "Look man, I don't believe that God exists." > > > > "Why do you say that?" asked the customer. > > > > "Well, it's so easy, you just have to go out in the street to realize > > > > that God does not exist. Oh, tell me, if God exists, would there be so > > > > many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God exists, >there > > > > would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't think of loving a God >who > > > > permits all of these things." > > > > The customer thought for a moment, but he didn't respond because he >did > > > > not 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 > > > > hair and a beard. It was very long, and a long time since he had his >hair > > > > cut and he looked dirty and unkempt. > > > > The customer entered the barbershop again and he said to the barber: > > > > "You know what? Barbers do not exist." > > > > "How can you say they don't exist?" asked the surprised barber. "I am > > > > here and I am a barber. Why I just worked on you!" > > > > "No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did > > > > there would be no people with long hair and beard like that man who is > > > > outside." > > > > "Ah, barbers do exist, what happens is that people do not come to me." > > > > "Exactly!"- affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God 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." > > > > If you think God exists, send this to other people--- > > > > BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING

Alexis xxxx

-- Alexis Marcil (alexismarcil@hotmail.com), April 05, 2004

Answers

Bump

-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), April 05, 2004.

It's a nice story, but there is a problem.

There are several possible responses to the "theodicy," the problem of evil. This particular response--that those who suffer are in some way culpably distant from God--creates more problems than it solves.

There are other, more distinctively Christian responses to the problem of evil; one that does not take into account the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ will by necessity be incomplete.

-- anon (ymous@god.bless), April 06, 2004.

I think God does not exist. Not in how people think he does (a man looking down from the "heavens" with a white beard and long white hair) frankly i dont think he/it is even human or a 'being'. I think God is just a word like love its a word that has an emotion, or certain feeling placed to it. "God" is there so people feel that there is something/someone looking over them, guiding or helping them. "God" is a source of comfort. The word "God" gives reasoning as to why we are here, what are purpose is, why things happen. I think "God" as a word and a feeling is real. But other than that No.

-- Makeyathink (.....@.....com), April 21, 2004.

I think God does not exist. Not in how people think he does (a man looking down from the "heavens" with a white beard and long white hair)

{No one actually beleives he looks like this, excpet maybe the LDS Mormons.}-Zarove

frankly i dont think he/it is even human or a 'being'.

{Then you agree with the Bible and Most Christians.}-Zarove

I think God is just a word like love its a word that has an emotion, or certain feeling placed to it.

{Now your beign daft. God isnt an emotion, he is the creator and sustainer of the Universe. Rather he is a personal being, a seperate intenty, or just the laws of Physis is debated, but not that he is a feeling.}-Zarove

"God" is there so people feel that there is something/someone looking over them, guiding or helping them.

{Not really. God is their simpley becauae God is their.}-Zarove

"God" is a source of comfort.

{Not for everyone.}-Zarove

The word "God" gives reasoning as to why we are here, what are purpose is, why things happen.

{Not nessisarily...}-Zarove

I think "God" as a word and a feeling is real. But other than that No.

{Then you relaly have no idea what God is. God isnt a feeling, as God is defined as a creator and all powerful force. }

-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), April 21, 2004.

Do you have to contradict EVERY sentence I make. Look its my opinion. And you have no physical proof. And don't start talking about miricles, and the things that happened in the bible, because thats not proof. How can one 'thing' rule over the universe? Its impossible. And I didn't say all people felt that 'god' gave them comfort I just said it was something that it does give to SOME people.

Then you relaly have no idea what God is. God isnt a feeling, as God is defined as a creator and all powerful force}

{Prove it. Prove that it wasn't just something that someone made up because they couldn't explain something.}

Not really. God is their simpley becauae God is their

{Come on... Now what kind of statement is that? 'He's' there just because?}

Now your beign daft. God isnt an emotion, he is the creator and sustainer of the Universe

{Again, Prove it.}

Look I don't want to fight with you. If your going to base it on faith then thats yours.(That God is just there) and this is my opinion take it or leave it.

-- Makeyathink (.....@.....com), April 22, 2004.

Do you have to contradict EVERY sentence I make.

{This is a discussiom board...}-Zarove

Look its my opinion.

{Mine isnt opinion. That is the difference.}-Zarove

And you have no physical proof.

{Physical proof is unnessisary. You claimed God was a feeling, this is demonstratabley false because of how God is defined.Further, many do NOT follow God based on emotion.If God where merely a human feleign concocted in the Imagination, then these who fllow for other reasons woudl not exist.

God is defined as the creator and sustainer of the Universe, the all powerful force that bonds everything. The supreme being. He is not defined as a feeling.}-Zarove

And don't start talking about miricles, and the things that happened in the bible, because thats not proof.

{We where discussing the ocncept of God, not the validty of God's existance. However, on a Philoosphical level, your claim that God is jusrt a feelign is untenable.}-Zarove

How can one 'thing' rule over the universe? Its impossible.

{Physisists don't think its impossible, as they say the same laws are binding over the Universe. If God is just the laws of Physics, for instance, as spinoza postulated, then indeed its aready been proven.

Also, isn't it a bit arrogant for you to say what is impossible base don Human limitations? I beelive what you meant was that no one BEING could rule the Universe, btu why not? Simpley because your midn is too limited to do so doesnt mean their isnt something smarter than you are. Its not so much impossible, as it is beyond your capacigty to do yourself, or invision doing bweecause of the limits to your own mind.}-Zarove

And I didn't say all people felt that 'god' gave them comfort I just said it was something that it does give to SOME people.

{From God to 'god.' Not onlyt he lower case idea, but also quotation marks. Can't you show a likttle more dignity than insultign the concept by such means?

Also, you said God did not exist except as a feeling, this is clealry false.

Just liek you said no thing can tule over the Universe, oen thing DOES as it has been shown. The only Queasiton is if a rational intellegence guides it, you say this is Impossible, but you do not base this claim of impossibility on anyhting, you just claim it is so.}-Zarove

"Then you relaly have no idea what God is. God isnt a feeling, as God is defined as a creator and all powerful force "

Prove it. Prove that it wasn't just something that someone made up because they couldn't explain something.

{Now you also misrepresent my own words. I said God was defined as something, this means the concept is limited to a crtain meaning.

Also, I can pove it easily, as I said, Physics tells us their is a force that congroles the Universe, the only dispute between theists and atheists then is if this force is itsself an intellegent being, or just random forces. But the existance of God, as i the all powerful force of the Universe, is alreayd proven.}-Zarove

"Not really. God is their simpley becauae God is their "

Come on... Now what kind of statement is that? 'He's' there just because?

{Yes, nt everythign can be reduced. Philosophy does not progress on an infinite digression.}-Zarove

"Now your beign daft. God isnt an emotion, he is the creator and sustainer of the Universe "

Again, Prove it.

{From the dictionary

God: N: 1: The supreme being, creator fo the Universe, and it's sustainer. 2: A member of the race of Supreme beings.

I was refering to the term and concept, which canno be a feeling, no matter what your opinion. Rather or not you are an Atheist i immaterial to the fact that God cannot be a feeling.}-Zarove

Look I don't want to fight with you. If your going to base it on faith then thats yours.(That God is just there) and this is my opinion take it or leave it.

{Again, I am not voicing my opinion, and in this case all I am doign is tellign you why your thoughts are untenable on Philoosphical grounds. This is what you seem incapabl;e of fahtoming.

Opinion aside, God is defined in a very spacific way and cannot be made into a feelign based on yuor opinion.}-Zarove

-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), April 22, 2004.

Makeyathink,

"For those who believe, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe, no explanation is possible." (author unknown)

I believe without a doubt in my heart. I have no idea what God looks like, but I do know how the Holy Spirit works in my own heart and I pray that one day you will know that too.

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), April 22, 2004.

This is something for Makeyathink :

How do I know that you exist? I see these letters on the screen. I can read and figure out its meanings, but how do I know that you truly exist? I haven't seen you, touched you, heard you, or smelled you. For all I know, there is no prove that you actually exist. I'm not even sure that the words on the screen are real. They are just images.

Can the same be said about God? We see images in our lives, in our world, and in our thoughts. Are those real? Then, where did they come from if not from God? If those are real, then are they proof of His existence? Are the words on this screen proof of your existence, Makeyathink ? How much proof does one need? I know; the sky could open up and strike us with a bolt of lightning, as His voice says,"Hello, this is your life". I believe the proof is all around us, if we take the time to experience it.

...............

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), April 22, 2004.

Makeya,

What is your explanation for the origin of the universe? And hopefully you have something more substantial to offer than "there was nothing ... and it went BANG". Trying to explain the origin of the universe without God is like trying to explain the existence of a house without carpenters. One big difference though - carpenters had pre-existing material to work with. God didn't. Those who deny the existence of God are left with nothing but science in their futile attempts to address the origins of matter and energy. Unfortunately, there are only two possible atheistic explanations for the existence of the universe - (1) It was always here - eternal matter - which contradicts the most fundamental theorem of science - causality; or (2) There was nothing - and then matter and energy sponaneously appeared - which contradicts the most fundamental theorem of science - causality. Therefore any attempt to address the idea of primordial origins by science alone simply emphasizes the fact that it cannot be explained by science alone. Science tells us the origin of the universe by purely natural means is impossible. The default explanation for any intellectually open person therefore is necessarily a supernatural cause. This is good science - accepting what the data and the known laws of the physical universe demand, and forming the most logical conclusion without personal predjudice.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), April 22, 2004.

Makeya,

You aren't the first or last person who doesn't believe in God. It's kind of the easy way out to not believe in anything you can't appreciate with your five senses, IMO. Nothing to live up to. Hopefully, someday you'll ask yourself WHY we are here, HOW the universe got started, etc. Until then, ask for understanding.

Frank

-- Someone (ChimingIn@twocents.cam), April 22, 2004.

it is a common sense that GOD exists, treat other people the way you want to be treated, and afterlife will be extraordinary.

-- Believer (god@aol.com), May 24, 2004.

The funny guy MAKEYATHINK must think that he/she is the only person in the world that thinks and now he/she wants us to sit down and think, but of course if we don't think the way he/she wants us to think we'll be a lot of morons. So what value can I give to the reasons he/she may offer? His/her reasons are as good as mine, and if he/she thinks that if I don't accept his/her reasons it is because I don't think properly the same goes from here to there. So why waste my time arguing with someone that offhand has desqualified me?

TOMAKEYATHINKTHATYUDONTTHINK

-- Enrique Ortiz (eaortiz@yahoo.com), May 24, 2004.