Wednesday, 15 April 2009
A man went to a barber’s shop to get a hair cut. As the barber started to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about many things on various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject about God, the barber said: "I do not believe that God exists." "Why do you say that?" asked the customer. "Well, you just have to go out to the streets to realise that God does not exist. 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 cannot imagine a loving God who would allow such things." The customer thought for a moment, but did not 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 barber’s shop, he saw a dirty and unkempt man in the street with messy long hair. 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 barber. “I am here and I am a barber. I just worked on you." "No." the customer exclaimed, "Barbers do not exist because if they did, there would be nobody with messy long hair like that man outside." "Barbers do exist. That is what happens when people do not come to me." "Exactly." affirmed the customer, "That is the point. God too does exist. That is what happens when people do not go to Him and do not look to Him for help. That is why there is so much pain and suffering in the world."