human suffering and G-d... an analogy...

[nikmatdam]

a friend sent me this... it is right on... nik.

THIS IS GREAT ANALOGY OF GOD
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 dirty 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.'

If you KNOW God exists,
send this to other people---
If you think God doesn't exist,
then just delete it!

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

'Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps if you're not willing to move your feet.'
Life is too short and friends are too few
 
 

[Shlomo]

It's a great story but are you sure Robbin Williams wrote this? From what I know, he's not a religious man. It could be one of those mass emails that's just got a really great story to it. I wonder if there's a link somewhere that has this and tells if he really wrote it or not?

[Eliezer Ben Avraham]

It's a great story but are you sure Robbin Williams wrote this? From what I know, he's not a religious man. It could be one of those mass emails that's just got a really great story to it. I wonder if there's a link somewhere that has this and tells if he really wrote it or not?

Thats probably it, or it might be someone else named robin williams

[nikmatdam]

who cares if it is really from the actual robin williams or not...?... i didn't send it out and post it here for its celebrity content... that is utterly meaningless to me... what is relevant is the message... it seems everyone here cannot pay attention to the substance of things i put up... only the external trappings... what is wrong with you all...?

my G-d... "ha lomed mikol adam..." "learn from all people..." even if it is from joe or josephine blow... if it is the truth... it is the truth and it does not matter one iota who is saying it... truth is truth... period... end of discussion... nik. in a quandry over you guys... out...

[Rubystars]

I hate to be a pain but the story begs the question of why even righteous people who DO go to G-d and DO seek G-d still end up suffering.

Also, while everyone can see the barber and know where to go to reach him, not everyone knows the right way to contact God, and there are a lot of false copycats out there, like Allah.

[nikmatdam]

true... and the homeless guy does not have the 10 bucks or so for the haircut or maybe even the inclination to get one... not to mention the barber won't do it for free and even if the guy can pay for it... the way he wreaks will drive other customers out of the shop so the barber won't let him in in the first place until he bathes...

all that said and put aside... there is still a kernal of truth... and that truth is that evil in the world is man's fault not G-d's... people are not following His plan and His rules for life so everything is screwed up... also... if G-d had created everyone an angel with no imperfections at all then there would be no point to His having created us... it is evil in existence which gives us the chance to overcome it and earn our eternal reward and become a partner with G-d right here on earth during our lifetimes with His work and goals for mankind and creation... without evil we would all be just glorified cows grazing in the grass and our lives would have no purpose or meaning whatsoever... it wouldn't matter ultimately if we lived or died or whether we were ever born in the first place... it just wouldn't make a bit of difference at all... nik. out...

[RationalThought110]

I hate to be a pain but the story begs the question of why even righteous people who DO go to G-d and DO seek G-d still end up suffering.

Some of the most righteous people have unfortunate things happen to them.

[nikmatdam]

this was the one question even moshe rebenu could not fathom... why do the righteous suffer and the evildoer prosper...? nik.

[mmauguard]

If you read the sacred books as the Torah and the Bible God made man perfect and in his own image. We brought evil and inperfection upon ourselves. God had everything set up and planed for us.

[Rubystars]

this was the one question even moshe rebenu could not fathom... why do the righteous suffer and the evildoer prosper...? nik.

The premise of the story is that the barber is pretty much asking the same question. If there is no easy answer then I don't see how this anecdote has much merit.

[RationalThought110]

this was the one question even moshe rebenu could not fathom... why do the righteous suffer and the evildoer prosper...? nik.

Is that what you're trying to point out in this thread?

[nikmatdam]

i'm trying to point out that man causes the evil to florish in this world... bec. of the yetzer hara which G-d created... but the job to vanquish evil is ours... G-d made us His partner in this task thruout history and therefore it is up to us... G-d is not to blame when evil prevails... we are for not doing enough to stand up against it... nik.