Most think God doesn't exist because of pain and suffering.
Does God exist?
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 lady went to a beauty shop to have her hair cut and
her nails painted and trimmed. As the lady 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
beautician said : "I don't believe that God exists."
"Why do you say that?" asked Sheryl who has MS.
"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."
Then Sheryl thought for a moment, but didn't respond because
she didn't want to start an argument. The beautician just
finished her job and the customer left the shop. Just after
she left the beauty shop, she saw a woman in the street with
long, stringy, dirty hair and
not groomed at all. She looked dirty and unkempt.
Then Sheryl turned back and entered the beauty shop again and
she said to the beautician: "You know what? Beauticians do not
exist."
"How can you say that?" asked the surprised beautician. "I am
here, and I am a beautician. And I just worked on you!"
"No!" Sheryl exclaimed. "Beauticians don't exist because if
they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and
be very unkempt, like that woman outside."
"Ah, but beauticians DO exist! What happens is, people do not
come to me."
"Exactly!"- affirmed Sheryl. "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."
2006-12-04 08:55:57 · 28 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
For those who still cannot understand, I pray for you. Yes pain does not only strike nonbelivers, but it is a test and it brings them closer to God. It shows they have strong faith. I have been though a terrible sickness in my life and God told me not to be afraid because of that I have established a closer relashonship with God. If you are hear to mock God I ask you to leave, all that I am doing is trying to give you a better understanding.
2006-12-04 09:05:58 · update #1
Thank You! God bless and stay strong. This mockery was prophesied as part of the evil that prevailed in men's minds in the last days. Keep looking up because Jesus is coming soon. I like the story of the college professor who said nobody could prove there was a God. One Christian young man stood to his feet and reasoned scientifically that darkness is the absence of light, cold the absence of heat, both of which the professor allowed existed but using the same priniples to deny God's existance couldn't apply. He went on to say evil is the absence of God. Fortunately, where sin doth abound, grace doth much more abound. The darker it gets, the brighter the light will shine and it sure is getting to be gross darkness covering our land so keep letting your light shine before men!
2006-12-04 15:57:14 · answer #1 · answered by Lovin' Mary's Lamb 4 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Good question.
Here's another thought for you...How do I know that the other people on this website are real. I probably have never seen them, so how do I know that what you say about yourself is really true?
The answer is, I don't know, I just have to have faith, wisdom and discernment.
But you may say, "well, I write on the website and God hasn't written anything in 1000s of years and so he doesn't exist."
My answer is that God still writes things in people's hearts and minds.
But then, why does he allow bad things to happen?
I don't know the exact answer to that, but my theory is that because there are good things that happen. If we all lived in Eden, would we really appreciate the good?
2006-12-04 09:06:55 · answer #2 · answered by Searcher 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Next week when you go to church ,can you ask your pastor/minister a question for me?
Why didn't the lady offer to pay for the unkempt woman to have a session with Sheryl.After all if God was working for her there would not have been a negative outcome,such as, the unkempt woman getting offended.
This is such a weak, even judgemental analogy,for the existence of God. What right do any of us have to judge people on sight? I'm sure a loving God wouldn't.
,I believe,but obviously not in the same concept of God as you.
But,that does not make me a better or worse person.
However I think your religious mentor should put a bit more thought into his/her sermons.
2006-12-04 09:19:58 · answer #3 · answered by sistablu...Maat 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
You make the case for those that don't believe in the existence of God. And you are correct too. God is an invention of man with all the religion and tales. However, going to God is a choice. In so doing, one becomes open to the idea that there is a loving, caring, benevolent God of their understanding.
In order of happening, I have been Catholic, Agnostic, Atheist, and now Spiritual. My Higher Power has no name, no face, nor religion except that I always do the next right thing, and interpret his will for me and the power to carry it out. That's it. Nothing complicated, fearful, or to persecute anyone else for. Everyone is free to choose.
2006-12-04 09:02:20 · answer #4 · answered by Awesome Bill 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
That still doesn't make any sense. Good, God-fearing, Christians still suffer. And human beauticians do not have the power that God does. God COULD help everyone. A human could not.
People who don't believe in God would not think this is a "good explanation."
2006-12-04 09:01:00 · answer #5 · answered by Phoenix, Wise Guru 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Sorry, but that doesn't work...
What about the people that don't have enough money to go to the beautician? Or whose country has no beauticians? Does that mean that some people cannot get to G-d? Ever?
Plus, the problem of evil isn't the reason I don't believe in G-d. Irenaeus' Theodicy has enough explanation of that. Plus, it seems clear to me that we need pain to experience pleasure, and vice versa.
2006-12-04 09:03:54 · answer #6 · answered by lady_s_hazy 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
So the 4 year old with childhood leukemia having to face the end of her life before she has even begun it is being punished by your God for not worshiping him sooner? That doesn't sound like a loving God to me.
2006-12-04 09:00:55 · answer #7 · answered by thewolfskoll 5 · 3⤊ 2⤋
haaaaaa haaaaaaa haaaaaaaa
WoooW... Are you saying that If there is Pain there is God! That's hilarious! How about there is Pain but there is no God! It still can make sense!!
If I ask God for food, you don't feel full. That's pure common sense. Lots of people ask God and nothing happens! They do everything you can imagine, and still no answers!
2006-12-04 08:58:28 · answer #8 · answered by Max D 3 · 3⤊ 3⤋
Sorry, not good enough. Thank you for playing. Please try again later.
For starters: Sheryl could see and touch the beautician. Sheryl could have a conversation with the beautician that anyone standing nearby could observe. No one has to have faith in a beautician before they experience a haircut. And you don't even have to go to a beautician to in order to get your hair cut and styled.
Sorry. You do not have the right to ask anyone to leave. This is a public forum. If you are offended by honest answers from nonbelievers...which is whom you addressed the question to...then perhaps you should restrict yourself posting to a Christians-only forum.
2006-12-04 09:12:10 · answer #9 · answered by February Rain 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
You know what you are right....I hope u go to heaven because half of these people don't even know what you were saying only if they knew so God Bless You!!! and you rock
2006-12-04 09:16:53 · answer #10 · answered by vickyg_892008 3 · 3⤊ 2⤋