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 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."

Source: Vedanta Sandesh March 2007

Location: U.K.

WOW! BEAUTIFUL. Sri Fhanindra told me once day years ago to the same effect. In the first rented room he lived in Guwahati, there was a servant woman of the houseowner who confided her troubles with him. When I inquired about the reason for the suffering she was undergoing, he remarked, "Ah! if only they had called on God. People don't seek his help, hence they suffer." I quote from long ago memory, but I hope the substance is correct.
Thanks and regards,
Ankur

Location: Shillong, Meghalaya, India

Namaste Vriju Ji & Ankur ji,

Very nice story.

RE: "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."

Comment:

Actually, I believe that God loves us so much, that He will chase after us, even if we take no notice of Him. The famous British poet, Francis Thompson composed "The Hound of Heaven", which describes the pursuit of the human soul by God. (This was, incidentally, my late father's favorite poem).

The Hound of Heaven

I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years;
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears
I hid from Him, and under running laughter.

Up vistaed hopes I sped;
And shot, precipitated,

Adown Titanic glooms of chasmèd fears,
From those strong Feet that followed, followed after.

But with unhurrying chase,
And unperturbèd pace,

Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,

They beat -- and a voice beat
More instant than the Feet --

"All things betray thee, who betrayest Me."


Read the whole poem HERE

Om Shanthi Om
=============

I made an error in the link for the poem.
Here is the correct link:
Read the whole poem HERE

Sorry about that :)

Respected web admin,
Explored the link. A beautiful poem I must say even if I haven't read it thoroughly as yet. Thought-provoking. Thank you for the same.
With regards,
Ankur

Location: Shillong, Meghalaya, India

Namaste Ankur Ji,

Your favorable comments are much appreciated.

You may find the following quotes interesting:





SRI AUROBINDO on Francis Thompson's Hound of Heaven:

'Take Francis Thompson's Hound of Heaven Everybody does not understand it : does it follow that Thompson is not a great poet? Or take the Upanishads. They deal with one subject only and have one strain : can we say, therefore, that it is not great poetry?

'"Creative" may be something which gives a picture of life creatively, representing the life-situation of the Spirit. "Expressive" is that which is just the expression of feeling, vision or experience, In the Hound of Heaven you get a true creative picture.

'Poetry is creative where it gives a complete picture of life as in the Hound of Heaven. There you have such a picture of the life of a man pursued by God.

'The Hound of Heaven is a far greater poem than any of Oscar Wilde's or Chesterton's.'

Excerpted from: Quotes from Sri Aurobindo

Thank you, respected web admin. I have shared the poem plus Sri Aurobindo's quotes with my friends here.
With regards,
Ankur

Location: Shillong, Meghalaya, India