No God or Know God

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem  has with God, The Almighty.

He asks one of his new students to stand and.....

Prof: So you believe in God?

Student: Absolutely, sir.

Prof: Is God good?

Student: Sure.

Prof: Is God all-powerful?

Student: Yes.

Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him.

Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm? (Student is silent.)

Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fellow. Is God good?

Student: Yes.

Prof: Is Satan good?

Student: No.

Prof: Where does Satan come from?

Student: From...God.. .

Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student: Yes.

Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?

Student: Yes.

Prof: So who created evil?

(Student does not answer.)

Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?

Student: Yes, sir.

Prof: So, who created them?

(Student has no answer.)

Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God?

Student: No, sir.

Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?

Student: No, sir.

Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?

Student: No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.

Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student: Yes.

Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student: Nothing. I only have my faith.

Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.

Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Prof: Yes.

Student: And is there such a thing as cold?

Prof: Yes.

Student: No sir. There isn't.

(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat,

But we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold.

Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.

(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)

Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?

Student: You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and its called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't.

If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?

Prof: So what is the point you are making, young man?

Student: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?

Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure.

Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one.

To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)

Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?

(The class is in uproar.)

Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?

(The class breaks out into laughter.)

Student: Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir.

With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?

(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable. )

Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.

Student: That is it sir... The link between man & god is FAITH.

That is all that keeps things moving & alive....... ......... ..

My Life Teacher*

Medicine-who doesn't sleep peacefully

A boy and a girl were playing together. The boy had a collection of marbles. The girl had some sweets with her. The boy told the girl that he will give her all his marbles in exchange for her sweets. The girl agreed.

The boy kept the biggest and the most beautiful marble aside and gave the rest to the girl. The girl gave him all her sweets as she had promised.

That night, the girl slept peacefully. But the boy couldn't sleep as he kept wondering if the girl had hidden some sweets from him the way he had hidden his best marble.

Moral of the story: If you don't give your hundred percent in a relationship, you'll always keep doubting if the other person has given his/her hundred percent.. This is applicable for any relationship like love, friendship.....So Give your hundred percent to everything you do and sleep peacefully.

-My Life Teacher*

Three carts and Burning House

Once there was a wealthy man who had many children,they all lived together in a house.

One day, when the children were playing inside. a fire broke out in the house. the wealthy man called out to his children,"Fire!The house is on fire! Come out,all of you!Come out as quickly as you can."But they children were so busy with their games that they did not pay need to their father's warning.They continued to play inside the burning house.

The wealthy man thought of a practical wa to save his children.He called out to them."I have brought three carts for you.One is pulled by a goat,another by a deer and the third by an Ox.The first one to come out can ride the best cart. let's see who comes out frist!"Hearing this, the children were very excited and they run out of the house.Thus they were saved from the life.Once they were out of the house,they demanded,"Where are our carts?"

Instead of the three carts, the wealthy man gave his children a much finer and larger cart. This cart ran as swiftly as the wind.It was adorned with many jewels and was drawn by a great white ox.This cart was called the Great White Ox Cart.

In this story, The burning house represents this world which is filled with suffering.The children represent us ordinary people who are at the mercy of these sufferings.The wealthy man represents the Buddha, who wants to save us from suffering and to make us really happy.

Finally the Great White Ox Cart represents the Lotus Sutra that can save us from pain and suffering and enable us to become absolutely happy.

Source- V.C Nov07

Run Melos..!!

In ancient Greece, there was a young man named Melos. He lived in the city of Messina in Sicily. His sister was about to be married and Melos wanted ti gift her a ceremonial sword. So he traveled all the way to Syracuse - the mangnificent city of the temples. In Syracuse, Melos met a talented young sculptor named Selinentius. The two young men become close friends. Melos bought the ritual sword and was about to go back to Messina. At that time Syracuse was ruled by the cruel king Dionysius. Someone wrongly accused Melos of conspiring to kill the king. Melos was arrested and brought before Dionysius.He was sentenced to death.

Melos tried explaining that he was innocent, but the king did not believe him. At last he pleaded, "I am ready to die.But please allow me to go back to Messina to attend my sister's wedding. I will be back in three days and then you can execute me." "Do you thing I am fool?" shouted the cruel king. "If I let you go, you will never come back. Who would come back to get killed?.' Though Melos repeatedly assured the king that he would come back. Dionysis would not trust him. He said,"I can let you go only if someone else is willing to stay here as a hostage till you come back.If you don't come back within three days, I will kill the hostage in your place.

When he heard this, Selinetius volunteered to be a hostage till Melos returned. Dionysius couldn't belive that he would be willing to risk his own life.He had no choice but to let Melos go. Melos was deeply grateful to his friend .He hurried to Messina. He attend his sister's wedding and presented the ceremonial sword to the newly married couple. After that he bade a tearful farewell to everyone and started for Syracuse immediately. The way back was full of obstacles. His ship was attacked by pirates and he was forced to jump into the water. But Melos couldn't think of giving up He couldn't afford to be late.The life of his dear friend was in danger, Thinking of Selinentius, Melos swan Towards the shore with all his might.

Eventually, he reached the shore.Melos feared he might be too late. he had no choice but to run. He run as fast as he could towards Syracuse.But his troubles were not over yet. Suddenly a group of armed mountain robbers surrounded him. Melos pleaded that he needed to reach Syracuse at the earliest to save his friend's life.B ut the robbers would not let him go. Melos couldn't waste time. he had to fight the robbers. A fierce fight followed. Thought Melos was very exhausted, he fought valiantly. He was determined to overcome this obstacle. One by one he struck down all the bandits. With all this effort, Melos was dead tried Yet he couldn't think of resting. gathering all his streanght, he again started running. His feet bled and he was drenched with sweat. His thorat was dry. Yet he continued running as fast as his tired legs could carry him. But Melos was nearing the end of his strength. Overcome with fatigue he collapsed on the ground. He had no strength to get up.

As he lay helplessly,his mind raced. For a moment,a terrible thought crossed his mind. "Why am iI running so hard? "he thought. "To die? Of what use is all this? "Why can't I just go back and alive a life of ease? "Just then he remembered his friend's face. He could not let Selinentius down How could he betray his friend's trust? "No" he determined. It is useless to live a life of disgrace and regret. I would rather die in honour! "A fierce determination welled up in his heart. He had to reach Syracuse in time. with a sudden burst of energy. Melos got back on his feet. He took a deep breath and started running again. He had no sense of time. No sense of pain. He just knew he had to reach his destination. "Run Melos run!" he shouted to himself. Afte a seemingly endless run, Melos finally reached Syracuse. His heart pounded with fear. Was he too late?.

As he reached the palace, he saw Selinentius being led to the execution ground. Melos was overcome with relief and a profound satifaction at having kept his word." I am here!" he shouted. "I have kept my word. Kill me !But let my friend go!" Then he fell unconscious on the ground. The tyrant Dionysius was so impressed with the profound trust and friendship between Melos and Selinentius that he pardoned them both. He was so moved with their loyalty and courage that he made them both advisors in his court.

How wonderful are the bonds of friendship! Let's become people of honour. Let's transcend our selfish concerns and do our best to help and support our friends.

Source- V.C Aug.07