# An Anecdote that is Supposed to Prove God **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 6, 2012, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942 "2012-02-06T06:02:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/21 "2012-02-06T17:23:39Z")
First, OP, you need to stop visiting sites which have stories like this. The story for one thing seems to not understand why barbers work. To paraphrase Adam Smith, a barber does not cut your hair out of altruism, but to make a living. So, the analogy might work for that old variety of deity who only did things for people when they barbecued various bits of livestock for him. Current God, no. Now, the story would be a bit more accurate if the barber grabbed people, gave them lopsided horrible looking haircuts and half shavings, and then had his supporters explain why these haircuts are the best haircuts possible. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/22 "2012-02-06T17:24:38Z")
> [@dorsk188](#): > > The problem of Evil is a significant challenge to believers in an omnipowerful loving god, (as has been attested by former Christian Bart Ehrman). It may be reconcilable, but you need to jump through some major hoops. Wayyyy back when I was very religious…I had problems with this. You can reconcile it easy with a omnipowerful god…or a loving god…but not both. The way I dealt with it was to sacrifice omnipowerful…well God was omnipowerful but voluntarily limited himself. You know…hoops. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/23 "2012-02-06T17:39:07Z")
Does this explain why Jesus had long hair? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/24 "2012-02-06T17:40:14Z")
If his was meant as a proof of God rather than a glurge, it is absolutely retarded. At best, the customer allows for a God that sits on his throne and waits for people to come to Him, but certainly doesn’t prove it through the imperfect analogy. I was racking my brain to find the logical fallacy. I know it’s in there somewhere. I’d go with the old Absence of Proof fallacy. The person just discredited their “proof” that God doesn’t exist and therefore concludes God does exist. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/25 "2012-02-06T17:51:26Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > …unless you assume that the omnipotent barber would not only want to give, but would will forcibly impose a haircut on all. > > I don’t think Xtians assume that about their god. OK, fine. The metrosexual in me wants to assume that all else being equal people would want to look good and the omnipotent barber could take that for granted, but maybe he’s showing courtesy to the bikers or something. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/26 "2012-02-06T17:57:01Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > If his was meant as a proof of God rather than a glurge, it is absolutely retarded. At best, the customer allows for a God that sits on his throne and waits for people to come to Him, but certainly doesn’t prove it through the imperfect analogy. Good one. That’s like the barber (maybe) setting up shop, but in the neighborhood there are 50 - 60 other barber shops. Some stab you through the throat when you sit down, some give you the Emperor’s new haircut and charge you a ton for it, some will only cut you hair if you hang upside down from the ceiling. Our real barber, who is also the mayor, does nothing to close these places down, even by advertising. He doesn’t want to prove that he is the real barber, it seems. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/27 "2012-02-06T18:01:18Z")
So, Satan and God conspired to torture Job because they didn’t like his haircut. Once he got a new 'do, Job’s life is fixed. Seems legit. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/28 "2012-02-06T18:02:41Z")
I see a couple of things here. First off, I don’t think the OP knows what an ‘anecdote’ is. Secondly, is the assumption that an ‘anecdote’, even if used correctly, proves anything. Thirdly is that THIS ‘anecdote’ (which I’d redefine as ‘folksy story’) ‘proves’ anything at all, regardless. And lastly…does this OP have a thing about starting these God threads and then never coming back, or is that just my impression? The name looks familiar. (Also, ‘a couple of things here’ is being defined, by me, as more than 4 ;)) -XT ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/29 "2012-02-06T18:08:25Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > And lastly…does this OP have a thing about starting these God threads and then never coming back, or is that just my impression? The name looks familiar. He’s come back sometimes; he also only has 48 posts so you probably aren’t all _that_ familiar with his name. ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/30 "2012-02-06T18:09:46Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > Non-Wikipedia cite, please? [This study](http://www.pitzer.edu/academics/faculty/zuckerman/Zuckerman_on_Atheism.pdf) seems like a good place to start, given the 9 pages of citations. A quick read seems to indicate that the news is not good for secular/atheistic individuals, but it’s far from a complete picture. From the paper: > [@](#): > > While acknowledging the many disagreements and discrepancies above, the fact still > remains that a preponderance of studies do indicate that secular people don’t seem to fare > as well as their religious peers when it comes to selected aspects of psychological wellbeing (Hackney and Sanders 2003; Pargament 2002; Schnittker 2001; Hood et al. 1996; > Idler and Stanislav 1992; Petersen and Roy 1985). Comparisons between countries presents a more positive view. Again from this paper: > [@](#): > > As noted earlier, the most secular democracies in the world score very high on international indexes of happiness and well-being (Kamenev 2006) and they have among lowest > violent crime and homicide rates (Paul 2005). From a rough reading (just because I haven’t had the time to read thoroughly) it seems that religion acts as a psychological buffer/protector for the individual, but tends to have deleterious effects on societies as a whole. I present this paper with the understanding that it’s not a complete picture, and I haven’t looked into the studies it references; frankly, it was the first Google hit that seemed to be scholarly in nature and well-cited. Also, I think it’s important to note that whether atheists are happier/better educated/richer or not does not, inherently, prove or disprove the existence of God. Also, for perspective sake, I’m essentially an atheist myself. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/31 "2012-02-06T18:10:48Z")
This story is actually solid evidence that an all powerful God either does not exist or doesn’t care to reveal himself. If he did, and was really all-powerful, he would not need such immature, poorly thought out evidence to convince people to beleive in him. A better analogy would be a barber who hides in the back of the shop and never shows his face. Then, whenever anyone wonders into his shop, he berates them for their choice of hairstyle and then ties them up and tortures them forever. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/32 "2012-02-06T18:57:24Z")
The alternate ending to the story in the OP has the customer leaving the barber a $5000 tip. The barber says “Jesus!” The customer says “Aha, so there _is_ a God!” (barber assumes stunned expression, as the credits appear and “Amazing Grace” by the Mighty Groundhogs plays on the soundtrack) ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/33 "2012-02-06T19:10:35Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > Hair styles are of little or no importance. _Blasphemy!!_ ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/34 "2012-02-06T19:30:41Z")
Eh? I may be dumb, but I simply don’t get it. How does it prove anything? It’s a _claim_ about God, not a proof of him. It’s a claim that those who go to him end up happy, and those who don’t end up homeless. It’s also a verifiably false claim, since I know plenty of successful atheists, and unfortunate believers. If anything, this would be evidence _against_ the existence of God, not for it. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/35 "2012-02-06T19:36:52Z")
So Jesus the barber saves every man that doesn’t save himself… ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/36 "2012-02-06T19:42:07Z")
[QUOTE=Der Trihs] He’s come back sometimes; he also only has 48 posts so you probably aren’t all that familiar with his name. [/QUOTE] Must have been someone else then. My apologies. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/37 "2012-02-06T19:52:09Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > [QUOTE=Blake] > Hair styles are of little or no importance. _Blasphemy!!_ [/QUOTE] Hairesy! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/38 "2012-02-06T19:57:20Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > So Jesus the barber saves every man that doesn’t save himself… When Jesus the Barber gets here, everybody’s gonna jump for joy. ---
**Author:** ![FixMyIgnorance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@FixMyIgnorance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FixMyIgnorance)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/39 "2012-02-06T19:58:03Z")
lol, this kind of logic is ridiculous. Even within that screwed up framework, the analogy still fails because we can point to plenty of people who suffer in the world who still believe in things like God and Jesus, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942/40 "2012-02-06T19:58:39Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > When Jesus the Barber gets here, everybody’s gonna jump for joy. I’d rather see him than his cousin Floyd. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anecdote-that-is-supposed-to-prove-god/611942.md?page=3)