No God?

There are various forms of this story scattered throughout the internet. The author is unknown:

The dentist filled the man’s cavity and said, “There you go, all done.”

The patient said, ‘Thank God for that!”

The dentist said, “God? There is no god.”

“Oh, I believe in God,” said the patient.

“What kind of god would allow all the pain and death and suffering in the world? There is no god,” replied the dentist.

“Well then,” said the patient, “I don’t believe in dentists.”

“How can you not believe in dentists? My certificate is on the wall and I’m standing right here beside you.”

“Well, if there were dentists, why would they allow all the decaying, hurting teeth in the world?”

“I can’t help it if people won’t listen to what I tell them and won’t come to me when they need dental care,” said the dentist.

“So, your patients take care of their teeth of their own free will?” said the patient.

The dentist saw where the patient was going with this, but he had to agree.

“It’s the same thing with God. He doesn’t force anyone to listen to Him or come to Him. People take care of their souls of their own free will. He can heal the decaying, hurting souls of the world—if only they would just come to Him.”

One of the most common things atheists cite as proof that there is no God is all the awful things the world. How would you respond to such a statement?

Today’s Praise

1 Samuel 2:8
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory. “For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and He has set the world upon them.