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Through a strange confluence of circumstances, an atheist, an agnostic and a believer found themselves in the middle of a vast desert without food or water. Each dragged a suitcase with their most prized possessions through the hot sand. Dying of thirst, they happened upon a legendary bar. The atheist had never believed that such a place existed even though he had heard stories of it as a child. The agnostic had heard about the place but doubted its existence. The believer never doubted the stories he had heard about the bar his entire life.

The agnostic and the atheist wanted to go inside the building, but the believer would not go in because he knew that the bar had a bouncer who would take you for everything you had if you didn’t meet the very strict dress code. He was confident that someone would come along soon to help him get past the bouncer. He warned the others about the bouncer, but they thought he was crazy. They hurried into the building with their suitcases to escape the heat and quench their thirst.

As soon as the atheist and the agnostic entered the building, they were confronted by a massive greasy-haired bouncer who said that they were not meeting the dress code. The bouncer proceeded to escort them out of the building. The two men explained the desperation of their situation. The bouncer let go of them and said that they would have to leave and stay outside unless they paid the cover charge immediately. As the believer had told them, the cover charge was everything they had. The two men gave the bouncer everything they owned because they knew they would die in the heat outside. After taking their possessions, the bouncer allowed them to pass with a wide smile on his sweaty face.

The men were very thirsty and looked for a drinking fountain or restroom to get some water since they had no money. The drinking fountains and bathrooms were all out of order. When they realized this, they looked for other patrons who would help them buy a drink, but there were none at this time of day.

The bar was empty except for a lone bartender of radiant beauty. The two went up to the bartender, and told her their story. The bartender listened with great interest. When they were finished she asked them what they wanted. Even though they thought their story had made it pretty obvious, they asked for water and access to a restroom. The bartender gave them glasses of the best-tasting and most refreshing water they had ever had and the key to the staff restroom. They thanked the bartender profusely and apologized for not having any money for a tip. She smiled sweetly.

After they came back from the restroom, the bartender told them that she would be happy to help their companion who was still outside, but she was on the clock and they would have to go outside to invite him in. They asked her if there was any way to have the bouncer go easy on the believer. They were also concerned that the bouncer would not let them back in the building. She told them that the bouncer would take the man for all he had no matter what anyone said or did. She stamped their hands so that the bouncer would allow them to reenter the bar.

The agnostic and the atheist went back outside into the brutal heat to invite the believer inside. They apologized for doubting him and told him that he had been right about everything. They asked him to join them inside to cool off and get some water to drink. The believer did not want to lose his possessions and was adamant that someone would come along soon to help him meet the dress code.  He was dehydrated and not thinking straight. They told him that he was going to die if he didn’t come in with them. They argued that none of his belongings were of any use if he were dead. They told him all about the bartender, the water, and the restroom. He still refused to go in. The atheist and the agnostic begged him to come inside, but it was no use. The two men re-entered the bar and walked past the bouncer who looked as sad as they felt.

They approached the bartender to tell her what had happened. Her eyes welled up with tears. She took the two men to a window and pulled back the heavy curtain so they could see the vast burning desert surrounding the building. “What you see isn’t sand. It’s what’s left of those who refused to pay the bouncer.”

Secrets of the Story

One of the problems with beliefs is that we actually believe them. Belief in our beliefs can blind us to the truth of our circumstances. In the story the believer is dying but has convinced himself that he will be rescued before it’s too late like some people cling to rescue fantasies hoping for some kind of dramatic intervention to save them from their problems. The help we need is right here right now, but we often don’t recognize it because it doesn’t match our expectations.

The agnostic and the atheist were not better people than the believer. They were just able to appreciate their plight and accepted the help that was available regardless of how it was packaged.

We tend to base our identity on what others have told us and what we have told ourselves. The spiritual journey involves letting go of those things we have relied upon to shore up our sense of self – beliefs, possessions, relationships, habits, patterns of thought and feeling, survival strategies, and defense mechanisms. We are able to receive what we need from The Source of Life and Love to the extent that we are willing to let go of the stories we tell ourselves.

The spiritual journey is about moving toward life. While unpleasant to contemplate, spiritual death is a real possibility because we are able to persistently refuse the help that is available. My hope is that we will each accept the ever-present help we need to really, really live and in the process release the burdens that were never truly ours to carry.