Heaven Can Wait

Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die.
Peter Tosh

I saw a bumper sticker that posed the question, “Are you going to heaven?” Under the quote was the address of a web site. I suppose the idea was to get people to go to the web site to find out if their lifestyle is going to send them north or south after they die. My guess is also somewhere on the web site there is some information on the steps one need to take to make it to the Pearly Gates, should the question be answered in the negative.

The bumper sticker does not mention if it is a Christian web site you’d be visiting, but judging by where I live and my experience on the religion of my fellow community members, I think it probably was. I’d bet real money that John 14:6 (I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me:) comes up at some point. Maybe a pop up ad.

I’ve always thought that getting a membership to the country club as a reason to behave was a little shallow, if not materialistic. Speaking of the Book of John, in it Jesus said, “In my Father's house are many mansions.” Why mansions? Why not a nice bungalow, or even just a small room with a comfortable bed and a nice view? Maybe mansion meant something different 2,000 years ago, but today, when I think of a mansion I think of a large house, probably too large for just one family, with ostentatious furniture, plenty gold fixtures, servants, and a large grounds. Mansions? This is the same guy that threw the money changers out of the temple?

Heaven, or paradise, is not exclusive to Christianity. Neither are saints as it turns out. Islam has them too, but they’re called Wali in that religion. I read about an Islamic saint named Rabia Basri. She was seen one night running through the streets of Basra, Iraq with a torch in one hand and a bucket of water in the other. Some of her neighbors asked, “What gives?” She answered that she wanted to use the torch to burn down the gates of Paradise and use the water to put out the fires of Hell. Further inquiries produced the idea from Miss Basri that she wanted to worship not in fear of punishment or hope of a reward, but simply for the love of God. She thought those ideas block the way to God. You kind of have to respect someone who won’t take a paycheck.

I wonder if in today’s churches, if the guy at the front, whatever he is called, suggested the flock forget about Heaven and Hell and just show up, how may would? My guess is that man being man, went confronted with a behavior, asks what’s in it for me? If he were told that nothing was promised other than someone you’ll never see or hear from while on Earth will love them, I think most would look elsewhere for something to do on Sunday mornings.