Off the edge of the cliff

Submitted by Michael S (United States), Jan 20, 2015 at 07:51

????. Surely it's not that hard?

Nope, I don't get it. I'm that dense. Oh well.

A digression to some philosophy: to me heaven on earth is be really here, really now.

I've said many times, that if heaven were no better than the life I now live, I wouldn't complain. Nevertheless, I have had moments in my life that seemed like eternities -- eternities I would do anything to avoid.

We don't know what's after we take our last breath - but we do know we are alive now. Unfortunately for many people, it seems that fact is lost on them. They are unable to appreciate their own being, let alone value anyone else's. So it's all about waking up to one's self.

That's a fine philosophy, until the moment of one's last breath actually arrives. It's like walking up to the edge of a cliff: One can boldly walk straight toward it; but then one stops. When we die, it's like continuing to walk straight ahead -- not by choice, of course, but by compulsion.

By faith, we know that we actually do go on walking. I had a close friend, who died suddenly while riding a bicycle to work. The police found him along the path, hands still clenched to the handlebars. He was a believer, as was his wife; as are my wife and I; and we've had whimsical thoughts about what our friend saw when he suddenly broke through to the other side. Was he suddenly holding the reins of a heavenly chariot? I know how I would like to die: I'd like my wife and I to be going for an explore through a forest, and discover a new path... then find that we're walking in a place filled with people we used to know but who've passed on. Perhaps God will give us our wish.

It is true, that we can't see the Kingdom of Heaven with our earthly eyes. God knows (literally), many folks keep trying to do that, and it's a waste of time and money. Some of those fools are our leading scientists. God can only be seen through faith.

One game that is really important, between a parent and a small child, is the game of "peek-a-boo", where the parent seems to disappear, but then reappears to assure the child that they will surely return after leaving the child alone. The first few times I've played this with my children, I've watched their eyes bug open as they get ready to cry out of distress. Then they would break into a giggle. Without games like that, which give a child assurance that they are protected even when they can't see their protector, a child would grow up fearful, and full of grasping and attention-getting phobias. You probably realize, that the world is full of such people.

Do you get the drift? This is a whole lot easier to understand, than that name riddle of yours. There's nothing physical, that separates a believer from a non-believer; but if you watch carefully, you should see some behavioral differences. I don't know if I'm a terribly good example. I have asthma, and have had panic attacks: When I've come to what seemed like my last breath, I did not act with calm dignity; I gasped desperately for breath. There was a time, though, when I was walking through a field and a young bull came charging at me. I was too far from the fence to get away, and I knew I couldn't outrun him; so I threw my hands up in the air and praised God. The bull then proceeded to veer around me at the last minute. Was he being playful? Or did God steer him? All I know, is that I am here; and I fear God more than all the bull people can throw at me (pun intended).

The islamic world, like the 'religion' it's based on, is inherently unstable

It's a religion (as in, "It's a living"). It reminds me a little of those snake-handling Pentecostals in the Appalachians, who play with poisonous snakes during their worship service. Maybe going off on a suicide attack is their version of playing with snakes. It's a dare. Do they honestly expect a smiling Allah to receive them in glory? That doesn't make much sense: They're setting off to kill people whose only sin is sincerely following the wrong school of Islam. What makes them so sure that Allah won't be waiting for them with a stick of eternal dynamite, to blow them into eternal torment? They dealt violently and judgmentally to others. Why should Allah behave any differently?

You probably know that I subscribe to the teachings of the New Testament, whatever one wishes to call them. When we get to that last breath, to the edge of the cliff that leads to eternity, various people have different notions about what they must do in order for God to see them across. When I was growing up as a Catholic, I was taught to trust in the sacraments: the act of contrition for venial sins, and absolution from a priest to take care of the nastier ones. I used to scour my prayer book, for "indulgences" that would give me time off from purgatory, especially the "plenary indulgences" that would wipe out all the "hot" time and issue me straight into heaven. I was continually in conversation with my Maker on these matters, sometimes rather strained converstions. I didn't like the Catholic arrangement, and set about seeking something more certain.

Then I picked up my Bible, and read where Jesus said,

Luke 6:
[37] Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
[38] Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

That is a legal contract from God, which Jesus passed on to as many as are willing to receive it. You don't believe in God, you say? Then you don't get the contract; you're left to your own devices.

That's how I see the matter. Trusting in these sayings comes naturally out of a worldview that sees, at the same time, a just God and a loving God in charge of the Universe. Muslims have a god who repeatedly refers to himself as "Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful"; but that god commands them to be anything but compassionate and merciful; and he seems to be saying that it is the least compassionate and most judgmental have the greatest assurance of salvation. That sort of thing certainly doesn't reassure me; it isn't like my father playing "peek-a-boo" with me.

"Most of the time bothering to get on with them and engage in 'meaningful' dialogue seems like a lost cause - they pretend to listen but have their agenda worked out beforehand. So Al Sissi's exhortation for muslims to change was unexpected and refreshing. Apart from that pleasant surprise even the most 'moderate' islamic coutries - such as Turkey for example, are consistently regressing into islamism and at a faster rate as time goes on. Maybe the 21st century is too confusing for an already bewildered population - and they cling onto their 1400 year old security blanket, as tatterred and motheaten as it may be..."

I think they certainly are feeling the squeeze. It's interesting, that Muslims believe they have to take over the world, for peace to reign. Both Jews and Christians are taught, on the other hand, that they are "pilgrims and strangers" in this world, descendants of the God-fearing pilgrim, Abraham -- who spent his whole life obeing God in pursuit of a promise that he never saw fulfilled. We are taught how to live in an imperfect world, generating our own peace in our lives. It's a fundamental difference between the two streams of faith, that is revealing itself in these increasingly troubled times.

It is extremely hard to predict which way allegiances will go as there are so many factors involved. tribal and religious and transnational alliances, politics and money all conspire to produce a powder keg that will take a small spark to set it off. The only thing we can be sure of as the world lurches from one disaster to the next is that the small spark will involve at least one muslim.

Perhaps. I've known some pretty "sparky" people who aren't Muslims. I've sparked myself at times, to my regret.

Shalom shalom :-)

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