Am I In Heaven Or Hell? Hell? There Must Be Some Mistake, I Have A Passport-Part 4
Posted: Sunday, October 24, 2010
by Fran Larson
http://www.franniesquotes.com/
( For Part 1, go to /swa637672-Am-I-In-Heaven-Or-Hell-Hell-There-Must-Be-Some-Mistake-I-Have-A-Passport.htm, Part 2, /swa639707-I-Am-In-Hell-For-Sure-Hope-Has-Disappeared-And-I-Am-Afraid-Wont-Return.htm, Part 3 /swa641000-Am-I-In-Heaven-Or-Hell-Hell-There-Must-Be-Some-Mistake-I-Have-A-Passport-Part-3.htm)
"That can't be….it just can't be."
"What is it, Mr. Blankenship?"
"That guy over there – the one with the ur – well, whatever you call it, he hasn't shaved in a couple of days. He is over in that corner ranting about something."
"Oh, yes, I know who you mean. We call him "Mr. Ripley's Believe It Or Not" because for years (your time), he preached that he did not believe in God."
"Exactly." Joe banged his fist on the table emphatically.
"Now, honestly, Charity, There is someone who doesn't and never has believed in God. Do you expect me to believe that he made it to heaven?"
"Mr. Blankenship, I am going to quote you something Heywood Brown said: ‘ Nobody talks so constantly about God as those who insist that there is no God.'"
"Yea, that makes sense, I guess. This "Mr. Ripley's Believe It Or Not" was always writing blogs about how he didn't believe in God and why. Seemed like an angry sort of a fella."
"Our statistics have convinced us that most people who profess that they don't believe in God are angry because they have been raised in "religious homes." They discovered in time that their parent's religion was all wrong and they felt deceived by their parents and thus were/are very angry. However, there is a difference between religion and being spiritual and that is one thing the non-believer fails to recognize. Evil has actually been done in the name of religion, but that is something we will go in depth at a later time, I promise you."
"That reminds me of a television show I was watching a couple of years ago It was Fox's House- the ongoing saga of atheist genius Dr. Gregory House. In this particular episode Dr. House is chiding a nun who said she used to feel as House did about God. When asked why she had changed her mind, the nun replied, "I realized I couldn't be mad at him and not believe in him."
"Now, you are beginning to get true knowledge, Mr. Blankenship."
" What is "Mr. Ripley's Believe It Or Not" gabbing about now? He is looking in that mirror and well,…. as you can see, he seems to be practicing a speech or something."
"Right. Well, actually he is just visiting for a few nano seconds (our time). He had a heart attach and is just here for those few seconds. We are preparing him to run a workshop. He will be speaking on facing your fears. You see, Mr. Blankenship, some non-believers are just terrified of truth (God). However, truth is the very thing they are seeking, but just don't realize. Some call the truth consciousness. It produces peace, tranquility and love."
Just then Hope appeared.
"I was reading your mind; Mr. Blankenship and I wanted to give you another example of why some don't believe in God. Some don't believe because they say if there is/was a loving God, there would not be sickness, crime, war, hate. Well, you get the picture. Anyway, an unknown author, who wishes to be still unknown, wrote this true story:"
A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said, "I don't believe that God exists."
"Why do you say that?" asked the customer.
"Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things."
The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop.
Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber, "You know what? Barbers do not exist."
"How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!"
"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."
"Ah, but barbers DO exist! That's what happens when people do not come to me."
"Well, Mr. Blankenship, we really got off the subject. I was just getting ready to tell you about Joy."
Charity quieted her beeping phone.
"Sorry, Mr. Blankenship. It's a priority text message. I have to take care of this."
"But..but..what about Joy? I need to really talk to you about her. Time is marching on and I still don't have my answers. This interview is taking forever!"
"Actually, Mr. Blankenship, we do have forever. You will soon realize that here, time is endless and the end is timeless."
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More commentsThe points were good, once I figured out where you were going, and the allegory and analagy complimentary. The monkey wrench that went off track was a reference to House.The House metaphor, and his atheism is confusing to story, it's a tv show that I watch too. The point of House is that his journey is love too, but it doesn't look like love, and you are right... he's angry at God. Therefore you are right about his feelings, but he isn't a good analagy as he isn't real, and a lot of christians are angry at God too. Therefore their witness is compromised, until that emotion has gotten the boot. Yes, there is 'righteous indignation", but it isn't destructive.Better a truthful atheist, than an angry believer, because at any moment something might happen to miraculously change the atheist. The christian needs to recognize their problem, just like the alcoholic and seek deliverance. Too many christians don't think anything is wrong with them, and they know all about salvation and God, yet only a small percentage ever read the 'Bible".When a person is on a search for what is real, it is often their criticizm of "a God", as in the atheist, that is truthfully " just a cry for help" in answering their deepest misunderstanding about christianity.Thanks.
Beautifully written Fran, Keep it up.. Cant wait to what happens on the next chapter...
Beautiful allegory - can't wait for the next part!
All I can say is that Dr. House IS god. Right? I mean, I love that show. If god was an actor, he might be Hugh Laurie. ;-)
Wonderful article. Keep it up Fran.
Awesome dialogue and guidance from Charity and Hope. Mr. Blankenship should be proud to have someone guide him through these ordeals.
Beautiful story. I love the way you put the virtues together.
I am new member here and started with your part -4 and then read all the parts...it makes me feel like I am reading some Novel.
"Ah, but barbers DO exist! That's what happens when people do not come to me." I really like that line. Very brilliant storytelling. ~mogama~
Fran Larson, Beautiful thoughts in Article
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