Heaven

What is heaven? What is heaven for you? It seems to me that many people are living their life only to learn how to die in order to go to Heaven. Going through life more worried about the end than the means.

Don’t get me wrong, the end in most situations is very, very important. I see the means as what is actually important. Whether you believe in Heaven and Hell, or dust and dirt is completely up to you. Before you get there, learning and experiencing life is important.

Doing things you enjoy, with people you enjoy, building relationships, and giving to others are the things people should be concentrated on. Fear is a very effective motivator some a lot of people. “I can’t eat that, I’m scared I’ll get fat,” or “if you do that your mom will be really mad.”

There is nothing wrong with fear being a motivator in many situations. But I see many people more worried about their eternal fate than what is happening now. Of course you need to plan for the future, things like school, career, health care, and retirement are all things that should be planned for.

Living life just learning to die just seems counter productive. I’m not exactly sure what to expect after I die but if I do meet Peter at those Pearly Gates I don’t expect him to look at me and list off all of my mistakes but to look at my presence and the positive ways my presence influenced people.

I don’t believe Heaven is just a place you go when you die, I’m pretty sure Heaven is a place when you are living your life in a way that you actually feel alive. Improving someone’s day, supporting a family, improving your relationships, capturing the sun breaking through the fog as it hits a snow covered peak, those types of things is where Heaven is.

Good far out weighs bad. Not doing bad doesn’t mean you’re doing good. The act of good takes effort, takes thought, I can sit on my couch and not hurt anyone, and therefore not doing bad, but whom am I helping? What difference am I making? What relationship am I building? What mountain am I climbing? 

Congratulations

Congratulations to Barack Obama, congratulations to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, congratulations to the United States of America. 

Progress is a beautiful thing. We have accomplished so much, and today, January 20, 2009 we have reached a milestone many thought we would never reach. Now is the time to keep moving forward, keep progressing. 

Give to your family, give to your neighbors, give to your nation. We can make this the best place to live. Together.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

I have a dream

Tolerance

There is a contagious thought in the world that different is bad. Black and white equals bad and good with no shades of gray. It’s my way or the highway. If you aren’t trim you aren’t attractive. Being Muslim is wrong because you aren’t Christian.  Or just the reverse being Christian is wrong because you aren’t Muslim.

I’m no philosopher, I’m not even that educated. One thing I do understand is the act of tolerance. Nobody likes to just be tolerated. It is the actions following the toleration that could make all the difference in the world.

Looking outside of your own selfish views and principles could open up a whole new realm of possibilities. Understanding there are differences and those differences don’t equal faults.

Understanding a person, culture, religion, nation or race is unnecessary. Nobody needs to be understood in order to be respected. Understanding is an over used idea when trying to promote equality for everyone. I don’t expect a devout Christian to understand why a devout Muslim prays they way and as often as they do. I do expect them to at the very least tolerate it.

I alluded to it earlier but the action of tolerance can open the door to many more things. Just tolerating something gives you the chance to step back, get away from any predisposition you may have. It gives you the chance to look at a person or culture or nation and actually see what they are doing, recognizing the good and not just seeing the difference and assuming the bad.

Tolerance, if truly tolerant, leads to respect. It is not impossible to respect something you don’t agree with. I don’t agree with a 3-2 defense, ever. Does that mean it is ineffective in all circumstances. No. Does that mean when used correctly I will not respect it? No. With that in mind, is there any reason for a Christian to be intolerant of a Muslim? The Christian may not agree but a Muslim obviously finds great joy and fulfillment in Islam.

If the Christian can tolerate Islam, then comes the respect, then comes the viewing of the positive things that Muslim person is accomplishing. At the risk of being redundant, then comes respect.

Biologist will argue biology is what makes the world go round. Economist will argue money is what makes the world go round. I will argue respect or even tolerance is what makes the world go round, especially if we want it to go around in a positive peaceful manner.

Respect from tolerance then can lead to love. Am I expecting everyone from every different background or ideology to love everyone else? Yes. Is it feasible? No. Is it possible for those people to tolerate or respect everyone else? Yes.

Taking steps back, understanding differences, not people, but the differences in those people will give anyone who values peace and harmony a better perspective.

There are many examples across the world today explaining the belief that different is wrong. Israel and Hamas. Al-Qaida and the United States. Whites and blacks (still). Christians and Muslims. Republicans and Democrats. I could go on and on. It isn’t possible to reverse this trend but it is possible to slow it down. Start with yourself, spread to others. Trust their values and principles. Just because they believe in what they believe in does not mean they are challenging what you believe. If that is the case, you need to be challenged.

There is no risk of redundancy anymore it has happened, no need to stop now. Tolerance leads to respect, respect leads to love and ultimately these lead to peace. Peace is something I think everyone can live with.