Heaven

The latest in my Loose Bloggers’ Consortium posts. Do not forget to visit the other Bloggers in  the group for their writings on this topic. Ashok , Conrad, Gaelikaa, Maria, Marianna, Ramana, Grannymar , Judy & Helen

Heaven, for me, does not exist in the traditional, religious sense. Nor, for that matter, does hell. It would be perverse for me, believing as I do that my spirit is a product of the electrical-chemical activity of my brain, to believe in either heaven or hell.

My grandmother once told me about an argument she had with a priest, at the age of eight. Remember that this was a young Victorian girl, brought up to accept all that adults told her without question. Much as I was, fifty or so years later.

How, she asked, could he, a priest, be such a nasty man as to believe that a little baby could never go to heaven if he or she remained un-baptised. This is what she had been taught. After questioning this “fact”, she was punished, but that did not have the desired effect. Perhaps she was too used to being punished?

My grandmother was a religious woman whose life was bound about by her Christian beliefs. Her story helped me to come to a realisation of the truth about God and gods after her painful death from cancer. With that realisation comes the realisation that the religious idea of heaven has no meaning for me.

Having said all this I will share a story I heard several years ago now and which I tell from time to time:

There was a man, we’ll call him Bill, who had a dog, who we’ll call Scamp. Bill and Scamp were inseparable. They went every where together and if there was anywhere that they could not go together they didn’t go there. Church, the Village pub, the Village shop all were places where Scamp was not welcomed and so they did not go there. They were self sufficient, growing and catching all the food they needed.

The two lived happily for many, many years until Scamp died of old age.

Bill was as sad as you would expect but carried on his life as before except that he didn’t have to catch so many rabbits, pheasants or pigeons. After all he only had one mouth to feed now.

One evening Bill went to bed in his usual manner.

Later he found himself walking along a leafy lane. The sun was shining, birds were singing, there were a few clouds in the sky, as white and fluffy as cotton wool and there was the scent of bluebells wafting on the breeze.

As he walked he became aware that trotting beside him was Scamp. From time to time the dog would trot ahead and stop, turning to his friend, and wait for Bill to catch him up. Or else he would turn and scamper back to receive a pat on the head or a scratch behind his ear.

Bill thought that he was dreaming and tried to wake but found that he could not. That was when he realised that he himself was dead.

Bill looked around, and in the distance saw bright shining towers past which the road they trod seemed to lead.  The two friends carried on until they arrived at a bright shining gate beside which stood a man in bright shining clothes. Bill approached the man and asked, “What place is this, sir?

“Why this is Heaven.” relied the shining man, “Won’t you come in? We have everything that you could need.”

” I thank you kindly. ” replied Bill, “May I bring my dog? He has been my friend for many years.”

At this the shining man looked haughtily down his nose and refused point blank to allow Scamp to enter. Pointing out that Bill was welcome but not Scamp.

Bill turned and walked away accompanied by the dog.

A few miles further on the travellers came across a broken farm gate that gave onto a muddy track leading to some tumble down buildings. Leaning against the gate was an old man.

” Where can I find a  drink of water?” asked Bill. The old man pointed towards a well with a bucket tied to a rope. “Thank you” said Bill and walked up the muddy track.

“There’s a bowl for the dog as well.” called the old man.

When they had drunk their fill and Bill had washed his hands and face the travelllers returned to the gate to continue their journey. Expressing his thanks Bill asked, “What do you call this place?”

“Why this is Heaven,” replied the old man,”and we would like you to stay here.”

“But…..that place back along the road is also Heaven,”said Bill, puzzled.

“No,” said the gatekeeper, “that is Hell. Heaven is here, just along the road. After all Heaven is not a place for people who would leave their best friend behind.”