I believe that life would be a whole lot easier without the concept of heaven and hell. I believe that the author of the Bible is the James Frey of the years BC…though there was no Oprah Winfrey to yell at whoever wrote the Bible. I know that I would be a lot less confused, worried, and lost if I didn’t have this big religious monkey on my back.
I’ve never had the strongest Christian faith and I’ve always been a bit skeptical about the concepts of an otherworldly being, a divine governor, robed master, or whatever you wish to call him, her, or it. Skepticism, however, is not to say that I am a complete nonbeliever, as so many would be quick to label me. Let’s just say that I’m not really sure what I believe in and what I don’t believe in when it comes to specifics of religion. There are too many consequences that come with not being a Christian that just don’t seem worth it. I mean, Christianity isn’t so bad, it’s based on kindness, love and compassion, and….well….I’m pretty sure I don’t want to spend eternity with fire and brimstone and demons and such. I wish that I could worry about the consequences of my own actions in a purely secular sense. Instead, I’m left with constant looming questions and fears, burning softly in the back of my mind, eternal flames, forever present inside the cluttered shelves of my mind.
I believe this whole Bible thing has gotten a little out of hand. I believe that whale’s stomachs are uninhabitable and I believe that the Red Sea cannot be physically parted. The events in the Bible did not take place in a fantastical or magical realm. They took place here, on Earth, the same land on which we live today, and unless somewhere along the timeline people began to lose their magical abilities, I’m not sure we ever had sea-parting powers.
Don’t get me wrong, as I said, I’m not a complete non-believer, but is that because I’m too scared to believe otherwise? Am I so frightened by the thought of eternity in hell that I cannot fully voice my true feelings about religion, God and an afterlife? Should I structure my life based on the teachings of a single person of questionable existence, or simply try to be the best person that I can be, someone who is moral and gentle and kind? These are the questions that plague my thoughts day after day after day.
Worst part is I’ll never have an answer….until it’s too late.