What if there was another way?
Imagine that God has setup an account for everyone at Redemption R' Us. You simply make an appointment when you reach the age of accountability discuss your eternal situation with your infinity adviser.
Imagine that God has setup an account for everyone at Redemption R' Us. You simply make an appointment when you reach the age of accountability discuss your eternal situation with your infinity adviser.
Here is how I imagine that conversation might go."Hello there, glad you're on time, important sign of character to show up as scheduled." said my infinity adviser, putting down his newspaper and half-eaten sandwich. "Okay, lets see if we can make this quick, before my food gets cold." He stares at the little black cube on his desk and then issues a command, "Show me Mr_____________account please". The device spins around, lifts gently off the desk and then produces a lengthy document which appeared to have my name at the top." Okay, Mr. __________, what I have here is your Redemption Agreement. This agreement hasn't changed much over the past five thousand years and I'm sure you are already familiar with most of the terms but I'll hit the highlights pretty quick." By the way, I don't know how much infinity advisors get paid but mine was dressed to the hilts.
Just saying . . .
I start to interrupt, but then quickly discern, even in my youth, that this is not the right time to ask a question.
"Redemption Agreement to gain access to Heaven," and then he stopped suddenly. "I just realized I hadn't asked you the most important question on the front-end, are you interested in going to Heaven after your time is up on earth?"
"Well," I stammered, "I mean, what exactly are my options here?' I blinked very quickly for some reason. "Sir?" (It felt like a good moment to introduce an element of respect.)
He stared back intently and did not blink. "You want me to go over the Afterlife options? The two options?" I noticed his face was starting to slowly change color, "Is that your question?"
"Well," I stammered again, "I guess not . . . let's go with the Heaven option, since you've already got it right there in front of you . . . "
"Yes," he interrupted, "let's go with that." He quickly stood up, and I noticed he was way taller than I thought he was when I entered his office, "So, no more questions, right?"
I noticed he was looking at his sandwich with more desire than I had ever seen anyone look at food before and I was suddenly ready to get this over with. "Yes, I'm ready to sign."
He took a deep breath, grabbed the first page and pulled it close to his face, "You, Mr. ______________, agree to honor all of the requirements listed in this agreement, to be followed with strict and devoted duty each day of your life, without fail, under the penalty of losing your membership in Heaven?"
I flashed on a memory, when my brother had his appointment last year, and the suitcases of manuals that he had to carry home. I jumped to my feet, "Are you saying, if I fail to repent for any sin, as well as fail to follow the proper procedures, sacrifices, and protocols, all in a time-sensitive manner I can lose my membership in Heaven, correct?"
He looked very tired all of a sudden, "Yes, that's true, there is no wiggle room, you must obey all of the conditions, without fail, each day of your life, or you will not be allowed into Heaven in your afterlife." His eyes took on a kinder glint, or maybe I was just being hopeful.
I couldn't get the image of all those suitcases out of my mind, I recalled that it took my brother three days just to read the first manual. In fact, I remember that he had to repent immediately just for his frustration with the whole process!
I start to interrupt, but then quickly discern, even in my youth, that this is not the right time to ask a question.
"Redemption Agreement to gain access to Heaven," and then he stopped suddenly. "I just realized I hadn't asked you the most important question on the front-end, are you interested in going to Heaven after your time is up on earth?"
"Well," I stammered, "I mean, what exactly are my options here?' I blinked very quickly for some reason. "Sir?" (It felt like a good moment to introduce an element of respect.)
He stared back intently and did not blink. "You want me to go over the Afterlife options? The two options?" I noticed his face was starting to slowly change color, "Is that your question?"
"Well," I stammered again, "I guess not . . . let's go with the Heaven option, since you've already got it right there in front of you . . . "
"Yes," he interrupted, "let's go with that." He quickly stood up, and I noticed he was way taller than I thought he was when I entered his office, "So, no more questions, right?"
I noticed he was looking at his sandwich with more desire than I had ever seen anyone look at food before and I was suddenly ready to get this over with. "Yes, I'm ready to sign."
He took a deep breath, grabbed the first page and pulled it close to his face, "You, Mr. ______________, agree to honor all of the requirements listed in this agreement, to be followed with strict and devoted duty each day of your life, without fail, under the penalty of losing your membership in Heaven?"
I flashed on a memory, when my brother had his appointment last year, and the suitcases of manuals that he had to carry home. I jumped to my feet, "Are you saying, if I fail to repent for any sin, as well as fail to follow the proper procedures, sacrifices, and protocols, all in a time-sensitive manner I can lose my membership in Heaven, correct?"
He looked very tired all of a sudden, "Yes, that's true, there is no wiggle room, you must obey all of the conditions, without fail, each day of your life, or you will not be allowed into Heaven in your afterlife." His eyes took on a kinder glint, or maybe I was just being hopeful.
I couldn't get the image of all those suitcases out of my mind, I recalled that it took my brother three days just to read the first manual. In fact, I remember that he had to repent immediately just for his frustration with the whole process!
I put my pen down. "Sir, I've changed my mind. It's too much work and I don't really know if I want to put in that kind of time to be honest." Now I was coughing, "I'm afraid I'm just going to go with the other option if that's okay."
He stared back at his lunch, then fixed his gaze on me. "You can review your decision next year if you like. You have one more appointment before your Afterlife." He looked like he was wanting to say something else but he stopped, "Okay, Mr. ____________just initial here saying that I explained the repercussions of your decision." Which he did for around ninety seconds. There wasn't a lot of details to cover if you picked the other option. Pretty straight-forward. He then picked up his sandwich.
"You are sure there is no other way?" He had just taken a bite and I think my question almost made him choke." No, this is the only way." he replied with no patience, "Lots of details, hard -to-follow, requiring constant vigilance, proper respect of the manual and the code of conduct and close examination of all of your decisions and motivations." He took a drink and leaned closer to my face, "Loo, I'm sorry kid, this is the only way right now, but I've heard rumors that someday, someone better is coming along . . . "
He stared back at his lunch, then fixed his gaze on me. "You can review your decision next year if you like. You have one more appointment before your Afterlife." He looked like he was wanting to say something else but he stopped, "Okay, Mr. ____________just initial here saying that I explained the repercussions of your decision." Which he did for around ninety seconds. There wasn't a lot of details to cover if you picked the other option. Pretty straight-forward. He then picked up his sandwich.
"You are sure there is no other way?" He had just taken a bite and I think my question almost made him choke." No, this is the only way." he replied with no patience, "Lots of details, hard -to-follow, requiring constant vigilance, proper respect of the manual and the code of conduct and close examination of all of your decisions and motivations." He took a drink and leaned closer to my face, "Loo, I'm sorry kid, this is the only way right now, but I've heard rumors that someday, someone better is coming along . . . "
