OK... Sometimes I'm Schmaltzy... But THIS Is Why I Stay... The Ultimate Hope... So Sue Me...

[tclambert]

13. Back when I was a church-going kid that first line scared the willies out of me.

"Imagine there's no heaven." NOOOO! God will punish you if you do that. Honestly, I really worried about it. It took awhile before I screwed up the courage to try imagining it . . . and didn't get struck by lightning.

I think a lot of people, grown-ups included, still feel scared. Their religious leaders have drilled them to believe any doubt will lead to burning in flames for all eternity. That's a pretty good motivation to avoid this particular exercise in imagination.

I still have trouble imagining no possessions. Animals live that way, mostly, though some are territorial. Human beings typically don't claim ownership of the oceans, just every square inch of dry land. It's still hard to imagine people breaking out of the mindset of "this is mine, that is yours" into "everything is ours." I can't really see us avoiding all fights over who gets the last cookie.