March 25, 2004

• Just a moment ago, I was reading the article Who Wants to Live Forever? on the Killing the Buddha web site, and it mentioned the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ claim that one thousand gross people will get to enter heaven.

  It then occurred to me that in the late 19th century, 144,000 people probably seemed like a larger number of people, especially if you assume the founder had a relatively jingoistic world view.

  This occurrence led me to consider how many more people there are now than there were then and all the subsequent problems that has caused. That thought caused my mind to jump back to the thought that over the past couple centuries there have been a lot of claims when “the end” will occur – in many cases allowing the good to escape to heaven and leaving a hell on earth (Rapture?).

  So, then it occurred to me. What if it already happened?

  What if at some point in the late 1800s, or the early 1900s, or really at any other point, all the worthy were assumed bodily into heaven leaving the rest of the population to their self-created hell on earth?

  Has this line of thought been explored? I would bet that Twain would have done a wonderful job with it.

  But wouldn’t we notice a bunch of worthy people suddenly disappearing? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe the nature of how it works would erase or fog the memories of these people in the minds of their less virtuous friends and comrades.

  Or maybe, simply no one of note was found worthy. Thinking on it, who deserves heaven more – a classically corrupt Victorian “gentleman” watching a concert in Carnegie hall or a hard working South American peasant whose disappearance simply went unnoticed by the rags and journals of the time.

  Perhaps the meek have already inherited the earth but, being the meek, did no more than they ever did to keep control of it. Like the eternal mob, they (we?) are easily lulled, swayed, and led by those who are corrupt but less meek.

  Could we have already had Armageddon and simply not recognized it for what it was?

  Enh. Enough of that for now. Time to shut the computer down and eat a bit of food before going to watch drunks behave stupidly at the night club.

  One more thought though:

  I have, from time to time, found myself most miserable although I am (from a global standpoint) fabulously wealthy with plenty of food, clothing, and shelter and even a bit extra wealth to spend on pure entertainment.

  On the other hand, many true joys involved none of these things, but were simply watching water on a warm day, or enjoying the sharp and sweet tastes of an orange broken into yogurt, or walking a quiet path in the dappled light of late spring.

  Heaven and Hell are where we find them.

  ###

  An interesting note about the “Currently Playing” album listed. I’m actually listening “Wheelie” by The Refreshments, but that didn’t show up in the Xanga search for options.

  Curious, I did a search and found this on The Refreshments web site:
  

  Wheelie was the first Refreshments CD. Only 2000 copies were made. It sold out and is no longer available, however, “Fizzy Fuzzy Big and Buzzy” has all of the same songs plus two additional songs. If you were lucky enough to get a copy of Wheelie, hang on to it as it is a collectors item! ( “Wheelie” is reported to be worth $75! ).

  Hunh. Cool. Probably not worth that much as the case is beat to shit, but I like the sound.

  (Btw, CASH909, I think this is one of the ones out of our CD buying and selling venture – nice!)

  • 10:55 pm
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