Meditation 181
Just Another Beautiful Story…
by Jasmine Taylor
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My mother and I used to always have discussions about the ‘afterlife’ when I was fifteen. She, a “born-again” Christian, and I (at the time) a church-goer never seemed to agree. I realised one day, the thought of living for eternity was my idea of hell – I mean, it’s forever, I can barely fathom the concept, let alone agree that it’s a nice way to end up. So, I said to my mother one afternoon after church, “I hope that when I die that’s it, that there is no soul, that I just cease to exist, and that my body just rots”.
As you can imagine, my mother was horrified, and a “discussion” (i.e. lecture) began on why it was a marvellous gift for the Lord to offer us an eternity in paradise in return for following His word. This wasn’t enough to convince me of two things: 1. that God existed, and 2. that eternity would be paradise. This, I believe, was a major turning point in my “faith”. I stopped saying Grace, I ceased going to church, and I ended my efforts at otherwise humouring my mother into thinking I agreed with her.
The following song, especially the first few lines, illustrates the thoughts I have about theories of God(s) in general and my way of thinking of agnosticism. And, although the rest of the song has an almost atheist point of view, it still says what I think in terms of God(s). I like the way Mr. Yeomans calls the act of us living ‘til we die then rotting away as a beautiful story. I also don’t see a point to this place, but I too am happy to be floating in space…
Just Another Beautiful Story
Regurgitator (written by Quan Yeomans)
All that I am, and all I’ll ever be, is a brain in a body.
All that I know, and all I’ll ever see, is the real things around me.
All I’ve heard (and it’s true)
there ain’t no god, there’s just me and you
…
All that I am, and all I’ll ever be, is a brain in a body; live ‘til I die, then rot away, it’s a beautiful story.