The Bramford Cock

Sean and Julia, Gareth, Ann, and Breda

I was talking to my mate over a birthday pint who decided to ask me a couple of BIG questions having read my blogs:

One. Do I believe that Jesus will come again as described in scripture. and
Two: do I believe in a heaven as described in scripture.

Big Q's. Far too big to answer in one blog session so I'll explore them for a while over the next few months.

The short answer to both though is no. No to both questions in terms of how the ancient scriptures describe heaven and the second coming. In fact just writing that last sentence makes me think that the two may be one of the same thing (maybe the bible is suggesting that anyhow) ..... I'll work on that thought

So: seeing as I mentioned The Kingdom of Heaven last time I'll start with heaven.

As the song goes and as I alluded to in my last blog "Heaven is a place on earth". Heaven is my place on earth. Heaven is waiting to be discovered in my own heart, mind and actions.

Heaven on earth we need it now.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5j6w1o8S5I

Here's a thought. A real my little pony thought, what does heaven look like for me? In my thoughts? What are my images?

Heaven to me would be sitting in a pub drinking an ale that really Tastes like an ale but is 0% ergo No hangover. Heaven would be to be discussing, philosophizing, joking, putting the past to rights, which of course it would be. Audrey and Hannah and Rory are there. And my friends and family are there. And their friends are there too.... Its a big pub.... But it still feels like it is intimate........ A corner table next to an open fire. And everyday they play the 2003  Rugby World Cup Final when England beat Australia 20-17 with a nail biting last minute drop goal by Saint Johnny Wilkson..... and I never know the score beforehand!!  

0utside. We have a view over the hills on one side and the sea to the other. I have a workshop. To write, to paint and sculpt and I have a big tarn in which to fish for fat trout.

Outside.

Outside my pub doors people are living their own heavens. There is peace, real peace. No war, no oppression, no hate, no violence, no rape, no sexism, no racism, no homophobia, no hunger. Every one is healthy, well with themselves and with the world and we've stopped wrecking the planet. Best of all "The Birdy Song" never existed.

Inside and Outside there is Love & Justice.

It's a hippy vision isn't it? But isn't Love and Justice a decent pair of metaphors for God? The glue that holds my heavenly kingdom image together? Is heaven a true realisation of God? A true consciousness of God within and of God in everything? Without the shit of the world which man has created since Eden?

Heaven on earth? We need it now. I'm sick of all of this hanging around...