NO SUCH THING AS HEAVEN?

NO SUCH THING AS HEAVEN? SO SAYS FAMOUS PHYSICIST STEVEN HAWKING.  HE GOES ON TO SAY THAT NOTION IS A FAIRY TALE FOR PEOPLE AFRAID OF THE DARK.  WELL, DR. HAWKING, IN SPITE OF YOUR ENORMOUS BRAIN POWER, I SAY YOU GOT THIS ONE ALL WRONG, PAL.

NOW, I DON’T KNOW IF HEAVEN’S UP IN THE CLOUDS, OR A GLORIOUS STATE OF MIND, OR IF WE REALLY CAN HANG WITH THE ANGELS WHEN WE SHUFFLE OFF THIS MORTAL COIL.  BUT I’M PRETTY SURE THAT INEVITABLE DIRT NAP ISN’T THE END OF US FOR GOOD.

TO FOLLOW HAWKING’S WAY OF THINKING, WHY NOT EVERYBODY JUST DO WHAT THEY WANT, ROB BANKS, LIE TO THEIR MOM’S, STEAL LITTLE KIDS CANDY AND OTHERWISE VIOLATE ALL THEM OTHER COMMANDMENTS WHENEVER THEY FEEL LIKE IT?  IF THERE’S NO HEAVEN, THERE’S NO REASON TO BE GOOD, IS THERE?

I SAY THIS IS KIND OF REASONING IS WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.  HUMANS ARE THE ONLY BEINGS ON THIS EARTH THAT HAVE A CONSCIENCE.  WE ALSO MUST HAVE A GOAL TO STRIVE FOR.  WE FOLLOW THAT CONSCIENCE TO REACH THAT GOAL. AND THAT GOAL, DEAR SIR, IS HEAVEN. 

I’M NOT AFRAID OF THE DARK, DR. HAWKING, BUT I AM AFRAID OF THAT OTHER PLACE WHERE BAD FOLKS GO.  AND I HOPE THAT ONE DAY YOU WILL USE THAT INTELLECT GOD GAVE YOU TO COME TO YOUR SENSES.  

(FROM 'I'M JUST SAYIN' " COMMENTARY, NEWSCHANNEL 5, KSDK, ST. LOUIS, JUNE 1, 2011)