Pack Creek Ranch, San Juan County, Utah
Thunderstorms daily – cooler, wetter, windier – October.
ARMAGEDDON – NOW AND THEN
Recently, two young men walked up my driveway.
Neatly dressed, serious demeanor.
I’m sitting on my porch swing watching clouds.
“Excuse me, sir, may I speak to you?”
“Of course, what can I do for you?”
“We’re conducting an opinion survey and would like to ask you some questions.”
Fine, come sit down and ask away.
“Do you believe that the end is near and these are the final days?”
Yes, indeed I do. Absolutely.
Silence.
“Your answer surprised me. Do you belong to a religious community?”
No, I’m just an old guy in my 90th year and don’t expect to live long. My end is near; these are my final days, and that’s OK with me.
Silence.
“In the interest of full disclosure, I have a graduate degree in theology, and I’m familiar with those religions that are based on the prophecy found in the Book of Revelation in the Bible. I know about the Battle of Armageddon. If that’s what you’ve come to talk to me about, I’m not willing to hear all about it again. But if you are willing to listen, I’ll tell you what I think and believe.”
“Well . . . OK.”
And here’s most of what I told them:
There was a time when I did not exist- except as a possibility.
And there is a time coming when I will not exist again.
The cause of death is life.
And I accept that reality as the nature of being.
We come, we go, and that’s OK with me.
Being alive is a mystery.
We don’t choose our parents.
We don’t choose where we are or when we are born.
We don’t choose the name on our birth certificate.
We can choose our death, but most of us don’t.
For thousands of years, we have believed that our existence/destiny was in the hands of supernatural beings – with thousands of names – explained by sacred texts – open to disagreement and interpretation.
About these matters, I am agnostic. I do not know.
And that’s OK with me.
I do not think the universe has any ultimate meaning.
I believe that leaves me free to give my life meaning.
I think that the belief that something continues after death is a sign of basic optimism that life is worth the journey and many of us would like to go around again.
Including me.
Silence.
I expected a rebuttal from the young missionary.
But he smiled, motioned to his companion, and said, “Thank you.”
And walked away.