|
COPYRIGHT 2002 Newsweek, Inc. All rights reserved. Any reuse, distribution or alteration without express written permission of Newsweek is prohibited. For permission: www.newsweek.com
Readers of widely differing beliefs responded to our Aug. 12 cover story and shared their visions of an afterlife--or the lack thereof. Some found heaven and hell too transcendent a subject for debate. Such discussions, said one, are "at best a lesson in futility. At worst, a sin." Still another pointed out that "heaven is not the last refuge of the petrified, but the promise to those who can open their hearts." Belief in the hereafter is a double-edged sword, one concluded: "For some it is comforting and inspires good works; for others it inspires terrorism and the reduced importance of our earthly lives." And a Holocaust survivor who came close to death insisted that the important thing is to "fix what's going on right here on earth instead of worrying about the heavens." While many conceptions of a hereafter exist, one writer irreverently referred to NEWSWEEK's own article on Marilyn Monroe: "She has been a vision of heaven for me since the 1960s."
Celestial Reasonings
Lisa Miller's Aug. 12 cover story, "Why We Need Heaven," was informative, but I am puzzled. We can experience the taste of our favorite meal, the sensations of new love, the sound of children laughing, a rainbow of colors to view in any direction, the satisfaction of a job well done, the near miracles of medicine and computers, and the sensuous touch of the beloved, all amid the blessings of freedom and prosperity. Most of us are richer than kings, our homes warm in winter and cool in summer, our lives free of pestilence. These are but a few aspects of our Creator's gift to us. Yet, for three fourths...
Read the full article for free courtesy of your local library.
|
Bookmark this article
Print this article
Link to this article
Email this article
Digg It!
Add to del.icio.us
RSS
