Archbishops destined for Hell? Animal activists destined for Heaven?
Jesus said: “Broad is the path that leadeth to
destruction and many there are that go that way. Narrow is the path that
leadeth to eternal life; and few there are that find it!”. In all
honesty I believe that those who are on the narrow path are those who
pursue a Vegan life style of self-sacrifice and compassion, out of love
and care for weaker and more vulnerable life than their own. These are
the people on the upper path for the true Glory Land. Yes, and quite a
few of them are wearing blalaclavas on the journey!
Those on the downward, broad path are those who just
couldn’t care a toss about weaker forms of life than their own. And
whether they come back as docile animals; or as slugs, earwigs,
ant-eaters or scorpions, may well depend on how they have fulfilled
their stewardship here as members, of ‘the guardian species’. We may
laugh at the Medieval concepts of a Dante’s Inferno; we laugh and pour
scorn on what we do not want to possibly face. Yet the modern idea that
at death we have simply passed from one nice abode in to another nicer
room adjoining – though very comforting for even the vilest of rogues –
is not the kind of message to transform life with a most
necessary jolt. A presentation of ‘the good news’ that all will be
forgiven – void of remorse, repentance and restitution – was certainly
not the message of Jesus!
On a much brighter note, I see much scriptural
evidence for a salvation which – possibly for so many – might come
through ages of birth and rebirth; but eventually leading to the
restoration of all things through Christ. Yes, so that all life, which
was originally cursed through the first Adam, will be more than blest
through the redemptive work of our greater Adam: Christ Jesus.
Meanwhile, as for all who ‘live out’ the true gospel message to all on
this planet, I feel sure that at death they enter a
life that’s so beyond their present comprehension to
envisage as being comparable to the following imaginary caterpillar’s..
Having come across the chrysalis of a departed friend, and unable to
comprehend the far greater life of a butterfly, the bereft creature
prays that its friend be granted much mud and leaf enjoyable to a good
caterpillar..
I don’t know about you, but I come across three types
of goodness in this world: (1) Those who remain comparatively good so as
to avoid the punishment of rightly reaping what they have sown, be it in
this world or the world to come. It is reminiscent of the words of holy
writ: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom!”. It is the
goodness that protects us from danger, and I see it in those masses who
attend mass, from fear of mortal sin, should they not do so. (2) I think
of those who are bright and appealing because their outlook – for
themselves – is positive. It’s reflected in those who claim to ‘know The
Lord personally’. And their main emphasis is that they, themselves,
‘are saved! Alleluya!’. But they’re not too sure about others; unless
they are of likeminded outlook. Little else really concerns these ‘clap
happies’;. certainly not animals which are here to be consumed or abused
to benefit a human, predestined elect; all else being retrobate. (3)
Last, but not least, we have those who seek neither avoidance of
punishment nor assurance of reward. They are simply being good for
goodness’s sake!. Within Christendom they’ve been reflective of its
greatest saints. But outside traditional Christendom, such folk are very
much amongst the rank and file of the animal activist and liberationist
movements. Many of them have been so disillusioned with self seeking
church morality and its total indifference to the plight of animals,
that they have become Agnostic or New Age. Well I only know this –
through what I’ve scanned from the gist of Jesus teachings , these
animal activists are the type who will one day “be seated in Glory
while ‘the supposed heirs of the kingdom will be shut out in to outer
darkness. For though so many of them were called, few amongst them could
be chosen!”.
Animal Padre's
