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Literature Text
Heaven is a future place,
so constantly they forward-face,
gazing out to that "someday",
that fixed point so far away.
But humans walk a narrow line
and only experience linear time,
"Future" we cannot know, just "Now",
yet they look forward, ignoring the "how".
If heaven is a future place,
existing only in fated grace,
then eternity the present cannot touch
and heaven to man is only a crutch.
So here is what men of God fail to teach:
"Future" bliss is a hope they can never reach.
so constantly they forward-face,
gazing out to that "someday",
that fixed point so far away.
But humans walk a narrow line
and only experience linear time,
"Future" we cannot know, just "Now",
yet they look forward, ignoring the "how".
If heaven is a future place,
existing only in fated grace,
then eternity the present cannot touch
and heaven to man is only a crutch.
So here is what men of God fail to teach:
"Future" bliss is a hope they can never reach.
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I was reading a book called "The Well and Tree: World and Time in Early Germanic Culture". It explained that for ancient Germanic peoples, time was binary - only "past" and "non-past" existed. The past was solid and a foundation for the present, the present was only the point where we made actions that turned the chaotic non-existent future into the solid past. The future was unknowable, unreachable, and forever in flux according to human action.
This caused much confusion when future-focused Christian missionaries came along. The heathens couldn't grasp the concept of predestination, or that they were living for some "future" place - something that couldn't possibly exist according to their perception of time. So I thought about the concept of Christian heaven from a Germanic perspective - If heaven literally only exists in the future but humans only live in the present, how could humans ever reach it? They'd forever be filled with hope looking FORWARD to it, but never get any closer. I tried to express this idea in some kind of poetic form, but I'm not entirely happy with it.
My significant other found the implications depressing - but that wasn't my intention at all. It was simply to point out that if we focus too much attention looking forward, we miss what's going on around us. We SHOULD live in the present - it's really all we have. People shouldn't miss their own lives waiting for something that may or may not come after. Live your life with fervor!
This caused much confusion when future-focused Christian missionaries came along. The heathens couldn't grasp the concept of predestination, or that they were living for some "future" place - something that couldn't possibly exist according to their perception of time. So I thought about the concept of Christian heaven from a Germanic perspective - If heaven literally only exists in the future but humans only live in the present, how could humans ever reach it? They'd forever be filled with hope looking FORWARD to it, but never get any closer. I tried to express this idea in some kind of poetic form, but I'm not entirely happy with it.
My significant other found the implications depressing - but that wasn't my intention at all. It was simply to point out that if we focus too much attention looking forward, we miss what's going on around us. We SHOULD live in the present - it's really all we have. People shouldn't miss their own lives waiting for something that may or may not come after. Live your life with fervor!
© 2014 - 2024 rowan-of-wonderless
Comments1
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It's very true. Though, I have to say that the future comfort, as a whole, is something that one should work towards. Don't want to be stuck without... But just because you're working for the future, you don't have to be lost. You can still do what you enjoy and live life to the fullest while shooting for a goal, ya?
And I don't find it depressing at all. I find it truthful and pleasant. Greatly enjoyed this one.
And I don't find it depressing at all. I find it truthful and pleasant. Greatly enjoyed this one.