Clinging To Our Truths

THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT

John Godfrey Saxe's (1816-1887) version of the famous Indian Legend

It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind.

The First approach'd the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
"God bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a wall!"

The Second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, -"Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me 'tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a spear!"

The Third approached the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake:
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
Is very like a snake!"

The Fourth reached out his eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
"What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain," quoth he,
"'Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree!"

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: "E'en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan!"

The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Then, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
Is very like a rope!"

And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!

MORAL

So oft in theologic wars,
The disputants, I ween,
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other mean,
And prate about an Elephant
Not one of them has seen!






Clinging To Our Truths

Christopher LightHeart

The tighter we hold to our own truths without acknowledging the obvious similarities between us, the longer we trudge the lonely mile, with no brother by our side, as we have killed everyone who disagrees with our truth.

We will never reach Heaven so long as we are concerned about others making it there. Hell I have come to realize is a very real place, as we are living in it nearly every day. We need not fear Death & Hell, for our souls and our spirits know this place all too well.

Heaven is a place, also known and known very well. Earth is Heaven, when it's occupants allow it to be. We need not worry about others making it there, for if they love, Heaven they shall have and if they Hate, Hell they will writhe in.

Let us concern ourselves with the direction we go and not that of the direction of our brother. For if we concern ourselves with the direction of our brother, we shall surely miss the mark.

If we could only realize that Heaven and Hell are very real places here on Earth and in our minds, then we would work every day to be in Heaven, as it is a very real and attainable place and not something in our far distant futures, forever fleeting.

~
How long you reside in Hell is your choice.
But would it not be more desirable to live in Heaven?