Paradise Now.

In my youth I was taught to think that the
possibilities of peace and joy were only possible
in the "afterlife", as it is understood in the
Christian faith.

This life was a rehearsal for an eternity of
relief in the hands of the God of Abraham., and
that I was being watched all the time and
my actions noted so that I could be judged
upon reaching the "pearly gates".

Thankfully I had a questioning Mind and
gradually worked my way out of this destructive
hogwash, and at this point in time I have
gained freedom from these stories.

I am not sure when the moment happened,
probably not too many years ago, when I finally
let go of the concept of God, as defined in the
Bible, and absorbed and new paradigm into
my being.

"I don't know"

This is how the Buddha answered this question
of "god" , or eternalism in public discourse ,
reserving his opinion for it was really his own
business., as the point of Buddhist practice is
constant questioning of phenomenological
experience... he said.."Find out for yourself".

I have encountered every argument for and
against "God" and eventually I stopped asking,
because I was interested in how to alleviate
and reduce suffering as it presented itself right
in front of my face. I stopped the obsessive
churning of ideas and concepts about divinity
quite suddenly and was mercifully OK with
the option of ," I don't know".

And perhaps even, " I don't care".

Which amounts to cursing said diety which
earns you the sweet spot in the deepest Hell.

Hell and Heaven are stories, as is much of the
Bible, and it's theologies. A lot of unverifiable
conjecture and theory which cannot be proven.

Of course I realize that I have accepted a new
body of information, new stories, that speak of
how the Buddha gained enlightenment, and
how we as disciples can verify every step he
took through our own practice.

Most importantly we can question and debate
at every level, and understand that the cultures
of Asia put their own filter over the Dharma as
it passed through the centuries.

I am relieved of the burden of anticipating some
kind of judgement in the afterlife from a God who
I was never sure existed, and I can open my eyes
wider and wider to the paradise in front of me.

I am experiencing what freedom is really like.