Today in World Religons...

My professor was talking about Islam. She asked us what percentage of people we thought would make it to heaven and how that compared or contrasted with what percentage we imagined Muslims thought would make it to heaven. When one girl said she believed only around 40% would make it the professor asked the class why she might think that way. One girl said, "because if everyone was allowed in it wouldn't be special" (interesting, huh? And it plays right into what I wanna write my senior thesis on.) Another girl says, "Because you have to think about the people who break God and Man's law - heaven shouldn't exist for both a child rapist and a child. That just couldn't happen."

So then my professor says, "You know class... That makes me think of when I was having a little talk with Archbishop Desmond Tu Tu over margaritas. I asked him about the truth and reconciliation committee and how it dealt with justice. I said, 'You know, I just don't see it. To have a parent listen to their friends and childrens murderers - to hear everything they did, and then just forgive them... I just don't see where justice is served there...' and the archbishop responded, "Joyce, there are two kinds of justice. There is retributory justice; the kind where you torture your torturers and you can wipe your hands clean. You can remove yourself and let whatever happens afterwards fall into place. And then there is restorative justice - the kind where you let all your hatred and anger go, where you give yourself to the thread that helps to stitch back a frayed fabric that makes up a country and a community.' And now I can see what the Archbishop was saying. Maybe heaven is like that. You have to forgive and let go and trust the justice to God because he creates the community of heaven member by member for a reason."

 

How incredibly cool was everything about that?

 

I may not always understand people's motives or even personalities - especially on this ship, but thank you so, so much Oma, Opa, Mom, and Grandma Violet for making this really happen; for the first time in a long time I'm beginning to feel like I am in the right place at the right time.