Please, God!

People have been praying to someone for something since time began. 

That's because life in this plane of existence sucks.  Really sucks!  We all know it, so there's no need pussyfooting around about it.  

We no sooner track down and do in some hairy beast - a beast that could kill us, mind you - butcher it and cook it and gobble it down, then we're hungry again.  And subjected to a whole new round of risk assessments, hopeful that our adrenaline will get us out of trouble before than sabre tooth tiger over there can eat us.  While freezing when it's cold, and stroking out when it's hot, necesssitating all sorts of accommodations in order to continue living.  

That's why we've been praying to one god or another since, like, forever.  That's why you might not be surprised to learn there are an estimated 4,000 religions.  Phew!  That's a lotta' churches and synagogs and temples and cathedrals and praying.  All reaching out for forgiveness and dispensation.  

And tithes.

There are even more than 400 sects of Protentism!  That's the non-Catholic form of Christianity, which Martin Luther (no relation to King) invented a few centuries back.     

There are the five main ones, of course; Christianity, Islam, Juddaism, Hinduism and Buddism (that last one was a 9 foot-tall guy with blue skin.  I'd like to know more about that!).   But there are innumerable offshoots and branches and synods and splinter groups, representing any and every view as to how the afterlife looks and how we should be preparing for it.  Right there in front of God and everybody...

Most of the religions are fairly mainstream.  But some are pure cults.  Like Scientology.  Hubbard was right when he said creating a religion was where the big money was hiding.  And some are just plain wierd.  I'm talking speaking in toungues and kissing rattlesnakes.  That's just plain strange in my view. 

But hey, different strokes for different folks.

But there are the folks who do that in the name of securing the Golden Ticket to salvation.  But even that can't equal what the ancient Pharoahs did to seek the afterlife.  Just look at those pyramids and you'll see!  There was this whole industry of death preparation that began with birth.  All-consuming.  But then again, they didn't have the internet to keep them entertained.

But I've found most folks start to get religion the older they become.  Just as there are no athiests in foxholes, so are there no athiests on deathbeds.  Or at least one would assume.  Stupidity has to end somewhere, right?  And that would be a good place.

So, being one of those folks who've been enthralled with religion my entire life (I've read the Bible twice), I'm even more involved in prepping for my own passing then most.  As a matter of fact, I'm sort of looking forward to what happens when I leave this gauzy plane of existence.  

But just to put a wrap on this, I adhere to Pascal's Theory.  He said live your life as if there's a Higher Being, who will reward you upon your passing.  Because if you're right, you win.  And if you're wrong, you'll never know it, since you'll be dead.  And your friends and family will sing your praises because you were such a great guy.

And what's wrong with that?

(BTW, I don't consider it haunting unless it spooks the hauntee...)