Reciprocation

“The point is…the point is how I feel. I don’t care what gets done. I just don’t want to die feeling that I never tried. I don’t believe in Heaven, or anything. But I want to be the kind of person who qualifies an entry anyway. Do you understand?

Of course I understand. I’m a doctor.

Nick Hornby’s new book, How To Be Good, raises many interesting points about the meaning of being good, marriage, family life, charity and cynicism. Although it’s not directly related, the exchange above made me realize why I don’t like some of the ideas that have become linked with Heaven and Hell.

My personal beliefs on the existence of Heaven and Hell aside, I don’t like the implication that someone should “do good” so they can be allowed in Heaven. To me that sounds just as conniving as lying to get your way.

You should never do anything because you expect something in return. I’ve always believed that doing something because you want to or like to is the only acceptable reason. Anything besides that is guaranteed to leave you, and the other people involved, displeased.

Life is so very short and it makes no sense to waste your precious moments on something that makes you unhappy. I understand that people work so they can earn money so they can go on vacations or afford other things that make them happy. And, while I have another rant saved just for that case, that’s not the scenario I’m talking about here. I’m talking about doing something because someone guilted you into thinking that’s what you should do.

What’s the point of doing something out of guilt? How much satisfaction do you feel after you’ve completed an act that someone else thought to be “important that you do”? How much energy do you put into doing something that someone else deems necessary? Do you think people are so stupid that they don’t notice your heart’s not in it?

What’s the point?

Are you trying to cheat people, or God in the case of heaven, into thinking that just cause you go through the motions of doing something that someone else ‘strongly urged’ you into doing, that they suddenly will think you’re this amazing and dedicated person? No one, but you, loses in the end. You’re the one who gave up the time to do something that you didn’t care to and you’re the one who doesn’t truly feel rewarded since deep-down you know you never wanted to do it anyway.

Talk about a sell-out.

I think you should help the homeless if it means something to you. Six mentioned a while back about reducing your guilt and how you should call your old grandma Jane only if you actually want to talk to her. There are no guarantees in this life and real and honest people, their emotions and God can not be bribed. Guilt is nothing but manipulation and doing something in the hopes of getting something in return is awfully close to bribery.

Stop fooling yourself.

Previously? Crush Me.