“I think there's an element where people get very comfortable in their ghetto. Which is fair enough” - Neil Tennant
I grew up listening to a lot of gangster rap, my favourites being 2Pac, Ice-T, NWA and every associated stereotypical artist.
One of the reasons was my ability to identify with their situation of being surrounded by drugs, drive-by’s and hopelessness.
Aspiring and identifying with hopelessness, no doubt stunted my emotional and spiritual growth for many years. This however is another blog; the one thing that did amuse me about rap music was the soft mantra that was always a theme on every album by the above artists.
That was “I wonder if Heaven has a ghetto?”
Even as a disaffected teen, I could see that there perceived situation was so bad that they even wished the same in the afterlife. That right there is some very low expectations.
That my friends, is a ghetto state of mind. I remember at school, that there were teenage girls who used to discuss that they could get a flat from the council on the local tower blocks (amongst drug addicts and prostitutes) if they got themselves pregnant. They could set themselves up for life!!
Thinking back, we all aspired to be ghetto superstars, our role models were the drug dealers, with the nice cars, great sound system and every gadget a man can have. It only occurred to me recently that all of these guys still lived with their parents. I suppose the income streams did not hold up for regular mortgage payments and bank scrutiny.
This is not the theme of today’s blog, but the premise that there is a heaven in every ghetto. You can even go as far as say that “ghetto” is just a metaphor of a world that scares us, and the only way to survive is to purvey a cold tough exterior.
We all know the phrase, ‘that you cannot polish a turd’ this has been used to describe the youth from urban areas but as we all know is not the case.
There is beauty all around us, and we can see that once we affirm our own vision of heaven we can start to see beauty and experience true bliss. We all understand the idea of heaven, but one question we never ask our self is how can we live in heaven today?
So what is your vision of heaven as a concept?
Spending time with loved ones, deceased family and friends, BBQ’s, live in big castle, surrounded by sexy angels and living the rock star life.
So what is it that stopped us from us enjoying this on Earth? Oh yes our circumstances and the ghetto.
I have thought on this for a while, and my concept of heaven is a continuous collection of those moments that make us smile and love unconditionally.
These moments to me are plentiful, the first bite of a delicious meal, eating chocolate ice-cream (doing that now), a kiss from your children, watching your efforts being appreciated, validation, a sunset, a sunrise, the rain nourishing the ground, the smell of flowers, your sports team being successful, a long walk, the countryside, time with your parents, a wedding, winning on bingo and much more that I can list but you maybe understand the concept.
The true irony is; that I would rather accept that there is no concept of heaven, and enjoy all of the above in my life today.
There is no point of spend all of your real life in misery, in hope of redemption in heaven.
However, if you had the keys to paradise, would you rather let in people who have lived and enjoyed their lives or those who lived without pleasure?
If heaven is a party, having Mother Theresa looking over your shoulder will kind of suck balls. So I can understand the ghetto mentality, as of course the concept of heaven it is just a collection of good times with your friends.
I am a kind of a seek forgiveness, than ask permission kind of guy. We are all animals at the end of the day, and the strongest should always prosper.
This is what Darwin was alluding to with Natural selection.................no, I have gone too far!
Ok, I apologise for the Mother Theresa comment, but the point that I would like to make, is not to ponder the concept of heaven, as it should not be your aspiration. This should be of course to live, be happy, love, and do things that bring that smile and unconditional love bubbling in your tummy.
In the unlikely event that there is a heaven or associated spiritual plane, it would no doubt be run by deceased British civil servants. I can imagine the forms and protocol now (shudder). The weather would be a slight drizzle, and there is a dress code for most places. Tea served at 11am and 3pm and Fish on a Friday.
Heaven as a metaphor is all around us, we can see it once we accept its reality.
Like licking the spoon from the cake mix, can taste better than the cake itself. The little things in life are the ingredients; time is what cooks it all together. However, let’s not wait until we die to eat the cake! (Wheat free though)
More Tea Vicar?
Scott
I grew up listening to a lot of gangster rap, my favourites being 2Pac, Ice-T, NWA and every associated stereotypical artist.
One of the reasons was my ability to identify with their situation of being surrounded by drugs, drive-by’s and hopelessness.
Aspiring and identifying with hopelessness, no doubt stunted my emotional and spiritual growth for many years. This however is another blog; the one thing that did amuse me about rap music was the soft mantra that was always a theme on every album by the above artists.
That was “I wonder if Heaven has a ghetto?”
Even as a disaffected teen, I could see that there perceived situation was so bad that they even wished the same in the afterlife. That right there is some very low expectations.
That my friends, is a ghetto state of mind. I remember at school, that there were teenage girls who used to discuss that they could get a flat from the council on the local tower blocks (amongst drug addicts and prostitutes) if they got themselves pregnant. They could set themselves up for life!!
Thinking back, we all aspired to be ghetto superstars, our role models were the drug dealers, with the nice cars, great sound system and every gadget a man can have. It only occurred to me recently that all of these guys still lived with their parents. I suppose the income streams did not hold up for regular mortgage payments and bank scrutiny.
This is not the theme of today’s blog, but the premise that there is a heaven in every ghetto. You can even go as far as say that “ghetto” is just a metaphor of a world that scares us, and the only way to survive is to purvey a cold tough exterior.
We all know the phrase, ‘that you cannot polish a turd’ this has been used to describe the youth from urban areas but as we all know is not the case.
There is beauty all around us, and we can see that once we affirm our own vision of heaven we can start to see beauty and experience true bliss. We all understand the idea of heaven, but one question we never ask our self is how can we live in heaven today?
So what is your vision of heaven as a concept?
Spending time with loved ones, deceased family and friends, BBQ’s, live in big castle, surrounded by sexy angels and living the rock star life.
So what is it that stopped us from us enjoying this on Earth? Oh yes our circumstances and the ghetto.
I have thought on this for a while, and my concept of heaven is a continuous collection of those moments that make us smile and love unconditionally.
These moments to me are plentiful, the first bite of a delicious meal, eating chocolate ice-cream (doing that now), a kiss from your children, watching your efforts being appreciated, validation, a sunset, a sunrise, the rain nourishing the ground, the smell of flowers, your sports team being successful, a long walk, the countryside, time with your parents, a wedding, winning on bingo and much more that I can list but you maybe understand the concept.
The true irony is; that I would rather accept that there is no concept of heaven, and enjoy all of the above in my life today.
There is no point of spend all of your real life in misery, in hope of redemption in heaven.
However, if you had the keys to paradise, would you rather let in people who have lived and enjoyed their lives or those who lived without pleasure?
If heaven is a party, having Mother Theresa looking over your shoulder will kind of suck balls. So I can understand the ghetto mentality, as of course the concept of heaven it is just a collection of good times with your friends.
I am a kind of a seek forgiveness, than ask permission kind of guy. We are all animals at the end of the day, and the strongest should always prosper.
This is what Darwin was alluding to with Natural selection.................no, I have gone too far!
Ok, I apologise for the Mother Theresa comment, but the point that I would like to make, is not to ponder the concept of heaven, as it should not be your aspiration. This should be of course to live, be happy, love, and do things that bring that smile and unconditional love bubbling in your tummy.
In the unlikely event that there is a heaven or associated spiritual plane, it would no doubt be run by deceased British civil servants. I can imagine the forms and protocol now (shudder). The weather would be a slight drizzle, and there is a dress code for most places. Tea served at 11am and 3pm and Fish on a Friday.
Heaven as a metaphor is all around us, we can see it once we accept its reality.
Like licking the spoon from the cake mix, can taste better than the cake itself. The little things in life are the ingredients; time is what cooks it all together. However, let’s not wait until we die to eat the cake! (Wheat free though)
More Tea Vicar?
Scott
PS. Today’s blog is just my thoughts, we all think things and once we agree and something affirms that though it becomes an opinion. As I have said, nothing has affirmed my opinion and just my meandering mind wandering though nonsense.
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