Soon after he died an Indian king, a kind and good man in life, arrived at the entrance to heaven.
He was accompanied by his dog.
Saint Peter turned over a leaf in his thick book and said: You may enter but regretfully your dog cannot enter.
The king said: My dog loves me. He is my constant companion. Wherever I go he goes.
Saint Peter laid the law down firmly: Rules are rules. There can be no exceptions.
The king replied: In that case I will stay outside with my dog.
But then a strange thing happened.
The dog appeared to change its form and become the embodiment of Sri Krishna. The friends then passed safely and unchallenged through the heavenly portals.
The dog appeared to change its form and become the embodiment of Sri Krishna. The friends then passed safely and unchallenged through the heavenly portals.
- An interesting little story -
The question of pets in heaven is a theological minefield for those who teach Sunday school.
ReplyDeleteBut not for dogs.
DeleteAccording to Moses the Raven in Animal Farm. All the animals go to Sugar Candy Mountain when they die.
ReplyDeleteWell that's Moses for you.
DeleteAs I am a Humanist the theory behind this escapes me Gwil, but I love the story
ReplyDeleteSri Krishna can assume many forms and also appear in many different places at the same time. He first appeared in India circa 3,500 BCE. He has appeared in the world throughout history under a variety of names. I hope you and Tess are ok. Sad news about Cro's Bok.
DeleteGwil I have just watched a programme and thought of you and wondered whether you had ever done it - it was a programme about the train journey (5 trains I think) from Vienna, into Switzerland and finally (by rack and pinion for the last 2 trains) to the virtual top of the Eiger. Wonderful. I would definitely consider doing it if my mobility was better than it is.
ReplyDeleteHi Pat, I've been through Switzerland on the trains but not to the Eiger. Been to Zurich, Bern, Basel and Geneva (for connections to France). I liked Zurich and visited the James Joyce museum and his grave and also the seismograph institute at the university and the opera house, and I also liked Bern but the bears were in hibernation so maybe I'll have to go back sometime. The Klee Museum and the Einstein Museum and Einstein's little apartment at the top of a narrow spiral staircase I liked. One mountain you could get up by train is the the Schneeberg in Austria. Last time I was there the restaurant contained some conspicuously large and elderly nuns who obviously enjoyed traditional fare! You can bet they didn't walk up any hills!
DeleteThis reminded me of a fable by Margaret Attwood...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.somareview.com/ourcatentersheaven.cfm
Hi! Thanks D. I'll have a look later.
DeleteOur cat entered heaven through a hole I dug for it in the back garden. Hope it's all going well with and yours in the New Year. Cheers, G.
And all the best to you to! Do have a look at the Atwood. It's short and one of the cleverest pieces of flash fiction (I guess it just qualifies) I know.
DeleteThanks. Haven't forgotten it. In parts of Austria heaviest snowfall in living memory. Some places Avalanche Warnings Scale 5. It doesn't go any higher.
DeleteJust read it now in a waiting room at a dental surgery of all places (thankfully not my appointment and I don't see any cats in here). Miaow, G.
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