I was talking with a friend today about my passion for Harry Potter. She is reading the series through and hoping to finish for the first time and I have read them numerous times, as well as listened to the audio versions every time I have moved (essentially, every year). Because of this conversation, HP was on my mind.
As I was standing in the shower (a great place to think, by the way), I began to contemplate our society. I don't remember exactly what prompted these thoughts, but they tended toward the seemingly warring ideas of progress vs. traditionalism; specifically around technology and agriculture. These may have been on my mind because I am listening to Anna Karenina right now.
As my mind was grazing over the concepts and misconceptions of many, whether it is a person who thinks technology and the seeking after innovation should top all other concerts or the person who runs away from city life to start a hobby farm because they miss the older views of family life and community, I began to wonder what this world would look life perfected.
Hm... tricky.
What would it be like to have corporations behave humanly all the time? What would it be like if everyone were educated? What would it be like to have no fears of the unknown or prejudices? What would it be like if all people lived in community with all those around them? What would it be like if all systems actually worked as they were hoped to? What would it be like if machinery did not pollute? If agriculture didn't use chemicals? If there were no pests to kill? No wolves to destroy? No thieves to steal?
Essentially, what would Heaven be like?
Everyone thinks of the afterlife and the possibility of Heaven sometimes. It is a mystery, but some clues have been given: we will be with God, there will be constant light, there will be no more sorrow or tears or pain, there will be meaningful work, there will be homes, etc. Until now, I have not dwelt on the details of Heaven, although I have often begun a sentence with "wouldn't it be nice if in Heaven..." and I always say to people who I might never see again on this earth, "See you in Heaven." Today I thought about what Heaven could be. If it is perfect, then... well, that's a hard one, because no one here on Earth has ever experienced "perfect," "sinless."
I began thinking about people, the one thing we know will be in Heaven besides God. People, created in the image of God. People as creators themselves. People in all their different colors and languages and backgrounds. People from places in third world countries that seem to have "developed" little in hundreds of years. People in "developing" countries and those in the U.S. and Japan. What in the world would a community of these people together look like?
I began thinking about our work in Heaven. There are so many who live in cities here and who work in offices, so many executives and IT people- how do they fit into my vision of Heaven? Will there be perfected corporations? Will there be any work at all for them? I'd hate to say no, just like I would hate to tell a farmer that there will be no garden in Heaven to tend.
How does this fit in with Harry Potter? Well, as I was pondering the ideas of "old world" and "new" I began thinking of Jo Rowling and her amazing works. She created a world that was "modern" but still "old" to some. The wizarding world had existed along side the Muggle one for all of history, but they developed differently. Wizards never bothered with technology because they had magic- they didn't need electricity or parking meters or batteries. But they did not just stand still, either. They had trains and buses- but flew powder was more convenient and apparition even more so! They had "new" spells and potions and innovative gadgets like Dumbledore's Dilluminator (book 7) aka Put-outer (book 1). Jo somehow fused the ideas of standing still and moving forward- something that our generation is having a hard time with right now.
Currently, technology and city life, corporations and progress are being villainized by many as the sickness that is killing the earth. "Pollution is caused by progress!" "Desensitization to violence and war is caused by technology (TV, movies, video games, even guns, which are rather old to be called technology)!" "Communities are crumbling because of cities and even suburbs (I mean, who has a block party or even knows their neighbors anymore?)!" "Evil, evil!!" So they say.
But then, people have been running down the past, as well. So many people think that those who farm or live in the country are ignorant and uneducated; that all bigotry comes from rural areas; that chemical farming has been the real ruin of natural resources; that intelligence only lives in cities; that the slow way is always the wrong way because inefficiency is a waste of a resource, which has to be a sin!
So, who's right? We have people running from cities and starting hobby farms who think they must be right because they have seen the corruption of the city. But they take with them their high speed internet, cable TV, iPod, iPad, TiVo and college education. Then we have kids "escaping" the country- whether the farmer's son next door or the rebellious Mennonite or Amish kids. And they must be right because they are escaping the tyranny of the small minded and slow moving- the old fashioned ways of their parents and grandparents! And they bring their fresh eyes to the city and see its delights and its possibilities!
Neither of these seems right to me. I am a city girl who is old fashioned. I currently live in a city whose population is 209,000 (610,000 metro) and it is the smallest place I have ever lived. I crochet and sew, garden and preserve, cook bread from scratch weekly and dream of one day owning a heard of goats. But I don't want to run to the country because I think cities are evil or because I think country life is ideal. I don't think all corporations are evil, money-grubbing entities (although, some of the people in them may be) and I don't think that rural dwellers are ignorant or bigotous (although there are people like that everywhere). I want to move to experience a different way of life than I have had- and to learn new skills like cheese making and spinning. But wherever I end up in life will not be perfect, will not be easy, will not be home. Because this world is not my home.
But what does my home look like? God is there. And people are there. The rest is a mystery. I'd love to see a good fantasy author like Jo try to tackle that one, though! Think of the possibilities! Maybe I'll try it myself...
