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> "When they day comes and you know you're not coming out of a fight... Make sure there is a long line for St. Peter before you get there." - Advice from my very pacifist Grandfather -- Anon Guest

[AN: Not that conversant with this particular corner of Xtian theology, OP. Apologies in advance for the mistakes made herein]

_The last shall go first, and the first shall go last_ -- Human Theological Saying.

Faith is a strange thing. Belief is powerful, but people can believe things at varying degrees of harm to themselves and others. Belief that one can fly -if one's faith is strong enough- is only dangerous to oneself if put to the extreme test. Belief in the miasma theory is harmful to many if a plague strikes. It's all about context.

Belief in what happens to the soul after a life is ended is unproven, unprovable, and the undeniable definition of faith. Science remains true without belief. Faith is believing regardless of any proof. Somewhere in there, a truth exists.

Every faith is true, for interesting definitions of 'true'.

Few people who imagine Heaven look to the passages in their holy tomes. Those descriptions don't always match the reader's definition of paradise. For many, it is a realm of clouds, though many elements of holy writ persist.

There is an entrance. There is a guardian. There is a written record of who is permitted to pass. There are a set of virtues, there are a set of sins. Some things are on both lists. This is just one such place in a realm of infinite possibilities.

Those who come, inevitably come alone. Rare are those who take someone with them, and rarer still are those who enter Paradise after doing so. Those who have surety in their virtues are judged more harshly than those who doubt. Hubris, after all, is one of the big ones on the 'sins' list.

After that, it all depends on the spirit's perception of both Paradise and the Divine. Some deities are the ones in charge of peace and love. Some are more warlike. Some have had their followers labor under persecution for millennia.

This one has undergone the transformation from fire and brimstone wrath to peace, love, harmony, and acceptance. Which has lead to some interesting quirks in the followers. Some have come from a long walk through a lonesome valley. Some have ascended a near infinite staircase. Some have emerged from the haze, blinking in confusion. Many have simply moved towards the light. Most have been cautioned about what to say and what to do. One hangs back.

"After you," they say, and, "This way, this way. It's all right now. The worst is over with."

One by one, this one person lets others in front of them, until there is one that cannot move on their own. Life ends after a short pace as well as a long one. Therefore, this voluntary laggard lifts the helpless child into their arms and joins the queue.

They wait their turn and come at last to the judge, the book, and the gate.

"You have been waiting so long," said the guardian. "Purposely so. Why?"

"My grandfather said to be sure there's long line before I go in... I never did know what that meant, but I figured he knew something, so... I kept building up the queue until there was one who needed me more as a vehicle than a guide."

"The little one is truly innocent," said the guardian. "They may enter freely."

The baby, unable to walk, was given wings with which to fly. They entered into paradise.

"What of you?"

The laggard shrugged. "Did my best to keep on going. Help where I could, shun the badness in the world, and so on. Tried to do right, at least. Can't say my sins were big ones... but I can't say my graces were, either."

"Honesty," noted the guardian, writing something down. "We don't often get that. I see a lot of bragging and a lot of begging, rarely just a straight-up admittance."

"Begging your pardon, but I've seen what happens to those who do that. Best to state the truth and face the consequences."

"Then you have a choice," said the guardian. "Enter paradise, or return to the world in a new life to teach others what you've learned. I can't guarantee they'll learn from you, but you will remember the important parts so you don't end up like the braggarts."

Having seen the beggars, having seen the braggarts and, most importantly, having seen what happened to both of them, there was only one real choice.

"Reckon there's plenty of souls in the living world that needs a guide. I'll go around again."

People like them always did.

[Image <a href="https://www.canstockphoto.com">(c) Can Stock Photo / jgroup</a>]

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