Hope peddlers

I’m at a funeral for a family member. The deceased was a devoted Christian who declared God’s hand in everything. A funeral is a classic scene for the declaration of life eternal. Humans in general can’t tolerate the unknown. The idea that there is nothing after death is unacceptable. There were three sermons all of them peddling the same hope. The hope of a life after death. The hope that labor is not in vain. The hope of a final reward for our sacrifice. The Pascal wager in all it’s glory! Humans need hope. Whether it is true or false is not the point.

I am in the process of being okay with the idea of nothing after death. However I come from a tradition that finds that idea intolerable. They are certain in their faith/belief. Yet the fact is faith in of itself requires doubt to be true faith. Richard Holloway explains it perfectly in his memoir, “Leaving Alexandria”.

So I watched the whole weekend in reserved amusement. I sang the songs they asked me to sing and even threw in a few freebies for comfort. We all need comfort.
I guess I’m a hope peddler too.