Eternal Things and Dwarves

‘Tis the time of year for my grandmother to send me a very pointed message about her god. Since I deconverted this has been our only communication.  Let’s see if it is effective in bringing me back to the ranks of Christianity.

This year I just got an email, the subject line of which begins “Fwd: Fwd.” For those of you unfortunate enough to end up on the mailing lists of Christians, you know this for a bad sign of something likely trite, factually wrong, or maybe just vaguely offensive.

First paragraph:

Dear children, since we can’t give stuff that won’t last, I’d like to give you something that will. “things that are not seen, are eternal”.  This poem has helped me and I’d like to give it to you for Christmas/New Year’s.

I am not sure the problem of stuff that won’t last. Food doesn’t last and I still buy it regularly. Just because something isn’t totally permanent, which is the vast majority of things, doesn’t mean they are worthless.  Of course as far as stuff that is forever, I’m not sure what being able to see something has to do with it. I can’t see the oxygen I’m breathing, but I’m converting it into carbon dioxide, so that probably makes it temporary. I don’t actually mind poems. I like poetry.  Receiving poetry can be fun, though I will bet this particular poem won’t be so much.

The poem itself:

“No time for God”  “No time for God! What fools we are, to clutter up our lives with common things, and leave without heart’s gate the Lord of life, and life itself, our God. As soon to say, no time to eat or sleep, or love or die. Take time for God or you will dwarf your soul! And when the angel Death comes knocking at your door, a poor misshapen thing you’ll be to step into Eternity.”