You know, Steve, a lot of very wise and learned and good people have found hope and comfort and maybe even motivation in believing in heaven. A lot of other very wise and learned and good people have not.

If belief in a dream that may not be true gives hope and comfort, what's wrong with that? When they find out for certain, all their suffering will be over - and no harm will have been done by the illusion that gave them comfort. Sometimes I think that the hard truth is highly overrated. I think that dreams, even unrealistic dreams, can often have far greater value than the truth.

Let people have a little mystery, a little dreaming, a little unrealistic idealism in their life - no matter whether it's true or not. Is heaven a fantasy? Maybe so - but it's a very nice fantasy, and it often gives comfort to those who are suffering. As another very interesting song says, "Don't Rain on my Parade."

-Joe-