Melted Monday: Migraine meets afterlife

This is Melted Monday, where you are treated with the inner workings of my

thoughts before I have articulated them into logic, you’re welcome!

Melted thought of the week: What is the afterlife without a god?

From the depths of boredom, 3 days into nursing a migraine in bed I turned to one of my old favourite shows to pass the time, The Good Place.

For those not familiar, the show follows 4 individuals who have found themselves in the ‘Bad Place’ after their deaths and come together to become better people in pursuit of entry to the ‘Good Place’. It is funny, clever and comforting, delving into deep philosophical questions: What does it mean to be a good or bad person? Can we truly change?

These are great questions which weighed heavily on my bursting migraine brain, but not more so than another: Who or what determines the nuances of goodness in a godless afterlife?

In this universe, none of our worldly religions have correctly captured what happens to us when we die, but this doesn’t contribute to our fate. You are simply either good or bad, and sorted accordingly. There is no room to consider if people can change, which becomes the premise of the show as the characters try to prove that they have.

For the record, I am not trying to find an absolute answer to the mystery of the afterlife in this little ramble, but rather melt my brain down as to how the complexity of human life might convert the question of one’s morality (fun!)

Since I grew up in a Christian home, the afterlife, or specifically the ‘good’ afterlife has always been explicitly connected to God – one cannot exist without the other.

However, I have also always firmly believed that following a religion does not automatically equate you to moral superiority. Anybody can develop and live by strong principles, regardless of whether they belong to a certain belief system.

In the same vein, I’m sure everybody has met someone in their life who professes to be of the highest faith and moral fibre, who in reality behaves like a complete ash hole (if you know, you know).

I am comfortable with this juxtaposition in my earthly life, but it scrambles my brain in the context of considering the afterlife. Maybe this is a unique crisis for adults who grew up in a conservative church environment, but hold progressive views as an adult.

If we can all be good or bad in different ways under different belief systems on Earth (which I firmly believe we can) – surely this is accounted for in the next life if one exists?

Can the complexity of a human life be categorised as good or bad without a higher being, be that a god or the universe of something else? It’s not like we can ask! Queue melting of thought.

The point, of course, and greatest test for all of us is to keep pursuing goodness without having the answer. That is what faith is about, after all.

Anyway, my poor migraine-melted-thought-brain is a testament to the writing on this show in forcing an audience who expected a light-hearted comedy to consider if they do enough good in the world.

Consider it a public service announcement of sorts to pick up some rubbish, call a grandparent or end poverty (if wealthy enough – if not, off to the Bad Place you go).

What I'm reading

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty – yes, I am 10 years late, please no spoilers!

I recently found it at Vinnies for $3 (surely supporting an op shop is a few points towards the Good Place?) and it is SO GOOD. Excellent, breezy read with lots of interesting povs. A great one to pick up if you’re in a reading rut.

Brain rehab

Back on the religion theme, I recently saw The Book of Mormon musical in Melbourne and CACKLED the entire time. If you’re Mormon or easily offended, maybe not one for you … and for everyone else, don’t bring your Mum like I did.