Today, most everyone in America is celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden, the spiritual head of al Quaeda and mastermind of the 9/11 attack and many other terrorist related deaths. While I am rejoicing at this death, my family is weeping and mourning the imminent death of my beloved nephew who is the same age as Osama bin Laden. Our nephew is dying from cancer and has done nothing but good things in his life. He has been a wonderful father and husband and a caring physician who has touched many lives in a very positive way.

Death is the greatest mystery of life. There is no hard scientific evidence that any part of us exist after our heart, either naturally of by mechanical support, ceases to beat. Many of us believe in an afterlife. As a Christian I believe this exist by believe in Jesus Christ who I accept as God, in the form of man, who came to earth and died for me and was resurrected on the third day. Others don’t believe in this Jesus and believe they can achieve the afterlife by belief in other saviors or by other means. Some believe in absolutely nothing after the heart stops. This latter group of folks may be in trouble if I am correct, otherwise it doesn’t make any difference. Only time will tell who is correct.

Even among Christians there is great debate about what the afterlife is like. Do people go directly to heaven or is there a waiting period? Folks like Osama bin Laden believe it’s okay to kill yourself if you take a few Christians and other infidels with you. He also believes these suicide martyrs will be greeted in the afterlife with a room full of virgins waiting for a big orgy. I prefer to think he checked into hell itself.

In my afterlife, I hope there are many mansions as the Bible says. Some religious groups think they are the only one there, so they may be off to themselves. As for me, I would hope to have a nice porch with a rocker and some of my good books. I would like to visit with some of the folks I have liked in this life as well as having family nearby all the time. Of course, I hope there would be no deer or other pest. I would sure like to visit with Mark Twain, but I’m not sure he will be there. I suspect there is still a good chance Twain will be in heaven, because it would be unfair to have him in hell and provide any amusement for folks like Osama bin Laden.