The Man Who Hated Paradise

by compound complex 4 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  compound complex

  Impressions after LOST HORIZON, by James Hilton

  The Valley of the Blue Moon, a verdant and slightly concave sprawling hollow at the foot of the largest snow-capped rock I ever laid eyes on, is not home to me, nor ever shall it be. Had I entered Paradise under my own steam -- not kidnapped -- I daresay my impressions of Utopia would be immeasurably more favorable.

  For a certainty, I long for the hustle, the bustle, the din of my dirty and lusty city by the bay, whose roots sink deep into the ancient mire of human folly and wanton avarice. What some men consider the deplorable state of fallen man and his consequent foray into all things bad is what titillates and nourishes my aching soul. I suck life in through every pore of my unhallowed flesh, fed in such a manner that would unhinge the pure of heart.
  

  I have neither desire nor need for a perfect state of affairs and a seeming comfort that coddle the body but eat the soul.
  
• 

  DT

  I read Lost Horizon when I was a young JW. I found the depiction of Shangri-La to be quite appealing. Now that I'm older, my opinion is closer to what you have written.

  
  

  "I have neither desire nor need for a perfect state of affairs and a seeming comfort that coddle the body but eat the soul."

  
  

  Well said. Your words could apply just as well to the JW panda petting paradise.
• 

  compound complex

  Thanks, DT:

  I appreciate your thoughts. That poor man, who simply could not adjust to the wonders and beauties of the fabled paradise. He thought there was evil afoot . . .

  Best.

  CC
• 

  nancy drew

  Lost Horizon a movie I saw many years ago as a child. I loved it because I had a soft spot in my heart for shangri-la. All my life I have pursued the hope of love and peace for humanity and it caused me to try out many dreams one of which was jehovahs witnesses and always it falls through. The pursuit has been interesting and now I realize that we as humans don't know what we want or where the lines are we don't even know for sure what we are but we are all very different. I think the only society that works is the one that allows us the pursuit of happiness not the finding of someones manufactured dream of a peaceful world. We're all about the pursuit and not the finding. We're at our best when we're on the way following our dreams and making alot of mistakes. It's a bit dangerous but we wouldn't be happy otherwise.
  
• 

  compound complex

  . . . the only society that works is the one that allows us the pursuit of happiness not the finding of someones manufactured dream of a peaceful world. -- Nancy Drew

  Thanks, Nancy! I just now saw this. I don't want a "manufactured dream" either.

  See you in paradise!

  CC