Spiritual Rosencrantz and Guildensterns

I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, but you are no Hamlet.

You see, it occurred to me recently that a lot of people are more than slightly confused about their role in the cosmic order. Most distressing is the belief that this world was created for them by a loving god for their benefit. Now far be it from me to suggest that there is not a loving god who creates things for the benefit of beloved creations. But look at your life, do you really think that things are working for your benefit right now?

So, here's the scoop. You've heard that "all the world is a stage, and all the men and women are merely players". Well, there's more truth to that sentiment than you might have realized. An important fact that may have escaped your attention up to now is that there are two main classes of people on this planet: stars and supporting actors (extras). As the bible says there are only 144,000 people going to heaven so the chances of you being one of those is vanishingly small. You have a better chance of winning the lottery. Twice. No, only the stars are going to heaven (or at least are in the running). God specifically designed the earth as a testing ground for them to learn life lessons, experience the highest highs, lowest lows and engage deep spiritual truths. In the end they will grow close to god and speak with him and truly know his will.

But that's them. If you lived before Jesus arrived or in some town that has never heard the gospel, then you have 0% chance of going to heaven. And the chances aren't much better even if you *have* heard the gospel. The truth is you are not a star. You are just an extra, a bit player. More than likely you don't even have a soul. God may be stern, but he's not wasteful. Why make a soul for someone that has no chance of doing anything with it? So I guess you can think of yourself as a meat robot.

Don't get me wrong you will still experience emotional highs and lows. Fall in and out of love. Etc. But you must keep in mind that this is for the benefit of the main narrative flow, which does not include you in any meaningful way. You may be called to play a part in a scene that teaches how precious and fragile life is (ie. you are killed in a most random fashion). You may be called to act in a scene where hard work pays off in the end. Or to act out whimsical coincidence that makes people stop to think about the grand scheme of things. Perhaps you will play the part of a skilled doctor and at a moment of greatest need you save the life of one of the stars. Lord help you if you are asked to participate in an act showing that bad things happen to good people. Those gigs really suck. If given a choice try to get a role in "Why do good things happen to bad people".

So if your life seems empty or bizarre and you don't really feel connected to the big picture, well, now you know why. If this information is too much you may be tempted to break free from your role and live a more authentic life of your own choosing. That's a noble goal to be sure. But it is also what your role calls for and your struggle will prove a valuable lesson to one of the stars; when they see your perseverance they will be inspired. You on the other hand will still be a supporting actor.

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Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead