Heaven: Fact or Fiction?

Heaven is what one wants it to be. An imaginary salvation that is anticipated by those who have a hard time in life and expect a reward for being a good samaritan. Just like the religions that force individuals to believe in an non-existent utopian fantasy, the thought of going to heaven makes people feel better and more secure. In an Opinion piece by Joel Stein entitled "A Little Bit of Heaven on Earth" (http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-oe-stein21dec21,1,5522577.column?ctrack=1&cset=true), Joel Stein preaches to the public about the outdated version of heaven. "Heaven is totally overrated. It seems boring. Clouds, listening to people play the harp. It should be somewhere you can't wait to go, like a luxury hotel. Maybe blue skies and soft music were enough to keep people in line in the 17th century, but heaven has to step it up a bit. They're basically getting by because they only have to be better than hell." This quote by Joel Stein which was published on Starbucks cups sparked an outrage that suggests that "heaven is a mere fantasy custom tailored to the desires of each individual One outraged indivudual responded to the quote on the Starbucks cup: "I was thinking it was sad that you looked at heaven that way. I wanted you to know about the heaven I know about and I look forward to go to" . So is heaven a fixed utopia that one reaches after a righteous life? Or is it just a dream of which everyone has their own version that can be obtained on Earth? An article that first questions the contemporary views of heaven leads to a debate about the existence of heaven and which ultimately challenges the existence of "God." Religion provides salvation for people during life and heaven is a facet of religion that ensures salvation after death. This practical and potentially controversial article challenges the existence of heaven, ridicules the existence of Jesus and forces one to question...Does heaven exist? Which may lead one to inquire: Does "God" exist?

Tone: casual and mocking

Do you think heaven exists? Why? How do you visualize heaven?

Rid the English Curriculum of the Past Tense

Analysis
In this satirical piece from the Onion (http://www.theonion.com/content/news/underfunded_schools_forced_to_cut), an anonymous author addresses the controversy over cutting the past tense from English programs in underfunded schools. Although seemingly unintended for a particular audience, this article is directed to people aware of underfunded schools and offers an alternative to cutting "unessential" music and art programs. The past tense is a thing of the past and society should look towards the future rather than linger in the past in order to progress. According to a satirically invented quote by Utah's Republican senator, Orrin Hatch, "Our tax dollars should be spent preparing our children for the future, not for what has already happened . . . It's about time we stopped wasting everyone's time with who 'did' what or 'went' where. The past tense is, by definition, outdated." A typical Republican defined by pro creative education cuts and the supposed "No Child Left Behind Policies," Hatch has defended the actions of the pedophile Mark Foley. The article's satirical point attacks the paradoxical views of the Republicans like Orrin Hatch in the field of educational reform. If art and music programs are so unnecessary that they are deserving of cuts, why not omit the past tense from the English curriculum?

Does the author’s mocking tone make the argument more powerful?
Why do people see art and music programs as inessential?