Deserving of Heaven?

Most of us growing up in the Bible Belt were taught that the world is, by nature, evil. The earth is the devil's playground, they say. 

However, for the life of me, I can't see it. I look at nature and I see beauty. I see the pure essence of the Creator. Even though there is a circle of life where one creature must kill to live, it is a raw, organic, universal relationship that we all share. We are all dependent upon the other. Without the least of these, the greater would not survive.  Each one of us fits into a larger puzzle that if we could stand back as the Holy One can, we could see the most stunning and splendid picture imaginable. 

We humans pride ourselves on being at the top of the food chain, believing that God himself gave us the order to subdue and control nature. At the same time, we claim to be the only ones to possess a soul, and have the greatest of moral compasses. 

To me, this is the most absurd of ideas. No other creature makes war based on the idea that they are somehow closer to God and therefore, more deserving. Yet humans have consistently killed for ideas... for beliefs. I can understand killing to eat, to drink, to survive. But I cannot conceive of a world in which it is okay to kill and enslave because you are not like me. How is that godly? 

If anyone deserves Heaven, it is the creature who has lived a life hating no one.  Who has raised their young, only showing aggression when protecting them. Only killing to eat, to survive. It is not us. 

So my church will remain in nature. I will not worship it, because I am also a part of it. I am another piece of nature. However, I will find my peace there. I will find that I belong there. I will look to the forest, to the sea, to the river, to the plains to see my brothers and sisters.

And when it is all over, I hope that I will find them on the other side.