The endless “cloud and harp” version of Heaven never made sense to me. It always felt…boring. The idea of having wings was interest, but the thought of spending eternity out a cloud, watching the physical realm, always felt like the most boring existence.

It wasn’t until I dove into the book of Revelation, specifically Chapter 21, that my perspective shifted.

Verse 1 describes a “a new heaven and a new earth” where the sea no longer exists. No sea? Like…no deep oceans? Or is it a metaphor for the chaotic Leviathan nature being no more? That’s deep gravy right there, but I’ll keep going. Verse 2 describes the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down from Heaven. Verse 3 declares a loud voice crying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people…” Meaning the Creator will live among us. Nice! And then verse 4 describes how death, mourning, pain, and tragedy will all be a thing of the past.

Love it! I’m there! Let’s go!

Now, the only way I see Heaven is to imagine the ultimate version of today’s world, a sinless representation of our current experience.

No crime, no struggle, no religious trademarks or divisive denominations. Just a magnificent chunk of never-ending land full of focus and productivity, and constant crushing.

Lust is extinct, leaving only perfect love.

Greed and Gluttony are gone, leaving only abundance.

Envy is an old-world problem.

Pride, Sloth, and Wrath are all distant memories from the Time Before.

Just a kingdom of the most badass, most righteously rad people living in harmony, playing baseball, building mind-blowing architecture, attending film festivals, and watching bonfires blaze from the balcony of your totally-paid-off Heavenly home. I’d imagine there’d be frequent ceremonies and extravagant galas where Jesus Christ and the Creator are glorified, hosted by archangels…everyone would have a role in accordance with His will.

But on a normal day…

…you could go downtown for steak and eggs and coffee, try some fresh cannabis with the boys, maybe have a low-key girl’s night with Esther and Ruth. You could go to the local cinema with Moses, explore the Appalachian Mountains with John the Baptist, deep-dive Proverbs with Solomon, then brainstorm a musical comedy piece with David.

Like, in my mind, it’d be pretty much today…minus all the wicked people and all the bad behavior.

But add to it…our will aligning perfectly with His.

And instead of sensing the presence of the Most-High, you could wake up and have breakfast with Him. Or discuss Earthly History over a gnarly platter of chili nachos and beer-cheese pretzels.

But then it got me thinking…what would be gone? The porn industry, for-profit health insurance, high-interest bank loans. No crime, no smut, no mainstream propaganda, no car accidents. So much about Heaven sounds awesome. Just think of how productive life will be…

And then I found myself wondering…will there be horror movies in Heaven? 

My instinct says “no,” but then…

…I recall stories from the Bible, and so many of them read like horror, depending on the perspective. Darkness. Trauma. Chaos. And horror films today, they require fear, yes? Or at least an anticipation.

But in Heaven, there is no fear, so…no horror movies, right?

But…people don’t watch dark fiction to feel fear. Sometimes, they watch to process the meaning. To understand dark forces, to study how the wicked inevitably lose.

Artists and filmmakers use horror to spread morality. Parents tell cautionary tales to keep children safe, to keep them in the light, so…maybe these kinds of dark stories would be allowed?

But if…Heaven is without fear or tragedy or darkness…

What would be the purpose?

Would these tales be treated like history?

Or as a memories of the Time Before?

Would they be “epic moral dramas” or “cosmic retellings of wars and battles already won?”

Or…would the very concept of horror disappear entirely?

No idea, but it really makes me wonder…

What happens to tales about darkness…when darkness no longer holds power?

…what do you think?