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Confidence/Arrogance

Sunday 1st September 2013

We went on a sightseeing bus tour of the Amalfi coast. The audio guide mentioned a saying they have, about how beautiful the area is. It goes: 'When judgement day comes and all the people of Amalfi go to heaven, they won't notice the difference.'

Now that's confident. Bordering maybe even on arrogant. I kind of admire it. Admire the confidence. There is so much-taken-for-granted confidence in that sentence.

Firstly, the confidence that there is definitely an afterlife. Secondly the confidence that it's your version of the afterlife that is definitely the correct one.

Thirdly, the confidence that you (and everyone in your area) have been good enough (according to the rules of your religion) to definitely get into the nice bit of the afterlife that you believe in.

And then fourthly and almost least importantly, the confidence that your area is so beautiful, that god has probably copied your decor, and it will be home-from-home when you finally make it to heaven.

So I have invented a new saying: 'As confident as a Mediterranean.'

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