A group of travelers were in a bus, heading for a shrine, to pray. The driver of the bus was drunk. He drove off a cliff, and everyone on the bus died. As it happened, they were all still together, as they passed into the beyond, and they came to a long road, by a river, which they walked down, together.
After a time, they came to a gate, on the side of the road, which was made of pearl. On the gate was a sign. The sign said:
“No Faggots.”
One of the travelers saw the sign, and began to weep. Another saw it, and smiled, he pushed on the gate, and it opened. He went in. The other travelers stood there, looking at the weeping man. One of them said:
“Look, down the road, there is another gate.”
The travelers gathered their weeping companion in their arms, and went to the second gate. There too was a sign. It said:
“No Jews.”
One of the travelers sighed deeply, and looked at his companions. Another looked about, and went through the gate. The others stood with their companions, and looked down the road. Sure enough, there was another gate.
It too had a sign:
“No Atheists.”
And again, one of the travelers began weeping.
So it went for a very long time, for the road seemed to go on and on. There were many gates, and on each one, a sign.
“No drunks” “No adulterers” “No thieves” “No Catholics” “No Mormons”
But after a time, only a few travelers remained, with their disappointed brethren. As they consoled each other, they came upon yet another gate. There was a man sitting across the road from the gate, fishing. They looked upon the gate. None of them could read what the sign said.
“Sir,” said one of the travelers, “do you know what the sign says?”
“Yes.” He said.
“And can you tell us?” they asked.
“I can tell you only if you enter.”
“Who may enter this gate?” asked the traveler who wept at the first gate.
“Anyone.” The man replied.
So the travelers stepped up, and pushed upon the gate, and entered together, and the man followed them.
“Where does the gate lead?” they asked him, “for we have entered.”
“Heaven.” He said.
“But, the other gates all had on them signs saying who could not enter. Where did they lead?”
“Nowhere.” He replied.
“What shall become of our brethren who chose the other gates?” asked one of the travelers.
The man said “The shall remain lost, until they choose to be found. It is their hearts that have led them astray. Why did you not enter the first gate?” he asked one of the travelers. “You were not forbidden entry.”
The pilgrim answered, “One of my friends was weeping, for he was forbidden. I could not leave him.”
“And at each gate, you chose to suffer with your brethren, although you were not named. And when you walked the long road, never once did you falter, when your brothers were sent away, but took up the burden of their broken hearts. The sign on this gate says: None, but the righteous. But only I can read it.”
