Life everlasting

[f0rTyLeGz]

No living being can live forever. Being alive implies being born. There was a time when every being didn't live. And there is a time when every being alive now won't be living.

The Christian promise of everlasting life for the faithful has always made me wonder what could someone do everyday if you lived forever? Thousands of millions of years? Unfortunately, the Bible doesn't go into this at all... but, don't you wonder if you would have stuff... a job, success and failure? Would everyone be the same, and always in agreement with one another? What does this promise of eternal life mean? ... or is that a question that you can't know the answer to until you are dead?

[Peasie]

Re: Life everlasting

I've reached a point in my Christian faith that the promise of eternal life is really not important to me. What is important to me is God's presence in the ordinariness of my daily life.

[f0rTyLeGz]

Re: Life everlasting

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Peasie</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've reached a point in my Christian faith that the promise of eternal life is really not important to me. What is important to me is God's presence in the ordinariness of my daily life. </div></div>
No problem. I saw where accepted mentioned eternal life in another thread, and it always makes me try to imagine what such a life would be like. We hear of Muslims being promised 72 virgins, and I assume some Muslims actually believe that?... And so they must believe there is sex going on up there? Are there births? I've heard Christians looking forward to being reunited with their loved ones in Heaven, and that thought brings them comfort. I just wonder what they will be doing is all when they meet in Heaven?

[DC]

Re: Life everlasting

Good questions forty, to which no one really knows the answer to. We can only surmise. It seems, that in some ways most religions tend to agree that 'eternal' life include humans experiencing life as on earth with all the functions of the human being, minus the tendencies that promote or predisposition to discord and corruption, (in christianity it is called the 'sinful nature')

But I hear what PEasie is saying-to a certain extent. The danger is becoming so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good, and heaven is seen as this ultimate 'escape' plan, when the focus should be on living life to the fullest, enjoying life, overcoming the challenges and fulfilling God's purpose in our lives--kinda like 'heaven' on earth.

[quodlibet]

Re: Life everlasting

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: f0rTyLeGz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">No living being can live forever. Being alive implies being born. There was a time when every being didn't live. And there is a time when every being alive now won't be living.

The Christian promise of everlasting life for the faithful has always made me wonder what could someone do everyday if you lived forever? Thousands of millions of years? Unfortunately, the Bible doesn't go into this at all... but, don't you wonder if you would have stuff... a job, success and failure? Would everyone be the same, and always in agreement with one another? What does this promise of eternal life mean? ... or is that a question that you can't know the answer to until you are dead?

</div></div>

When you put it that way, it re-enforces the fact that time itself is relative. If your lifespan was as long as the mountains, then a century would be a flash of daylight. If your lifespan was that of a fruit fly (few days) then every second would count...

That means to me that the question above would not be reasonably separated from the idea that a longer time lessens the value of time-based things

[britisha]

Re: Life everlasting

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: f0rTyLeGz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">No living being can live forever. Being alive implies being born. There was a time when every being didn't live. And there is a time when every being alive now won't be living.

The Christian promise of everlasting life for the faithful has always made me wonder what could someone do everyday if you lived forever? Thousands of millions of years? Unfortunately, the Bible doesn't go into this at all... but, don't you wonder if you would have stuff... a job, success and failure? Would everyone be the same, and always in agreement with one another? What does this promise of eternal life mean? ... or is that a question that you can't know the answer to until you are dead?

</div></div>

I think there could be confusion for some due to the fact that what some call &quot;everlasting life&quot; is not similar to &quot;life&quot; as we humans come to understand it on this planet.

this is why we must be clear on <span style="font-weight: bold">definition[s] </span>...prolly some will choose to give their meaning/impression of &quot;everlasting life&quot; and see if we all agree or not and why...

I believe that the concept of &quot;Everlasting life&quot; means different things to different people, including Christians.

[f0rTyLeGz]

Re: Life everlasting

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Quodlibet</div><div class="ubbcode-body">When you put it that way, it re-enforces the fact that time itself is relative. If your lifespan was as long as the mountains, then a century would be a flash of daylight. If your lifespan was that of a fruit fly (few days) then every second would count...</div></div>
Well, mountains dont <span style="font-style: italic">really</span> live. Things that live are born. They have their first day, and their last day.

But taking your point that some things have long lives and others very short lives, there's no doubt about it. But if you have a long life, and compare it to an eternal life... then that long life is infinitesimally small. Even a billion year-long life is beyond small.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Quodlibet</div><div class="ubbcode-body">That means to me that the question above would not be reasonably separated from the idea that a longer time lessens the value of time-based things </div></div>
Your reply seems like a whole 'nother topic, but &quot;value&quot; is subjective in my way of looking at things, and &quot;time-based things&quot; is existence. That is, every<span style="font-style: italic">thing</span> that exists, exists in time.

[DC]

Re: Life everlasting

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: britisha</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: f0rTyLeGz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">No living being can live forever. Being alive implies being born. There was a time when every being didn't live. And there is a time when every being alive now won't be living.

The Christian promise of everlasting life for the faithful has always made me wonder what could someone do everyday if you lived forever? Thousands of millions of years? Unfortunately, the Bible doesn't go into this at all... but, don't you wonder if you would have stuff... a job, success and failure? Would everyone be the same, and always in agreement with one another? What does this promise of eternal life mean? ... or is that a question that you can't know the answer to until you are dead?

</div></div>

I think there could be confusion for some due to the fact that what some call &quot;everlasting life&quot; is not similar to &quot;life&quot; as we humans come to understand it on this planet.

this is why we must be clear on <span style="font-weight: bold">definition[s] </span>...prolly some will choose to give their meaning/impression of &quot;everlasting life&quot; and see if we all agree or not and why...

I believe that the concept of &quot;Everlasting life&quot; means different things to different people, including Christians. </div></div>

Good point!

IMO, eternal life/everlasting life begins when according to John 3:16 <span style="font-style: italic">For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes on him should not perish but have eternal life</span>..so at the onset of belief, eternal begins.

IMO, Living life eternally/life everlasting is that concept of 'life after death', according to christianity, it is life that continues after [physical]death..and in the biblical there are two known realities that they are continued-heaven or hell.

[f0rTyLeGz]

Re: Life everlasting

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Silent_River</div><div class="ubbcode-body">IMO, Living life eternally/life everlasting is that concept of 'life after death', according to christianity, it is life that continues after [physical]death..and in the biblical there are two known realities that they are continued-heaven or hell. </div></div>
So what is a life that continues after physical death? Is it &quot;a life?&quot;

You believe that there are two &quot;realities&quot;, a Hell reality and a Heaven reality... when you are in the Heaven reality, does &quot;life&quot; mean life? Does &quot;eternal&quot; mean forever?

[neutral]

Re: Life everlasting

Dont think they can answer that honestly forty,you see,no one has yet come back from any of the two scenarios,but as britisha points out,there would have to be some clear definitions on what &quot;everlasting&quot; life actually mean.

But lets assume that the &quot;everlasting life&quot; part of the clause is what we assume it to be,living for ever and ever drinking milk and honey,and the hell part of the deal means being burned alive for ever and ever,........if as you ask is it a life, then we would have to say no it cant be the life as we know it now,...because I know that after a few days of drinking milk and honey and looking up into gods` eyes like a lovesick puppy even the most ardent christian will be crying out for a bit of jerk chicken a tot of whites and a bit of hanky panky round the back of the temple.

In addition,the bad guys downstairs in the hell department surely wouldnt be able to take a little first degree burns for little more than a few minutes before they die again,unless they have some guy down there reviving them and chucking them back in the fire,..if it was life as we know it.

Personally,I think the prizes offered for following religious cults is primarily based on which culture you live in,and what we cherish dearly,.....those muslims have got it right,.....their prize seem more attractive than the others to me,I would rather have a few years with 40 virgins than an eternity drinking just milk and honey and singing sankeys.

[Dyoll_73]

Re: Life everlasting

I saw a cartoon the other day of the Prophet Mohamed calling out from Paradise to some suicide bombers on earth: &quot;Stop! Stop! We're running out of virgins!&quot;

Death is the 'land of no return'; we have no proof of anything existing beyond it. And those who have gone there have not returned to us with any confirmation.

And yet death can be a source of comfort to many. Johann Sebastian Bach's Aria &quot;Come Sweet Death&quot; springs to mind:
<span style="font-style: italic">Come, sweet death,
Come blessed rest!
Come lead me to peace
For I am weary of the world,
Oh come! I wait for you,
Come soon and lead me,
Close my eyes.
Come, blessed rest</span>!

I read a story of an African slave in America pleading in prayer to Jesus to take him <span style="font-style: italic">home</span>. A cancer patient, terminally ill, and in excruciating pain, may welcome death with the belief that in the 'after-life' that pain is no more. And those without hope, caught in a hell-hole of some brutal reality await the 'hereafter', or in some cases, hasten death. And still others await that time - after death - when all wrongs not punished in this life are finally avenged.

As for me, I'm not sure I would like to live for ever. 'Everlasting life' seems like a boring existence. If I had a choice, I'd prefer living a hundred years - with youthful fervor, brain faculties in tact, no wrinkles - then go gently into the night. To me, 'everlasting life' raises all kinds of problems, but those are for another discussion.

I have come to terms with my own mortality. One day, I will return to the earth in some way or be food for some other creatures. So between my mother's womb and the <span style="font-style: italic">tomb</span>, I must live life to its fullest, maximize my potential, cherish family, loved ones and friends, love my neighbors and all humanity, do good work, and live in an empathetic and compassionate way.

[Peasie]

Re: Life everlasting

I like this.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Humano</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have come to terms with my own mortality. One day, I will return to the earth in some way or be food for some other creatures. So between my mother's womb and the tomb, I must live life to its fullest, maximize my potential, cherish family, loved ones and friends, love my neighbors and all humanity, do good work, and live in an empathetic and compassionate way.</div></div>

[rudemonk]

Re: Life everlasting

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Humano</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I have come to terms with my own mortality. One day, I will return to the earth in some way or be food for some other creatures. So between my mother's womb and the <span style="font-style: italic">tomb</span>, I must live life to its fullest, maximize my potential, cherish family, loved ones and friends, love my neighbors and all humanity, do good work, and live in an empathetic and compassionate way. </div></div>

nicely stated.

I think the conversation might also benefit from the introduction of what the unconscious represents, and how it becomes mythologized into cosmic views, such as the dream state.

[neutral]

Re: Life everlasting

&quot;<span style="font-weight: bold">“If I am right, then [religious fundamentalists] will not go to Heaven, because there is no Heaven. If THEY are right, then they will not go to Heaven, because they are hypocrites.”</span>&quot;

<span style="font-style: italic">isaac asimov</span>

[rudemonk]

Re: Life everlasting

I think a very strong case can be made that concepts of the afterlife developed from man's grappling with sleep, and the manifestations of the subconscious mind- in your dreams you are not in control of what comes to the mind...

as they say, sleep is the cousin of death, and sleep is where the divine speaks.