Can you really imagine living for eternity?

originally posted by: BelowLowAnnouncement
I would welcome biological immortality. Could always just kill yourself if you get sick of it.

I'd serenade the Earth on my guitar as it was swallowed by the sun in a few billion years.

Spiritualists believe (through channeled information) that while the spirit/soul is immortal, very occasionally someone will tire of immortality and wish to be extinguished. They need to go in front of a panel to discuss it and give their reasons and it is treated very solemnly indeed, as once gone, there is no returning and the soul and it's memories are gone forever.

Interestingly those 'on the other side' say they have never seen Jesus or a god of any kind; that if that exists, it is so far ahead of anyone we can communicate with, as to be unfathomable. The idea of a light so bright it cannot be looked upon comes up a lot, as if the physical has turned into solely (soul-ly) energy.

Maybe 'the gods' are really stars and in the end, what difference is there between the two, with regards to us? The ancient Egyptians painted stars on the ceilings of their tombs and temples, representing those who had passed before. Nice thought, that our ancestors are looking down on us from up above.

I can imagine living forever,,ok yes lots of depression and bad stuff year after year, but that's the beauty of it, (Well) on other side of it new adventures each day, unbound knowledge and Enlightenment to be found.

Once you reach a certain point, you could be your own God/true self and find out what this is all about, in finding that knowledge, make your own world/potential universe, we are spirits/souls after all, that makes us eternal.

originally posted by: Isurrender73
a reply to: savemebarry

I can't imagine not living for eternity. I see eternity as a beautiful freedom. A gift that frees the soul from fear.

I simply cannot take it seriously when a mortal finite being discusses eternity as though they have any inkling of what eternity actually is. You may as well talk about skiing down the slopes of Saturn. Or maybe walking on the Sun.

a reply to: TzarChasm

Some probably have a better 'inkling' than others. Astrophysicists routinely look at existence at scales of millions and billions of years. I agree it's a far cry from eternity but they'll have a better grasp of the concept than most of us.

A sense of eternity can be experienced through psychedelics and, according to some, by meditation (a YMMV context). We could argue against the contentions of experience whilst allowing for the concession that 'eternity' is based on perception regardless.

originally posted by: Kandinsky
a reply to: TzarChasm

Some probably have a better 'inkling' than others. Astrophysicists routinely look at existence at scales of millions and billions of years. I agree it's a far cry from eternity but they'll have a better grasp of the concept than most of us.

A sense of eternity can be experienced through psychedelics and, according to some, by meditation (a YMMV context). We could argue against the contentions of experience whilst allowing for the concession that 'eternity' is based on perception regardless.

Astrophysicists can appreciate eternity in the same sense that an astrologist can appreciate Intergalactic travel. It's all tricycles.

a reply to: TzarChasm

Tricycles are arguably better than the Penny Farthings most people travel on...metaphorically

I would absolutely love to live for eternity. Think of all the things you could experience, learn, teach. I pretty much am a loner, and outsider anyways, so loneliness I don't think would be too much of an issue for me. My past has a lot of broken, hurtful memories I carry everyday, every year, but I still keep my head up, and look forward to the future. I think, at least for me, the positives would out way the negatives.

a reply to: savemebarry

Heck no!!

Death doesn't scare me, the process of dying does but not actual death. Wouldn't want a long drawn out illness or to die a violent death; hopefully it's quick.

Had a Near Death Experience in 2003 and it was the most peaceful feeling I've ever experienced, nothing before or since has compared to that feeling, not even close. I wait for death with open arms, when it happens it happens. Not planning on dying anyone soon but when it happens, I'm ready.

a reply to: savemebarry

If I didn't lose my memories each time (for the most part) then I would have alot less regrets to mourn over.

Of course I've always had gut feelings/red flags letting me know "something isn't right" so maybe I did have residual memories. They may have even been inherited from my ancestors through trauma.

If everyone lived forever? People would have to live with the consequences of their own actions.. and they would have to live with other people living with the same thing. That "forever" would be a very awkward extended moment.

originally posted by: riley
a reply to: savemebarry

If I didn't lose my memories each time (for the most part) then I would have alot less regrets to mourn over.

Of course I've always had gut feelings/red flags letting me know "something isn't right" so maybe I did have residual memories. They may have even been inherited from my ancestors through trauma.

If everyone lived forever? People would have to live with the consequences of their own actions.. and they would have to live with other people living with the same thing. That "forever" would be a very awkward extended moment.

Eternity is the Loneliest possible thing in all of existence. Because you know that no matter what you do or where you go you will outlive everything you love or care about, to the point that you stop loving or caring about anything except the one thing that keeps taking it all away from you - death and entropy.

originally posted by: TzarChasm

originally posted by: riley
a reply to: savemebarry

If I didn't lose my memories each time (for the most part) then I would have alot less regrets to mourn over.

Of course I've always had gut feelings/red flags letting me know "something isn't right" so maybe I did have residual memories. They may have even been inherited from my ancestors through trauma.

If everyone lived forever? People would have to live with the consequences of their own actions.. and they would have to live with other people living with the same thing. That "forever" would be a very awkward extended moment.

Eternity is the Loneliest possible thing in all of existence. Because you know that no matter what you do or where you go you will outlive everything you love or care about, to the point that you stop loving or caring about anything except the one thing that keeps taking it all away from you - death and entropy.

It is in context of the OP.. people rather than a solitary all alone sentient tormented little being walking the earth having to friend zone everyone. Like Lilith of old.. carrying a grudge slashing Adam's grandkids' tires because she's all bitter and twisted now. (she wears the coolest boots though).

If humans truly believe death is only a cruel dramatic finale to the end of a sorry saga then yes the book will just close.

It will get put back on the shelf and someone else can live the experience of immortality and not just read it as a horror story. Or maybe we will have our past life memories returned and we'll remember all the chapters in our immortal lives.

youtu.be...

a reply to: savemebarry

Could you imagine how depressing and boring living for eternity would be?

Everyone (and I mean everyone) you ever knew and/or loved would die. You wouldn't.

You would/could do absolutely everything. What then? What do you do once you've done everything X times over and get bored of it?

Nope. I would never want to live for eternity.

a reply to: TerryDon79

Okay.. why is there a rule that everyone else must die?

a reply to: savemebarry

We, humans, aren't made to live forever. Our minds aren't adapted to that.

mho

originally posted by: riley
a reply to: TerryDon79

Okay.. why is there a rule that everyone else must die?

Where is there a rule to say everyone lives for eternity?

Ok, let's say that EVERYONE gets to live for eternity. That means no death. Basically immortal.

Let's say you get a disease that eats away half your body and you are in a permanent vegetative state. Yeah, that sounds like fun to stay alive for eternity like that.

a reply to: TerryDon79

Quoting the OP:

"Can you imagine if they ever did create a way for people to live for all eternity? Forever? Or even hundreds of years?". It does say people so that suggests everyone rather than a single individual.

We breed too easily.

If we could only reproduce every 5000 years,, then yeah, immortality.

originally posted by: ksiezyc
a reply to: TerryDon79

Quoting the OP:

"Can you imagine if they ever did create a way for people to live for all eternity? Forever? Or even hundreds of years?". It does say people so that suggests everyone rather than a single individual.

But it doesn't stipulate if everyone or a single person would be able to use it. I was using the example of a single use on a single person.

It's all hyperthetical anyway.

a reply to: TerryDon79

True. I think it's just meant to be assumed because it is asking of us doing it and what are we? Simple people largely. Not particularly rich.

a reply to: ksiezyc

Ok, so "would I want to live forever if everyone else did too"?

My answer would still be no.

It implies immortality. That means nothing can kill you. That would also mean that "bad people" can't be killed. Or their armies.

It also implies that there are still illnesses and diseases, but you can't die from them. Necrotising fasciitis springs to mind. It's a flesh eating "bug". Also, the whole vegetative state thing I mentioned above.

And the other "you've done everything" thing. Most people nowadays are bored extremely quickly. What happens when price read every book, studied every subject, played every game, watched every tv show or films etc?

I would like to live longer than, say, 70 years. Maybe 200 or 300 years. Certainly wouldn't want to live for eternity.

But this is just my 37 year old opinion