Comments on: Gene Mutations Could Generate Immortality

By: Ben W

Ben W — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:02:04 +0000

Some things never get old – love, children, the feel of the sun on your face, and the taste of a good bacon cheeseburger and beer. So hell yes, I’d gladly take another 500 years. I’d probably rather have 500 years of good health than 1000 more years of old age, for that matter.

Plus, for even normal things to get boring, you have to have perfect memory.. but eventually you’d hit your limit, and then you’d have the joy of rediscovering hobbies, books, fields of science, etc.

By: trj

trj — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:54:54 +0000

So we are on a great character-forming journey leading us ultimately to eternal spiritual existence together with God. But God refuses to make himself known to many who earnestly seek him and seek the way to get to this state. Even though he could genuinely help those people (as well as everybody else on the planet), he prefers to dwell in isolation from us. Verily, he works in mysterious ways.

By: LRA

LRA — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:21:04 +0000

So, how can I oppose something so totally inert as God?

By: Devysciple

Devysciple — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:18:33 +0000

To me your line of thought seems a bit strange. On the one hand you dismiss eternal life for several reasons we all discussed at length before (and maybe some personal ones), yet at the same time you say it would be totally okay for you to extend your lifespan five or ten times. Of course there is a difference between “ten times as long” and “eternity”, but the basic issue remains: The more days you have at hand, the less each particular one means…
But this is not a matter of true or false. I respect your position (and the one of those similar to yours), and to a certain degree I understand it. But eventually I, for myself, have to say no to eternity, and no to extremely prolonged lifespans.

By: LRA

LRA — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:13:52 +0000

And here I sit ten minutes later, and still nothing. Nothing to add to the years of nothing I’ve already experienced, even as a Christian… nothing.

By: LRA

LRA — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:01:45 +0000

But how can I agree with someone who doesn’t speak to me? If God would just start talking, then I’d start agreeing. It really is very simple.

To God: if you’re out there, I’m listening…

By: CybrgnX

CybrgnX — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:53:45 +0000

Siberia…I missed the ‘cannot die and lives forever’ part…..Reminds me of the Asimov story about why god only lets very intelligent people into the ‘afterlife’…god is so bored with living thru eternity that he’s hopeing one of the smart guys will finally figure out a way to kill god. It is one of his short stories.

Heinlein’s ‘Time Enough for Love’ deals with the same question as Lazaus wants to die and everyone tries to figure out how to ignite his ‘joy of life’.

I’d still like to find out if i’d get bored if I lived long and young. There are a lot of thoughtfull responses here to the question.

By: John C

John C — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:12:15 +0000

You hit the proverbial nail on the head. This is mankinds problem, we oppose God, say things contrary to what He says like “God doesnt speak”.

It all starts (our journey back home to Love) by agreeing with God, opposing the Truth (Himself) is only self-defeating.

By: LRA

LRA — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:58:22 +0000

To clarify– you are who the bible says you are because God has never *said* anything to you. God doesn’t speak.

By: LRA

LRA — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:56:31 +0000

I didn’t reference Plato here, I referenced the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy that just happens to have plato in its url (perhaps in hommage?)

You are also referencing a mere man (or many mere men) when you reference the bible…

By: trj

trj — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:28:48 +0000

Christ doesn’t say anything profound if you don’t buy into his premise of the existence of God. So why not consider the words of actual philosophers, like Plato, who have pondered existence at a deeper level than Jesus ever did?

By: John C

John C — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:27:40 +0000

TRJ-

Has God “forced us to be mortal” as you say? To identify with our human ancestry/lineage or are we the ones who are rather content, satisfied in our own mortality, humanity, encrusted in flesh/self? And how and why should we pay the price for our first ancestors “sin” as it were that keeps us blinded to the truth of our identities, our parentage? The creature being “subject to vanity” as it were.

Or why the hide and seek game w/God (if there be one)? I am reminded of the ancient saying “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the glory of kings to search it out” Prov 25:2.

Perhaps there is something beautiful, something wonderful in the discovery itself, the “unearthing” of our true Selves that, if God were to deny us of would be a breach of His very character? Seems to me that the “setting foot on” the Light path is the first, liberating step that, ironically leads us backwards in time toward home, home being Fathers great heart.

Or maybe hidden in the discovery process itself is the unveiling?? Maybe that’s the “way” so to speak? Anyway, children know this ancient way, this path back “home”. In this (childlikeness) Jesus gives us our first clue saying (paraphrased) if you want to find your way back home you must become as a little child once again. Out of the mouth of babes…

Darn, why did He have to speak in parables?

By: John C

John C — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:04:29 +0000

LRA-Why are you so inclined to “hear” and reference Plato, a mere man and not the words of Christ “call no man on EARTH your Father”??

Personal identity only seems complicated because we are moving from dark to light in our understanding. Once we “break thru” things get a lot brighter. EX: I am not John C from 1100 Main St TX USA, etc…I am who God says I am, He is the only trustworthy Source, etc. If only we would bend our ears His way, would hear what the Spirit says. This world tells us one thing, but He is not of “this world” and truthfully neither are we but we THINK we are so…as a man thinketh in his heart (deepest part of his being) so is he. When we line up our thinking with His words then light breaks forth in our inner man, then we begin to really “see”. All the best.

By: trj

trj — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:58:20 +0000

So why do we have to “discover our true spiritual identity” when such a thing would be self-evident if God did not force us to be mortal? What is the value of obstructing us from our spiritual existence?

By: LRA

LRA — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:54:41 +0000

Honestly, JC, I just think you are swapping one illusion for another.

Personal identity is a complicated subject:

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/identity-time/#5

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/identity-ethics/