Question for the anti's.......?

[ronedee]

For Atheists and Theists to have this discussion to any constructive end,
the definition of what the reality of "Immortality" would actually BE like, must first be clarified.

When a Theist asks us if we want to live forever,
we have to also remember that a Theist wouldn't think of Eternal Life the same way an Atheist, would.

The Atheist considers the possibility of "Eternal Life" from a practical POV
and cannot avoid the conclusion that he would ultimately end up bored.

But when the Theist refers to "Eternal Life",
he is referring to this idyllic, drug-trip-like state of persistent, impossible, infinite euphoria,
where you are "one with God",
and you never feel anything negative, including boredom, ever again....like magic.

It reminds me of a line from "Interview with the Vampire" where the vampires are discussing how,
since the moment of their magical Vampire birth,
absolutely everything in the world now seems to pulse with a new energy it never had before,
and "had some fascination" to it.

I think this argument illustrates yet again how impossibly Theists and Atheists differ in their thought patterns,
because each will have difficulty accepting the other's version,
and each will be frustrated with the other's inability to see it as they, their opponent, does.

If God and Heaven exist, and Immortality is an impossibly, magically, perpetually-fascinating-yet-simultaneously-restful place
of no pain and no loss and no fatigue and no boredom
...then Yes, sure.  I'd sign up for that.

But I cannot, cannot, cannot believe in such a place. 

And goddamn if I will waste my brief time here on Earth passing up on enjoyments
or feeling bad about my basic human nature,
in the hopes that by doing so I will be granted a free pass to this absurd, mooted fairyland.

To address the concept of Immortality more from the Atheist's perspective,
I agree that forced Immortality would indeed be hellish,
and boredom would certainly, inevitably result.

(Note:  Anne Rice also touched on this subject:  in her Vampire books, the "young" vampires always seemed to struggle with the concept, too,
and often ended up walking into the sunlight to "kill" themselves because the prospect of Immortality was simply too much to bear).

However, I would love to have a Tardis, like in Doctor Who,
and be able to travel through time and space to different points, to enjoy the best parts.

Or, If I had a chance to re-live my life, and make some changes, I would take that opportunity.

I think the best version of "Immortality", for me,
would simply be my own life, as it is,
...just with none of the bad or unpleasant stuff that you don't want to do.

Youthfulness and good health to be indefinitely prolonged for both me and all my loved ones;
and time would just  not pass nearly as quickly;
for example, my "30s" wouldn't be a mere 10 years, but more like 100 years,
and every day would just be a nice, interesting, easy day in normal life,
and the only excitement would be that which I chose to add,
...every day would just be a slow news day, with no tragedies or disasters or crimes.

Imagine it like you're having this interesting, pleasant dream,
but you have the control to prevent the dream from careening off the tracks into nightmare;

You don't know what's going to happen next, in the dream,
and it's always interesting,
but you have the power to avoid the unpleasant stuff.

That, to me, would be a version of Immortality worth having;
THAT would be my idea of Heaven.

But again, it is nonsense.

So what is the point of altering your real life, now, in the effort to chase rainbows?

Great response! You've given the essence of my thoughts about the concepts we are divided on.

Obviously an unbeliever will relate eternal life to what is evident in their present state of existence. But, even our present s.o.e. provides constant change and new revelations, almost daily. Why limit yourselves to what you are today?

Imagine (thinking logically) for a minute that we are able to refresh our thought patterns, and renew our experiences (like updating the last/next 60 years in a minute or 2!). I believe a few in this thread alluded to that premise. Through some outside means of technology..... The possibilities are rather endless. Add to that; our limitless relationships we would have with others advanced minds, and personalities that we meet through the eons of time! I don't see much boredom in any of that. Also, the universe is a pretty vast playground! No. Realize that life "could" be pretty great and interesting with a constant supply of new and stimulating sources and adventures! 

All of a sudden things look a little better for a vote of not dying?

Now, with all the above fulfilled..... take all those negative aspects out of our "new" eternal lives. i.e. death, pain, suffering, lying, cheating, greed, hate, etc. etc. ETC..... The ultimate goal of humanity!

You then arrive where the believer is! Jesus basically tells us we cannot imagine heaven aka, "eternal life". And, if it only took God 6 days to create the universe and everything in it? Think about this: He's still working on heaven; ".....since the beginning of time!" 

Ok, so the stretch for you guys is the God thingy. But, I believe you can't refute the fact that eternal life would be interesting w/o all the trappings, boredom and bs called, the present human s.o.e.

Reverting to human logic here: Einstein is quoted, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”

Just food for thought my friends. Thanks again for all...eh... the good responses!