»
Discussion
»
Philosophy 101
»
Immortality
| Philosophy 101 |
|
Immortality |
|
|
Alwye
Moderator
Member Elite
since 1999-06-16
Posts 3850In the space between moments 
|
If you had the chance to become immortal, would you take that chance? Why or why wouldn't you? And if you did take that chance, what kind of effect do you think immortality would have upon you? ------------------ *Krista Knutson* |
||
| © Copyright 1999 Krista Botterill - All Rights Reserved | |||
|
LeoG New Member
since 1999-06-17
Posts 7Namibia |
I must say no, keeping sanity in mind. Life indeed is wonderful, with all it's ups and downs, yet nothing is that good the second time round. We are very sentimental beings and I think the memories that we would be carrying for eternity would make us seek time-out on life. However I must say memories are eternal anyway. Should I get such a "prevelidge" to be immortal, I'd probably confine myself to things that matter....like love, friendship and beauty. However I will clame nothing....because my sentiment will be to great a burden to carry forever. ------------------ We all have the makings of angels, yet we lose our wings due to a lack in humanity.... |
||
|
sea_of_okc Senior Member
since 1999-06-15
Posts 568Oklahoma City, OK, USA |
I personally would not want to live in this world forever. Think of how sad and lonely you would be as the decades and centuries went by. I have a hard enough time making close friends without having to constantly seek out new ones as the old ones age & die off. Also keep in mind if you choose to be immortal consider things like would you still age? Would you regenerate if something tragic happened? (Imagine being paralyzed or something like that) Would you still require food and water? How could you hide the fact that you were immortal from those closest to you? |
||
|
fjones Member
since 1999-06-07
Posts 98MS |
God did not allow Adam and Eve eat of the tree of life -and he surely knows what is best. As a matter of fact he ran them out of the Garden and sealed it just so they could not eat of the tree of life and live forver. We can see the effect of the eating of the tree of Knowledge- just think what might be our state if that can of worms had been opened! God has promised eternity will be much greater than this life for the Saints so all we have to do is make the determination of our destination now. [This message has been edited by fjones (edited 06-17-99).] |
||
|
Dusk Treader
Moderator
Senior Member
since 1999-06-18
Posts 1187St. Paul, MN |
I'm a believer in the philosphy that all things are woven together, that we are all part of a master plan and that we are all given our appointed places in life. None of us are immortal are they? This seems to be an inclination that we should not be immortal. But this is not my only reason, for I have oft dreamed of immortality, and it's benefits and curses. The main curse I see is that while you live on and on, all your love ones wither and grow old before your eyes, and then they die. Can you imagine the pain in this, seeing everything you love be eaten by the unrelenting jaws of time? On the plus side you could do whatever you want, and have all eternity to do it. But does this really take the place of a full human life? Would this fill the emptyness of your soul as your loved ones pass on? I think not... I do not want immortality. ------------------ *Dusk Treader* pacing the path between dark and light. |
||
Elizabeth
Moderator
Member Ascendant
since 1999-06-07
Posts 6871Minnesota |
I don't think I could take immortality-I'm psycho enough already. |
||
|
Alwye
Moderator
Member Elite
since 1999-06-16
Posts 3850In the space between moments |
Thanks for responses, everyone. I generally feel the same way you do. Immortality would be good because you could do whatever you wanted and have forever to do it, but in my opinion, the devastating loneliness would far outway any kind of benifit. I am an almost obsessive reader of Anne Rice (yes, I write fantasy stories and poems a lot, but read goth-- Go figure?). Even though her characters are fictional, they all seem to have a great loneliness within their souls that was created by vampric immortality. So, I agree that immortality would not be the path for me. Keep telling me what you think! I love to hear it!  ------------------ *Krista Knutson* |
||
|
Moon Dust
since 1999-06-11
Posts 2177Skelmersdale, UK |
Life would get a little boring and little lonely, all my friends will grow old around me and Its no easy finding good friends. Besides I wouldnt appriate it as much. ------------------ The day is at it's end, but for you it's only just begining. |
||
|
doreen peri Member Elite
since 1999-05-25
Posts 3812Virginia |
Well, to me, immortality would be pretty darned nice as long as it was accompanied by youth. If we could stop aging and the diseases related to aging, than it wouldn't be lonely at all because all of us would still be alive and kicking. Problem is, people have been looking for the fountain of youth for centuries and haven't been able to find it. The cosmetic industry and the vitamin supplement/health food industry is making a fortune on this dream. But nobody's getting any younger or even maintaining their current state of aging.Of course, a lot can be said about exercise and proper diet which I truly believe will add longevity to people's lives and keep them healthier longer, if they'd only adapt these practices into their lifestyles. So.... since aging seems inevitable, living for eternity in an immortal state seems like it would probably be hell. We'd get older and sicker and still have to hang around and suffer. Yuck! Bottle up some youth and mix it with immortality and I'm in. Otherwise, I'm outa here! dp  |
||
|
Ron
Administrator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-05-19
Posts 8669Michigan, US |
I've been following this thread closely, and I must say I'm really amazed at how many people claim they would turn down immortality. I'm even more amazed at some of the reasons! I will be the first to agree that a definition is mandatory. Does immortality mean you can't be killed? Or does it mean that you simply won't wear out like a pair of old shoes and die of old age? And I will be the first to admit that what ever the definition you use, there are going to be problems. What I don't think I could agree about is that those problems would really be any different than the problems we face in our mortal lives. Loneliness? The loss of loved ones? The danger of living in our memories or, worse, forgetting important lessons and loves of our past? Boredom? I don't care if you live to be 30 or 3000, you're going to have to face those same problems. Over and over and over. The question then becomes, do any or all of those problems make life less precious? If you had to face any or all of those problems tomorrow, would you be ready to die because of it? Or would you struggle through the problems, with the understanding that problems are transient (even if reoccurring), and that life does get better? Let's change the question around a bit. Would turning down immortality be equivalent to committing suicide? |
||
|
Delilah Junior Member
since 1999-07-08
Posts 36The Wonderful America |
Eternity is one of the scariest things I've ever thought about. I can't explain my feelings, just the thought of there being no end - ever. It just keeps going and going and going, and even if it's the most beautiful thing you've experienced - when will it stop? - never. It FREAKS ME OUT!!!! ------------------ Delilah :) ********* "I think, therefore I am." -Rene Descartes |
||
|
Red Letter Member
since 1999-05-24
Posts 85Allentown, PA |
If so few of us wish for immortality, then why do so few of us look forward to dying? I must agree with Ron's position on this. No matter what age you are, all those things are still dealt with and yet, somehow, we still find happiness and appreciation for life. I think, given the factor that I would stay relatively healthy, I would not object - and that if I had the choice to die or a means of dying (ie., think "Highlanders"), even more so... |
||
|
azblond Senior Member
since 1999-07-01
Posts 637The Steamy Desert |
I seek my immortality every day, but in a different sense then what you all have spoken of here. I write, and let my feelings flow from me, in the hopes of immortality. I love my child from the depths of my heart, hoping in her I will live on. I smile at people I don't know, say kind words to strangers. I give advice, however good or bad, in the hopes that something I might say can change someones life for even just a moment for the better. I dream, and share my vision with anyone who will listen, with the desire that when my flesh has left the body, the words of my soul will travel through time. Do I want immortality?? Without a second thought the answer is yes. The immortality of being remembered, of knowing I touched lives and somehow made them better, just for an instant even...this is my fondest wish, my truest desire. ------------------ Let my words fall first upon deaf ears before a closed mind... |
||
|
lenny Member
since 1999-07-11
Posts 63front royal, va. u.s.a. |
Your question implies that you are unaware of the fact that you are immortal. In the truest sense of the word, you are. Do not equate immortality with a perishable body and constantly evolving mind passing through a transient world of duality. Everlasting life in a human form in a world of constant flux would be a fate worse than so called death. The higher realms await. Shakespeare said, "There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosphy Horatio." The Bible simultaneously tells us to "Seek and ye shall find" Smile... |
||
|
fjones Member
since 1999-06-07
Posts 98MS |
As lenny says, we are immortal whether we want to be or not but we will have to leave this mortal body to enter the realm of immortality- The most important question is where will you spend this eternity? My place in eternity is so secure that I am ready any day to shed this old mortal body. |
||
|
|
⇧ top of page ⇧ |
|
| All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format. | ||