The Case for Abolition of Religion

Here is an interesting proposition: If our technology and life spans continue to increase and our civilization continues to survive, the day will come when we are immortal beings. So when the day comes that none of us die (and it will if we survive long enough), how will that affect religion?

This reminds me of a movie quote from the Steven Seagal tour de force known as Marked for Death where the Jamaican drug lord says:

"Erryone wan' go heaven, but no one wan' dead!" 

Here is an interesting proposition: If our technology and life spans continue to increase and our civilization continues to survive, the day will come when we are immortal beings. So when the day comes that none of us die (and it will if we survive long enough), how will that affect religion?

Quite a bit really.  We will have to devise a different set of morals.  What is someone who has lived 1,000 years is tired of living and wants to die?  What would constitute a pedophile?

.  What is someone who has lived 1,000 years is tired of living and wants to die? 

If it's anything like today, it would probably be viewed similarly to abortions. But, I am confident that we will have made great strides in our knowledge of mental health by then. We are still in the dark ages in that department. So by the time we become immortal beings, I doubt anybody will want to die.

I can only thank goodness that Trolly isn't around for this discussion.

I doubt anybody will want to die.

I don't know. It's tough to imagine living for 80 years, let alone for what is essentially "forever". It's not even so much deteriorating mental health as it is other things, like memories, boredom, etc.

If you're 2,000 yeards old how much have you forgotten by that point over that time? You would constantly have to re-educate yourself as science and technology changed. 

It's not even so much deteriorating mental health

You're looking at mental health through today's glasses. I am sure by then, we will have a better understanding of mental health and thus be able to cure and maintain it. We are in the dark ages today about mental health. It's really a shame, we need to address it.

If you're 2,000 yeards old how much have you forgotten by that point over that time? You would constantly have to re-educate yourself as science and technology changed.

Yes, we are already doing it today. I didn't grow up with the internet, and cell phones.

I didn't grow up with the internet, and cell phones. 

And many older people have still yet to figure these things out. Now fast forward a thousand years.

You're looking at mental health through today's glasses. I am sure by then, we will have a better understanding of mental health and thus be able to cure and maintain it. We are in the dark ages today about mental health. It's really a shame, we need to address it.

THat's why I said it's not so much about mental health lol.

One thing I remember reading about immortality and how it would affect us is the sunbject of how our perception of time changes as we age. Take for instance how summer when you were 9 seemed to last forever, but summer at 19 seemed to go by faster and even faster at 29.

Well time took forever when I was in grade school. It began to accelerate in Jr. High and has slowly continued to increase each year. Today , at 47, a year seems like 3 months to me in relative time. Psychologists have tried to explain it this way: If you are 7 years old, one year is 1/7th of your life. If you are 45 years old, one year is 1/45th of your life, thus time seems to go by faster. This might be one component of why it seems to go faster, but I don't think it's the only one. I absolutely think there is also a physiological reason for time accelerating as we get older. Perhaps brain chemistry changes? I don't know, but I don't think the psychological explanation stands by itself.

So by the time we become immortal beings, I doubt anybody will want to die.

 You can't make that assumption.  But either way, I wasn't giving you a question.  I was answering your quesiton with hypotheticals.

I doubt anybody will want to die.

One thing I remember reading about immortality and how it would affect us is the sunbject of how our perception of time changes as we age. Take for instance how summer when you were 9 seemed to last forever, but summer at 19 seemed to go by faster and even faster at 29.

It's the same time span technically, but our perception of the time elapse changes. What will it be like if we age to 1,009? 

I doubt anybody will want to die.

You also have to think about financing. No matter how well you plan at some point you're going to lose all your money. Living forver makes that fact inescapable.

Again, your assuming that society will continue living in the capitalistic, dog-eat-dog society we currently live in.

Again, your assuming that society will continue living in the capitalistic, dog-eat-dog society we currently live in.

I'm not assuming. I'm giving it as a possible scenario that might happen if people can live forever.

But, considering human history thus far it's a pretty safe bet that human society will continue on in the capitalistic, or at least some form of monetary system, for the foreseeable future.

Could we end up like the Star Trek earth of the future where money is no longer used? Maybe, but I wouldn't bet on it lol. 

Could we end up like the Star Trek earth of the future where money is no longer used? Maybe, but I wouldn't bet on it lol.

This would be great, but it would likely be a long, long time before it could become a reality.

http://www.thevenusproject.com/

This documentary details the root causes of the systemic value disorders and detrimental symptoms caused by our current established system. This video presentation advocates a new socio-economic system, which is updated to present-day knowledge, featuring the life-long work of Social Engineer, Futurist, Inventor and Industrial Designer Jacque Fresco, which he calls a Resource-Based Economy.

The film details the need to outgrow the dated and inefficient methods of politics, law, business, or any other "establishment" notions of human affairs, and use the methods of science, combined with high technology, to provide for the needs of all the world's people. It is not based on the opinions of the political and financial elite or on illusionary so-called democracies, but on maintaining a dynamic equilibrium with the planet that could ultimately provide abundance for all people.

Paradise or Oblivion, by The Venus Project, introduces the viewer to a more appropriate value system that would be required to enable this caring and holistic approach to benefit human civilization. This alternative surpasses the need for a monetary-based, controlled, and scarcity-oriented environment, which we find ourselves in today.

 

I agree that many of the models used by today's society are outdated and need to change. The problem is the incredible inertia we meet when trying to change existing, outdated models; especially the people that benefit the most from them.

I agree that many of the models used by today's society are outdated and need to change. The problem is the incredible inertia we meet when trying to change existing, outdated models; especially the people that benefit the most from them.

I'm cool with what you said sonny....just change your ave back.  In fact...it doesn't even have to be the two hottie volley ball ladies patting....well you know.

Anyways....regardless of the subject....get back to your core beliefs and what works.  

jonvi     

sonny, o sonny. why hast thou forsaken the brazilian ass?

but i've got the exorcist on the DVR, haven't seen it in ages, maybe since the 70s. might have to watch it tonight :)

The reason I kept that avatar up so long was because I didn't (still don't) think it would be reapproved. They had turned that avatar down a couple times and then I had a technical problem with CBS sports, so I think a moderator approved it for that reason. That picture was actually 20 years old. That pic was taken at the 1992 Summer Olympics (volleyball). I doubt they are that hot today.

sonny, o sonny. why hast thou forsaken the brazilian ass?

Thou art my captain. 

This would be great, but it would likely be a long, long time before it could become a reality.

Very true and to add to that, that reality of a moneyless society, or any societal incarnation for that matter, wouldn't last indefinitely. So even if we reached the moneyless society we see of the Federation in Star Trek it would eventually end at some point and since you would be immortal you would obviously live to see it change.

You're going to witness the rises and falls of countless countries, nations, democracies, dictatorships, empires etc. You're going to witness natural disasters and geologic changes on epic scales. Global financial meltdowns, wars, famines, plaques etc etc.

And that's if you even end up staying on earth or if you'll even be able to stay of earth. 

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Here is an interesting proposition: If our technology and life spans continue to increase and our civilization continues to survive, the day will come when we are immortal beings. So when the day comes that none of us die (and it will if we survive long enough), how will that affect religion?

I don't think immortality will ever be possible.  Super long life, sure, but I don't think we could ever reach a point where forever would be possible.

I think what would affect religion even more that science providing super longevity would be if we created life in a lab.  If that mystery was solved, the whole idea that we had to be "created" would evaporate and I think that would cast a ton of doubt on the modern religions ideas of souls and all that.

I don't think immortality will ever be possible.  Super long life, sure, but I don't think we could ever reach a point where forever would be possible.

True.  Eventually our sun is going to go super nova and kill everyone.

True.  Eventually our sun is going to go super nova and kill everyone.

But assuming we continue to advance, we might have Death Stars and Battlestar Galactica's to fly around in by then, and humans could live on, seeking other galaxies with other habitable planets.  So humans as a race could outlive the expoding sun...but I still don't think it would be possible for an indiviidual human to actually live forever.

They would go batshit**** crazy.  First of all, all of your loved ones die.  Even if you make more, they will still die.  And also, your perception of time changes as you get older.  The older you are the faster time seems to go by.  If you were 1,000 think about how fast shit**** would go by to you.  You had a kid and it would seem like they were born, grew up, and died of old age at 100 and it would seem like only a few weeks had gone by.

But assuming we continue to advance, we might have Death Stars and Battlestar Galactica's to fly around in by then, and humans could live on, seeking other galaxies with other habitable planets.  So humans as a race could outlive the expoding sun

good point.