Immortality

[nailit]

Here's a question for the non-religious (the religious already have their answer though I doubt they have thought about the implications that much)
If you could become immortal on the condition you would NEVER be able to die or kill yourself, would you choose immortality?

[Tilly2]

I don't feel like recycled atoms. There's more in my speck than just atoms. There's a force. A life force.

[jim360]

I'm fairly sure that immortality would be my version of hell.

[nailit]

mine too jim

[EDDIE51]

^ in the sense that matter can not be created or destroyed , so the atoms and molecules that form our bodies are endlessly recycled we are eternal. But as in continuing to live here on Earth for eternity I do not want it. For a start it is going to get a little crowded, we have more than enough people as it is with an average life expectancy of 75 or so. What would it be like if we all lived for 100,000 years let alone Eternity! Every person who has ever lived and all who will live in the future all on just the one Earth at the same time?

[nailit]

//I don't feel like recycled atoms. There's more in my speck than just atoms. There's a force. A life force. //
Tills, I don't feel like I'm living on a ball shaped globe, travelling through the solar system at thousands of miles an hour but I am. Feeling arnt fact!

[Tilly2]

Nailit, what I mean is that there is more to 'me' than the atoms of which I am made. I cannot believe that 'I' will disappear when my body dies.

[nailit]

Why Tills?
I'm genuenly interested?

[nailit]

Your'e a teacher, dealing in facts Tills. Do facts disappear when 'faith' comes in to it?

[nailit]

To be fair EDDIE, the question didn't concern living on the Earth forever. More like would you want to be conscious forever, immortal in whatever realm?

[Tilly2]

Teachers deal with a lot more than facts, Nailit. Unless, of course, they are Mr Gradgrind.

[nailit]

don't know who Gradgring is Tills :-(

Anyway, how do you mean that teachers deal with more than facts? Lost me there...
Don't teachers *teach*

[nailit]

''I don't believe''
''I cannot feel''
The above statements of yours Tills cannot be used in the classroom surely?

[Mamyalynne]

Pastoral care comes into teaching and dealing with children generally.


http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/hardtimes/characters.html

[Tilly2]

As you know from being a parent, teaching is so much more than imparting facts.

Have to go now. Bye.

[EDDIE51]

nalit, I am afraid that I do not believe that anything remains once we shuffle off this mortal coil . Once we die that's it nothing we are gone forever . Talk of heaven and eternal life is just a pretext by the religious to bribe us into acting as they say we should. Like you I was once a regular church goer 3 times every Sunday and once or twice in the week as well. But now I believe we should 'do good' simply because we are human and have a knowledge / sense of right and wrong , good and bad.
Not because some old man in a long white robe is sitting up in the sky looking down on us.

[woofgang]

no

[nailit]

Been a paid teacher of facts (by the state) is so different Tills to been a parent with responsabilities.
Bye.

[nailit]

Exactly EDDIE, this life is the only one that we have....and that we know about!

[jim360]

Not quite sure how this turned into a discussion about teaching, but it has to be more than just facts. One has to inspire as a teacher, as well as educate.

[atalanta]

Just imagine your millionth birthday . . . . . you'd be bored out of your mind. Imagine zillions of years of the same-old, same-old, same-old . . . . . . . . . . . . . . forever and ever and ever