What are we going to do forever?

[_Gordon]

I have thought about this topic quite a bit (so yes, I think about it), and as just me stated, thinking about it scared the living crap out of me (and actually still does). If you think about it, you could live a billion gazillion trillion years, and it wouldn't even be a blink of an eye. You could do everything you could possibly imagine, and all that you can't, a googoplex number of times, and not even a measureable amount of time will have passed. So, what to do about this? Well, if you made it to the celestial kingdom, you are promised "unimaginable joy", and utter boredom would not be joyful to me. A few things regarding this bring me some peace. First, I think things may be along the lines of what bcspace brought up, in that we move along not remembering previous lives (or even as Themis points out, some sort of reincarnation). Second, which I hope for, is that all things (music, smells, memories, etc.) can be experienced as it was the first time in perpetuum. Lastly, if I'm so bored and miserable, I would hope G-d would end my existence if requested.

[_Hoops]

I have thought about this topic quite a bit (so yes, I think about it), and as just me stated, thinking about it scared the living crap out of me (and actually still does). If you think about it, you could live a billion gazillion trillion years, and it wouldn't even be a blink of an eye. You could do everything you could possibly imagine, and all that you can't, a googoplex number of times, and not even a measureable amount of time will have passed. So, what to do about this? Well, if you made it to the celestial kingdom, you are promised "unimaginable joy", and utter boredom would not be joyful to me. A few things regarding this bring me some peace. First, I think things may be along the lines of what bcspace brought up, in that we move along not remembering previous lives (or even as Themis points out, some sort of reincarnation). Second, which I hope for, is that all things (music, smells, memories, etc.) can be experienced as it was the first time in perpetuum. Lastly, if I'm so bored and miserable, I would hope G-d would end my existence if requested.

If there is a God, and there is a heaven, and I find myself there one day, I doubt that my biggest worry is going to be: "Crap! Now what do I do?"

Just me I guess.

[_Jason Bourne]

Have religious people really thought about whether anyone wants to live forever?

Seriously, what will you be doing after the first thousand years, the first million, the first billion, the first googleplex?

Having "Celestial Sex" with your wife might sound fun, until you've done it 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 days in a row (all in the missionary position), and then it might start getting boring.

Perhaps but I am game to give it a shot. Plus maybe in heaven I can have many multiple orgasms! :-) And who says it all has to be missionary position?

Similarly, almost all activities would likely get boring if they were repeated infinitely many times.

This is all supposition. Who knows what would and would not be boring and what one can do, and learn and experience. I also like to think our minds would have unlimited potential so what we think now would be boring certainly would not be forever.

[_Scottie]

D&C 19
6 Nevertheless, it is not written that there shall be no end to this torment, but it is written endless ctorment.

7 Again, it is written aeternal damnation; wherefore it is more express than other scriptures, that it might work upon the hearts of the children of men, altogether for my name’s glory.

8 Wherefore, I will explain unto you this mystery, for it is meet unto you to know even as mine apostles.

9 I speak unto you that are chosen in this thing, even as one, that you may enter into my rest.

10 For, behold, the mystery of godliness, how great is it! For, behold, I am endless, and the punishment which is given from my hand is endless punishment, for Endless is my name. Wherefore—

11 Eternal punishment is God’s punishment.

12 Endless punishment is God’s punishment.

If we follow the logic a bit further here, we should be able to deduce that Eternal Life=God's Life!

You guys have it all wrong. Eternal life doesn't mean you'll live forever. It's a play on words! Eternal is just another name for God, so Eternal Life=Life with God.... or something...

[_Hughes]

When you start an thread with... "Have religious people really thought about whether anyone wants to live forever?
[snip]
Similarly, almost all activities would likely get boring if they were repeated infinitely many times."

And I respond with in the context of your parameters (IE living forever in Heaven). And now you are saying it's "a problem discussing these things with theists, and there is no evidence for anything existing that isn't governed by the laws of physics."

Bait and switch?



"Have religious people really thought about whether anyone wants to live forever?"

The answer is, yup... I've thought about it quite abit actually. Not that I would ever think it could be proven using only materialistic tools of science.

You just said that God and heaven exist outside of the laws of physics, so I guess I don't know what else to say to you about it. I mean, if we're going to throw science out the window as our a priori assumption, then I guess we could make up just about anything and make it stick.

Honestly, I have no idea what else to say on it if we throw out science. Without science, things like eternity take on a completely different meaning than anything I can understand.

From that point, it would be like debating how many reindeer Santa has in his kennels.

Maybe you could explain how materialistic science applies to God? And why this is so?