The question of an afterlife – eternity
I am quite aware that there are those who are convinced that some part of us – the soul – continues to live for all of eternity. There are also those who believe that how we or our souls spend eternity is determined by our actions during our time in this life journey. Then there are those who argue that it is our energy that lives on and which may be absorbed or attached to energy which has taken on other forms. I doubt that any of us can deny all our actions affect other people, things and events for all eternity. The affect may seem relatively minor or fairly significant at this point in time. Long-term what now seems insignificant now could be very significant. Action A affects object or event B which in term affects C, D and E. Event or object E determines the outcome of F which determines the direction of G who becomes the supreme leader of a country or organization. That this is true seems axiomatic to me. Yet, this outcome is not what many envision as eternal life.
There are those who believe that actions of this life journey are contained within some finite time period. They may literally believe the funeral officiant that we came dust and we are returning to dust.
Mark Twain in the book Letters from Earth as collated by Bernard DeVoto expressed great confusion about the fact that many humans envision an eternity- heaven – which leaves out all the things and events which most of we humans find pleasurable in this life journey.
I am sure that theologians, philosophers and scientists will continue to debate the question of what happens after we end this earthly life journey. I am equally sure that the passion of the debate will affect the extent of this life journey for many. There is no limit to the creativity we humans seem to be able to employ to silence the earthy opinions of those who dare to offer an opposing view of heaven, hell, or the eternal void.
It does often seem as those who are most concerned about how the rest of us spend our eternity are the most willing to insure that our time in this life journey is pure “hell”.
Personally, I find that it seems much simpler for me to focus on being very international about how my actions affect other people, places and events today and in the immediate future. If I treat myself and all other energy or life forms with enormous respect I am doing the best I can for today. I may, of course, learn what I thought was a positive or even benign affect has a very negative long-term affect. Since that possibility always exists, I must be humbly open to observing and learning.
Perhaps later today I will be required to entertain a visitor from another universe or alternate reality who will disprove all I have believed. Until, then, however, I trust my words will help keep our focus on being just a bit kinder in the space between this and the next blink of an eye.
Written October 10, 2018
I am quite aware that there are those who are convinced that some part of us – the soul – continues to live for all of eternity. There are also those who believe that how we or our souls spend eternity is determined by our actions during our time in this life journey. Then there are those who argue that it is our energy that lives on and which may be absorbed or attached to energy which has taken on other forms. I doubt that any of us can deny all our actions affect other people, things and events for all eternity. The affect may seem relatively minor or fairly significant at this point in time. Long-term what now seems insignificant now could be very significant. Action A affects object or event B which in term affects C, D and E. Event or object E determines the outcome of F which determines the direction of G who becomes the supreme leader of a country or organization. That this is true seems axiomatic to me. Yet, this outcome is not what many envision as eternal life.
There are those who believe that actions of this life journey are contained within some finite time period. They may literally believe the funeral officiant that we came dust and we are returning to dust.
Mark Twain in the book Letters from Earth as collated by Bernard DeVoto expressed great confusion about the fact that many humans envision an eternity- heaven – which leaves out all the things and events which most of we humans find pleasurable in this life journey.
I am sure that theologians, philosophers and scientists will continue to debate the question of what happens after we end this earthly life journey. I am equally sure that the passion of the debate will affect the extent of this life journey for many. There is no limit to the creativity we humans seem to be able to employ to silence the earthy opinions of those who dare to offer an opposing view of heaven, hell, or the eternal void.
It does often seem as those who are most concerned about how the rest of us spend our eternity are the most willing to insure that our time in this life journey is pure “hell”.
Personally, I find that it seems much simpler for me to focus on being very international about how my actions affect other people, places and events today and in the immediate future. If I treat myself and all other energy or life forms with enormous respect I am doing the best I can for today. I may, of course, learn what I thought was a positive or even benign affect has a very negative long-term affect. Since that possibility always exists, I must be humbly open to observing and learning.
Perhaps later today I will be required to entertain a visitor from another universe or alternate reality who will disprove all I have believed. Until, then, however, I trust my words will help keep our focus on being just a bit kinder in the space between this and the next blink of an eye.
Written October 10, 2018
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