FOR ETERNITY
One of the most challenging things for us humans to do is to comprehend concepts on a large scale. Many theories about the human minds capacity have been proposed, and I concur that we humans are only capable of comprehending medium sized concepts. For example when we evolved on our humble medium sized planet, our minds needed only to perceive and adapt to our medium sized environment such as the sun, moon, mountains, seas, and clouds in order to survive. There was no need to develop minds that could fathom the abyss of physics. I also admit to my own shortcomings when it comes to rationalizing such enormous concepts as expanding universe, big bang theory, or even what a billion one-dollar bills would look like stacked in three columns. Where are you taking me, you ask. Well, I have attempted to imagine what it would be like to exist for eternity. I did several thought experiments in order to gain some insight to the ludicrous idea that eternity would be a pleasant existence. If the prophets are correct and those chosen to exist in heaven for eternity worshiping the one god, what would it be like for these chosen few? Below I attempt to answer the massive question that is clearly beyond our medium comprehending minds.
I stumbled across this idea during a service in a Baptist church. It was a magnificent place full of warm and loving people. The preacher gave praise to the lord and reminded the congregation that we would all soon be in heaven to worship the lord for eternity hallelujah, hallelujah! Looking across at my father-in-law a curious idea formed in my mind, here is a man who cannot stand in a restaurant line for more than five minutes looking forward to an eternity surrounded by these same patrons. As the idea continued to form, I could easily ask the same of each man and woman in the whole church. Then the question was put to me, could I be happy for eternity? It does not take long to realize the size of this mammoth question and for years following that service I have mulled the concept repeatedly. After reading an incredible book on the life of Albert Einstein, I found a tool of his to be rather helpful, a thought experiment.
Our thought experiment begins with a small room 4 ft. x 4 ft. x 6 ft. with a small window off to our left. To our right hangs a large round clock, the time reads 9:00 am. The air is still and the temperature is comfortable there is little light but no sign of its source. Our heart beat and the gentle sound of the air that exhales from our mouths seems almost deafening in the small space. A glance at the window only reveals blurs of colors and various degrees of light. Drawing our attention back to the clock, we notice that the second hand has stopped on the six-minute mark. Puzzled, we step forward to inspect the timepiece and are unable to discern if it is running. Another glance at the window reveals an incredible amount of motion too rapid to distinguish. Our heart rate quickens as we become slightly disoriented asking ourselves, “What is this madness”. Unaware that we are unaffected by time and the universe around us is growing cold and dying. The light from the window is becoming less sporadic and the light begins to fade. Still, the clock reads 9:00 am and six seconds. A frozen minute hand has yet to move while the universe’s life cycle is at an end of 230 billion years.
Bottom line:
When time is irrelevant and we lose all perspective, what is the sense of being eternal? Religion paints a blissful setting with us gathered around the savior, the father, and all of our love ones, but this is only a beautiful emotion. Critical thinking skills allow us to analyze the problem rationally. Nothing in physics evens hints at any element being eternal. I believe most important of all that there could be no logical or spiritual reason for becoming eternal. I do know that life is precious and we should embrace each moment as well as the ones around us. As you read this you must feel that I am filled with doom and gloom, but I say to you maybe this is as good as it gets. Let us live on earth here in the present, not in heaven.
One of the most challenging things for us humans to do is to comprehend concepts on a large scale. Many theories about the human minds capacity have been proposed, and I concur that we humans are only capable of comprehending medium sized concepts. For example when we evolved on our humble medium sized planet, our minds needed only to perceive and adapt to our medium sized environment such as the sun, moon, mountains, seas, and clouds in order to survive. There was no need to develop minds that could fathom the abyss of physics. I also admit to my own shortcomings when it comes to rationalizing such enormous concepts as expanding universe, big bang theory, or even what a billion one-dollar bills would look like stacked in three columns. Where are you taking me, you ask. Well, I have attempted to imagine what it would be like to exist for eternity. I did several thought experiments in order to gain some insight to the ludicrous idea that eternity would be a pleasant existence. If the prophets are correct and those chosen to exist in heaven for eternity worshiping the one god, what would it be like for these chosen few? Below I attempt to answer the massive question that is clearly beyond our medium comprehending minds.
I stumbled across this idea during a service in a Baptist church. It was a magnificent place full of warm and loving people. The preacher gave praise to the lord and reminded the congregation that we would all soon be in heaven to worship the lord for eternity hallelujah, hallelujah! Looking across at my father-in-law a curious idea formed in my mind, here is a man who cannot stand in a restaurant line for more than five minutes looking forward to an eternity surrounded by these same patrons. As the idea continued to form, I could easily ask the same of each man and woman in the whole church. Then the question was put to me, could I be happy for eternity? It does not take long to realize the size of this mammoth question and for years following that service I have mulled the concept repeatedly. After reading an incredible book on the life of Albert Einstein, I found a tool of his to be rather helpful, a thought experiment.
Our thought experiment begins with a small room 4 ft. x 4 ft. x 6 ft. with a small window off to our left. To our right hangs a large round clock, the time reads 9:00 am. The air is still and the temperature is comfortable there is little light but no sign of its source. Our heart beat and the gentle sound of the air that exhales from our mouths seems almost deafening in the small space. A glance at the window only reveals blurs of colors and various degrees of light. Drawing our attention back to the clock, we notice that the second hand has stopped on the six-minute mark. Puzzled, we step forward to inspect the timepiece and are unable to discern if it is running. Another glance at the window reveals an incredible amount of motion too rapid to distinguish. Our heart rate quickens as we become slightly disoriented asking ourselves, “What is this madness”. Unaware that we are unaffected by time and the universe around us is growing cold and dying. The light from the window is becoming less sporadic and the light begins to fade. Still, the clock reads 9:00 am and six seconds. A frozen minute hand has yet to move while the universe’s life cycle is at an end of 230 billion years.
Bottom line:
When time is irrelevant and we lose all perspective, what is the sense of being eternal? Religion paints a blissful setting with us gathered around the savior, the father, and all of our love ones, but this is only a beautiful emotion. Critical thinking skills allow us to analyze the problem rationally. Nothing in physics evens hints at any element being eternal. I believe most important of all that there could be no logical or spiritual reason for becoming eternal. I do know that life is precious and we should embrace each moment as well as the ones around us. As you read this you must feel that I am filled with doom and gloom, but I say to you maybe this is as good as it gets. Let us live on earth here in the present, not in heaven.
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