Question:
Does eternal life appeal to you?
2014-11-10 04:29:42 UTC
Why do Christians think everyone wants to live forever? I am a Christian, I accept the atonement, I believe and love God, but there is one thing that really puts the dampers on it for me, and that's eternal life, it is not something I want, and it has never appealed to me.

I imagine eternal life to be an indefinite extension of the life I already have. I am in my late 30's unmarried, unattractive and usually mocked and laughed due to appearance, physical beauty is everything in this world. I just can imagine what eternal life would be like:

I would remain forever ugly, unknown, unfriended, watching from the shadows as everyone gets to stay young, beautiful, pure and surrounded by friends. I can imagine trying to fit in, and getting more of the same cold shoulder.

Eternal life is something I absolutely do not (nor ever will) want. I hear many Christians rave on about it, but these same Christians are physically perfect, surrounded by friends and respected, I can understand that they won't want it to end, as for me, the story is different. I am not blessed of God.

Does eternal life appeal to you?
43 answers:
Special EPhex
2014-11-11 20:34:10 UTC
Well if your idea of eternal life is true, then it wouldn't seem appealing. However, that is not what I and many others believe, therefore, in our sense of eternal life is appealing. This mortal and worldly life is but one of innumerable possible realities and emphasizes form and content, which is temporary and fleeting. Because the ego is conditioned by it, it can hardly conceive of any other reality outside it and presume that the next life will be just like this one in so many ways.



The material world of form by nature is inherently conflicting and chaotic. The physical universe is a succession of violent collisions, eruptions and explosions. Life on earth is no exception. Religion does not guarantee a happy and problem free life. Religion is a way to help us tolerate the mortal realm without personalizing and being over-attached to it.



It is my belief and understanding that the afterlife persist in a completely different paradigm than this one. Whereas the material world pertains to form and content (specifics/details), the spiritual realm is an expression of the formless and context (meaning/significance). Eternal Life is in the 'here' and 'now', not in some distant hypothetical time and place. Form comes and goes, just like the forms of the worldly domain. Essence always remains as the immutable reality of existence. Almost all religious and spiritual faiths teach at their core we are all the Eternal Soul, and that this world is meant to prepare us for the next.
Annsan_In_Him
2014-11-10 04:42:00 UTC
Only the life eternal given by God to those whom He adopts into His Heavenly family. That will be indescribably wonderful!



But if you mean living forever just as we presently are, then absolutely not. We are ridden with sin and selfishness and ignorance as we are. We suffer physically, emotionally and spiritually because of the imperfections that affect everybody and everything.



But God transforms repentant sinners into being more and more Christ-like in this life, and in the life to come there will be glory and wonders that an eternity will never exhaust. One Christian hymn writer put it like this, regarding being in Heaven:



"When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the Sun,

We've no less time to sing His praise than when we first begun."



When you are in love, all you desire is to be with your beloved. Christians are in love with Jesus and Heaven will mean being with our beloved, forever. It is such a lovely prospect the apostle Paul put it this way:

"For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two; I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far, but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. (Philippians 1:21-26)

Then, speaking of our heavenly dwelling... "Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord... we would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:2-10)



Perhaps you do not yet have the conviction of glory that the Holy Spirit gives? Try reading Romans chapter 8, the first half, so learn the difference that His anointing makes. AiH
?
2014-11-10 04:40:51 UTC
During eternal life, you will reach perfection, you will have no flaws.



What Life in Paradise Will Be Like

Resurrection of the dead

“The hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out.”—John 5:28, 29.



A mother and her resurrected child in Paradise

“There is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.”—Acts 24:15.



No more sickness, old age, or death

“At that time the eyes of the blind ones will be opened, and the very ears of the deaf ones will be unstopped. At that time the lame one will climb up just as a stag does, and the tongue of the speechless one will cry out in gladness.”—Isaiah 35:5, 6.



“God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”—Revelation 21:3, 4.



Plenty of good things to eat

“The earth itself will certainly give its produce; God, our God, will bless us.”—Psalm 67:6.



People harvesting grapes in Paradise

“There will come to be plenty of grain on the earth; on the top of the mountains there will be an overflow.”—Psalm 72:16.



Suitable homes and enjoyable work for all

“They will certainly build houses and have occupancy, and they will certainly plant vineyards and eat their fruitage. They will not build and someone else have occupancy; they will not plant and someone else do the eating.”—Isaiah 65:21, 22.



No more crime, violence, or war

“As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth.”—Proverbs 2:22.



“They will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war anymore.”—Isaiah 2:4.



Freedom from fear, and peace everywhere

“They will actually dwell in security, with no one to make them tremble.”—Ezekiel 34:28.



“They will not do any harm or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain; because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea.”—Isaiah 11:9.



What a pleasure it will be to live when such conditions prevail everywhere on earth, when everyone loves God and shows love for fellow humans! (Matthew 22:37-39) You can be sure that all the promises of God will then be fulfilled. “I have even spoken it,” God says, “I shall also do it.”—Isaiah 46:11.



There are many things you may yet need to learn about Jehovah God and his promised new world. For example, what evidence is there that this new world is near at hand? How will God’s Kingdom replace all the governments of the earth? And what events will lead up to its doing so? Jehovah’s Witnesses will be happy to help you to examine such questions. For more information, see page 32 of this magazine.



Man’s many years of yearning for a new world of righteousness are almost over. For the vast majority of humans who have died, death is not the end. Another life is not merely possible—it is God’s will. There truly is life beyond the grave! Yes, it is “the real life,” the one “which is to come.”—1 Timothy 4:8; 6:19.
Arantheal  
2014-11-10 04:31:40 UTC
I'm an atheist and even I'd like to live forever. It's just that there's no reason to think religion is in fact capable of delivering. I've never understood the part of humanity that wants to die. I can tell you that dying doesn't feature on my list of priorities.
Pancho
2014-11-10 17:04:39 UTC
You're asking the wrong question. Whether or not something appeals to us or not isn't the point. The liberal culture is so caught up in "choice" that it thinks it can decide whether or not a particular idea is true, based simply on whether one finds it appealing or not. It doesn't work like that. You need to seek the deepest answers and stop placing emphasis on how you feel about everything because that's really not the issue ...
Scarborough Fair
2014-11-10 04:34:45 UTC
Being shunned for your appearance would not exactly be Heaven. When someone is shunned for their appearance, it is because of the sins of others. There will be no sin in Heaven. You will not remain forever ugly, unknown, unfriended, watching from the shadows.



The beatitudes dealt with this issue. Blessed are the ------ for they shall ------. Jesus was comforting those who suffer on earth by telling them that it won't be like that in Heaven.



God bless you.
Things
2014-11-11 09:43:57 UTC
I'm sad to hear that feel such a negative way about yourself and that you are experiencing things in life that are difficult for you. If you love God then you know he is love right? (1 John 4:8) You also know he is the hearer of prayer (Psalms 65:2) don't you think he would take your feelings into consideration? Don't you think he would make your life so wonderful that you would want for nothing? Psalms 34:8-9 says Taste and see that Jehovah is good happy is the man who takes refuge in him. Fear Jehovah, all you his holy ones, For those who fear him lack nothing.



God is perfectly capable of making you beautiful and comfortable with yourself. Living forever surrounded by beauty would be great and your beauty would be part of that picture too.
LindaLou
2014-11-10 11:00:43 UTC
You can't consider eternal life with human flawed, mortal eyes - because that is not how it will be for us now. If your life had no pain, suffering, illness, misery, disease, negativity, hate, war, financial problems, personal self loathing or all the other things you HATE about this life - you would love LIFE right? Then you will love eternal life because you will be Freed from all the mortal chains that bind and tie us to misery and unhappiness.
It Is Always Now
2014-11-10 04:45:49 UTC
It depends what it would be like. If it's eternal happiness (or eternity of my quality of life now) I would love it.



If it means staying alive and conscious while the earth ends and the sun consumes me, then no it doesn't appeal to me.
Diane
2014-11-11 06:18:04 UTC
Ive never found eternal heavenly life appealing to be honest. I couldnt see the point of being born on earth and using it just as a training ground for heaven. Once I studied with the JWs, I saw that the vast majority of humans will be resurrected to live eternally on a paradise earth, just as Jehovah intended but Adam lost for us.



Jesus and his "little flock of chosen ones" are those who will be ruling over us from heaven in the kingdom



So, now yes, everlasting life on a beautiful earth free of evil, pain, death and war with love and fellowship really does appeal to me.



But you seem terribly lacking in confidence :( You say you are a Christian - why do looks worry you so much? Confident people are attractive - you need to develop confidence in yourself. Your church should be supporting you more!
?
2014-11-10 04:50:09 UTC
I know my life is limited here on earth. I hear good news that I can live eternally. I love life, which is why I listened and accepted Jesus as my personal Savior. Anyone that does not take heed to an offer like that must be nuts. (not trying to be rude)
Robert
2014-11-10 05:13:36 UTC
Yes. I would not like to live in this world forever. Here we have illness, pains etc. God's kingdom is different. It is in the spirit realm. God is a spirit person. So are all the citizens of God's kingdom. There is no illness, no pains, no decay, no sorrow, no death in God's kingdom. Everyone will like to live forever in such a place. However, only those who do what God wants them to do here on earth will ever enter God's kingdom. God loves this world. He expects us also to love this world and make it a better place for the humanity.
?
2014-11-11 03:00:15 UTC
Mere thought of eternal life is horrifying, we are talking trillions of infinite years of monotony, of luxury turned into boring agony by then. A miserable existence that you cant get out of. Same old faces, same old life. Endless and tiring.
mt75689
2014-11-10 04:51:24 UTC
Do you prefer eternal death? Not as humans define death, but as God does ~ eternal torment and separation from him. The way you imagine eternal life is not the way God defines it. You will know a level of unconditional love and acceptance that is beyond your wildest dreams. To be in the presence of The Almighty God who is infinitely powerful and amazing can only be a good thing. I can only imagine that adventure that awaits those who love him.
2014-11-10 04:32:17 UTC
It appeals to me if i go to heaven. It's a nightmare if i go to hell which is where i feel i'm headed. :(



But no eternity makes me sad too. Everything is soo sad! Why did i have to exist *shakes fist* damn you evolution!!
geessewereabove
2014-11-10 05:00:26 UTC
It depends on which one! The Bible states that Heaven is ALL Love! That anyone with Any Hate in them can Not go to Heaven! Even IF a church leader is hating just one person, they will end up in Hell when they leaven this life!

All others go to Hell.

"Beauty" is in our insides, not the outside. It is how our Soles are that could. Anyone that judges a person from what they look like on the outside is very blind!

As you were growing up - did you see/feel that your grandparents and other older relatives were "ugly" on the outside? I do not like it that being even older than yourself I am changing. But I have worked with elderly people much of my life and Not thought any of them looked bad!

I would not hate you or anyone just for how they looked!
?
2014-11-10 04:35:31 UTC
I wouldn't scratch it off my list, but I'd hold out for an escape clause it case everyone went somewhere.
?
2014-11-15 10:50:14 UTC
I wouldn't scratch it off my list, but I'd hold out for an escape clause it case everyone went somewhere.
2014-11-14 02:24:21 UTC
I wouldn't scratch it off my list, but I'd hold out for an escape clause it case everyone went somewhere.
2014-11-14 01:27:41 UTC
I wouldn't scratch it off my list, but I'd hold out for an escape clause it case everyone went somewhere.
Kevin
2014-11-13 22:41:27 UTC
I wouldn't scratch it off my list, but I'd hold out for an escape clause it case everyone went somewhere.
?
2014-11-13 10:36:45 UTC
I wouldn't scratch it off my list, but I'd hold out for an escape clause it case everyone went somewhere.
?
2014-11-13 04:04:04 UTC
I wouldn't scratch it off my list, but I'd hold out for an escape clause it case everyone went somewhere.
Nolan
2014-11-15 08:56:04 UTC
Don't you worry Eduardo, there is no "after" life, in any sense, much less eternal. Cheers.
?
2014-11-10 14:34:52 UTC
Don't you worry Eduardo, there is no "after" life, in any sense, much less eternal. Cheers.
?
2014-11-15 00:34:58 UTC
as when we were conceived and then born, we don't have a choice about eternal life
?
2014-11-15 00:20:29 UTC
as when we were conceived and then born, we don't have a choice about eternal life
?
2014-11-14 22:36:49 UTC
as when we were conceived and then born, we don't have a choice about eternal life
?
2014-11-13 08:21:36 UTC
as when we were conceived and then born, we don't have a choice about eternal life
2014-11-10 19:43:24 UTC
I wouldn't scratch it off my list, but I'd hold out for an escape clause it case everyone went somewhere.
Blessed
2014-11-10 14:59:16 UTC
Yes it does



Having a mansion built for me

walking on streets of gold

never having pain

always being happy

being with live minded wonderful brothers and sisters

in the care of my Lord Jesus

What a wonderful forever it will be.
Seph
2014-11-10 04:32:22 UTC
Only if it came with infinite variety of experience



Eternity within a finite playground would eventually become hell.
2014-11-10 16:37:02 UTC
Don't you worry Eduardo, there is no "after" life, in any sense, much less eternal. Cheers.
2014-11-10 04:31:26 UTC
as when we were conceived and then born, we don't have a choice about eternal life
?
2014-11-10 10:53:52 UTC
We will have perfect bodies that never tire and lots to do. We will be helping Jesus govern the earth. We will have the same powers Jesus did after His resurrection. We will be able to appear and disappear, go through walls and be able to eat if we WANT to. The X Men will have nothing on us.







http://ufosarereal.simplesite.com/359474382 Millennium
2014-11-10 04:41:24 UTC
Not at all.In fact I would kill myself if I was forced to live forever against my will ...But of course I couldn't SCREAM!!!!!!
Uncle Thesis
2014-11-10 08:51:45 UTC
I would like to have eternal life .......for a while.
jereh
2014-11-10 04:35:21 UTC
It seems that you aswell as the modern church have misunderstood what eternal life truly mean.



fortunately for us the bible explains the meaning quite well:



Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17:3)



If my statements have piqued your interest and want to know more about true eternal life or just have some questions about it.. you are always welcome to email me anytime and will respond to you asap when i get on my computer. I cannot belabor my point here because the mobile version of y!a only allows 1000 characters. Have a blessed day!



:)
2014-11-10 11:59:47 UTC
the science still approves hopes for that the human would live a long possible life, or just proclaming a syndrome formula to be immortal ..unless ,the hurricanes,earthquakes,flood,storms,volacnos,..would decide otherwise.
2014-11-10 04:37:31 UTC
i think fear of eternal life is the main reason for a lot of atheists, they have a lot of guilt and shame inside of them
2014-11-10 04:38:25 UTC
you just dont see outside the box, and havent figured out how to be creative and stand up for yourself ... YOU control your life, not what others think about you or dictate to you .. so yes, i never feel there is enough time to accomplish things, study things, explore places ..
2014-11-10 14:25:11 UTC
maybe you are one of those label christians. Because any child of God have no problem with being with their Lord forever.
2014-11-10 06:25:51 UTC
Where


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