In a bleak but interesting post, Uncredible Hallq muses that aging and cancer are inextricably intertwined. You might not get cancer, but if you don’t, your cells will apoptosize, and you will age, which will result in your death. But the longer you keep your cells from dying, the greater the likelihood that they will become cancerous, which of course will ultimately result in your death. The lesson I think you should take from this: your life, like everything else that exists, is going to come to an end. You might delay that end through various means, but that’s a fact you can’t change. The meaning and value which you choose to assign to your life, and the decisions you make within that life, ought to take that immutable fact into consideration.
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So, here’s a leading question for you. I am a Christian and you are an aethiest. What do you believe happens to after your inevitable demise? editorial note: not a discussion of imperfect ‘design’
What do you believe happens to after your inevitable demise?In a word, nothing.I will cease to exist. My consciousness will end. I will not perceive this, because my capacity to perceive anything will have expired along with my conscious mind.I could suggest contemplating the Buddhist concept of Nirvana, but for many Buddhist thinkers, the idea of Nirvana is made to coexist with the idea of reincarnation. I say, there is no “reset button for the soul”, just as there are no circles with right angles (in Euclidean geometry).Despite my absence from the world, it will continue to exist and there will be a body to dispose of. To that end, I’d like my body to be harvested for any organs which might potentially be transplanted to benefit the lives of people who survive me. If there isn’t anything useful to take, maybe my body would be of use for teaching or scientific purposes. That’s all out the window if I have to be autopsied, of course; and that’s a matter over which I will have no control. Anything left over ought to be cremated, at least so long as cremation is more economical than burial.What my survivors do with my ashes (or my corpse) at that point is their business, also; it won’t matter to me. If they want to hold a memorial service, and if so what kind, also won’t matter to me. A memorial service is for the living, not for the dead. It gives me some pleasure to contemplate that such if such a service is held, it will involve the sharing of good food, good wine, and laughter rather than a series of somber and sorrowful speeches — but that’s not my decision to make. Should you survive me, consider my desires only if fulfilling my inter vivos wishes is something that gives you satisfaction and helps you through your mourning.If you find value in praying for me, either before or after my inevitable demise, that’s fine, and I thank you for your good wishes.
verrrry interesting (as quoted from an old comedy show of the late 60’s I believe).I’ll have to contemplate your response before responding myself….Maybe one day, we can unlock the secret to life and when you do die (or shortly before) you can be cloned and go through all the fun times again! Brings up a s**t load of ethical questions. That might make for an interesting movie plot!?