Could humans live longer?

Isn't this whole "Life after Death" thing because we are afraid of death? Don't you think that people need to feel that after they are dead, that there will be something? I think that the whole point of religion is trying to escape death. By telling yourself that after death, there will be something else, it makes death seem a little better. But that belief springs from fear of death.

 

That's my interpretation, as well, Snowmane. Thank you for putting it so succinctly.

What's more, we've become so afraid of death, we've developed religions due to this fear that effectively prohibit us from actually enjoying life. "Don't do this, don't do that, deny your basic human nature."

Sad, really.

"Everybody says - join our religion, get to heaven. I say no thanks, why bless my soul, I'm already there." - Andy Partridge.

 

Well, I don't care, that's from an atheists point of view... This life is nothing but preparing for the eternal one... I have no reason being scared for death...

The ONLY reason I see people are afraid of death is becuase they are afraid they won't come to the good place... IF there's nothing beyond, there's nothing to be afraid of, eh?

It's just stupid, why be afraid of death in ANY case, if you don't believe in souls, and just think that when the mortal brains stops functioning, you will just not exist anymore.

If you simply just stopped functioning, then why be afraid of death?

 

Why is it that when someone doesn't agree with the typical christian perspective, they are immediately labeled "atheists"? Really, that's a cop out reserved for the intellectually lazy.

I can only speak for myself, obviously, but I openly and honestly fear death precisely BECAUSE I doubt there is an afterlife. If this life is all I have, it is beyond precious to me. To lose it would be to lose everything. Literally.

 

If you think there might be a chance there is an afterlife, ten why do you think it is "made up"?

That's what I said, the only ones who have a reason to fear death is the ones not sure about their faith.

About that I thought you was an atheist, most people who does say that all religions are made up tend to be atheists/agnostics :-o

 

We all know this happens enough to be a serious problem worth considering...

nbrosz, I was talking more about real life situations. Assume someone was pointing a gun at you, wanting to know where someone was. You know where that person has gone. The person holding a gun to your head will let you go when you tell them where they've gone. You lie about where the person has gone, thereby saving your own life, and the life of the other person. Is that so wrong? Admittedly this doesn't happen very often to people I know, but it's more along the lines of what I was thinking of.

Why do we even need to be born then? Why aren't souls just created to spend time with God straight away?

I believe I'm not afraid of death, but not for those reasons. I'm not afraid, because I want to know what happens after you die for myself. So a near death experience would also be a suitable alternative. If there's nothing after death, fine. If there's life after death, well, I can only hope that the life I've lived will reap some rewards.

Oh, and while I'm at it...

It's interesting to note that this is what terrorists tell each other...

It's also called idiocy. Dying for a belief is all well and good, but it's also usually pointless and futile. It doesn't help anyone, least of all yourself, and while it may be all noble and shit, you've just wasted your life. Nice one.

 

If the bibble was written by one person it wouldnot be that bad, it was written
by so many author, they did than syle study on the Book Issah than found
there where at least 10 people writting under that name, talk about ghoust
writer's. You know that Queen which all the writers of the old testment bad mout as than whose was actural in Queen who want to live in peace with the local people and they belief which wherenot jewish. The Temple party which control what was writen in the Jewish holy book didnot like that idear one bit at all as they where religious fantical. They found some book's written by other non-bias people's of other nation's that have dealing with her they found her than very honorable woman with hight standard while the Head Priest and the Temple Party was written as not being at all honorable or trustworth at all. Then people of Babonoy , Crete and other nation's round at that time have than more favorable opin of her.

 

It was Isaac Asimov in his book on the bibble that said there was than Temple Party in Israel that control what was written in their holy book it they
didnot like than King or Queen their only wrote bad thing about that person even it that person was good.

 

I have to agree with windmills, i'm afraid of dying. But the i know that after i die if there is nothing and that i stop functoning it will not matter anymore, it will be nirvana. But i will do allmost anything to live as long as i can.
Gwindor she may never know and that is the reason that we have religions.

 

I'm not afraid of dying. Well, not all the time, at least. I'd be lying if I said I'd be philosophical about it if I fell off a cliff or something, but there's hardly any point in spending all your time hiding under your desk so that nothing will kill you.

 

All Religioun's teach we are in this world as than place of testing by GOD.
In the book on Islam I than reading is every interesting in this part of Life.
Islam doesnot believe in original sin that we inhert from Adam and Eva..
That why in Islam than baby that either die in the while still inside the mother or soon after birth go straight to Paradise without being judge or senting time
in hell. The Christian in the Roman Empire and in the Middle Age and untril recently believe that than baby that die unborn or unbaspere went straight to
hell.

 

First the more sensible:

Assuming that religions were developed just man fears death is overly simplistic. People also say man developed religion because he couldn't imagine a would without a Creator. Others say he developed religion because they believed in retribution for the evil that humans do to others. Still others think the only reason why religion exists is to set a standard for right and wrong. It's a chicken-or-egg situation that we don't know the answer to yet for sure.

Even if you don't believe in religion, our self-imposed laws do the same thing. The message is that simply acting by our instincts doesn't do much good for the world.

And the senseless...

Ever heard of Buddhism?

Oh gosh, "the book on Islam that I am reading" again? You must read really really slowly. Either that or that "book" is the Koran, and you're just referring to it as such to appear unbiased (which you haven't done a good job of, I must say)

Oh - so your sourcec of Bible disputes come from Isaac Asimov? Great.

really? Funny how they forgot to leave out the part about David and Bethsheda then.

So you would like a tome spanning 4000 years to be written by one man to make it more reliable? Amazing. Imagine. A single author writing about events that happened thousands of years back would be more reliable than many writers combining their work to create a book that holds together. Tell us then, Charles. How exactly was the Quran written to make it so reliable?

 

You're right - I was being overly simplistic. Another theory rests with using gods (and their many moods and needs to be placated) to explain natural occurences they could not explain otherwise, i.e. floods, drought, etc.

I will amend my statement to say that those religions that affirm a "heavenly reward" after death usually stem from a fear of death - but I can easily see how this can also stem from dictating right and wrong morality, as well. People seem to need that incentive.

Agreed. But most secular self-imposed laws are at least rational about things. It's only when laws start getting justified as ordained by some supreme being, that they start to get patently rediculous.
Don't kill, steal, commit adultery, etc. seem reasonable enough even in a completely secular society, but - not wearing clothes made of two linens together, or else fear God's wrath? A menstruating woman must not be touched or looked upon? Come on.

 

The part about Davis an that woman was so well know to not include it in the bibble would have cause more harm to the Temple Party. That one reason I donot like Gore was that he refuse to called his boss than liar when even his
boss told the whole world that he lie. I believe that the old testment where rewriten so many time that I have my doubt about. The First New Testment was writen in the 400 C.E(common era)' s way after Christ die. While the first Koran was written short after the founder of Islam die, all of his revealion from God was written down by 40 secrerate who wrote down what he said.

 

Heh. It's embarrassing how sometimes non-Christians can show me up with their knowledge of the old Testament (I didn't know about the menstruation parts before). All I can say is that Old Testament is old, and New is new .

The First New Testament was compiled. not written, in those years. I assure you 40 secretaries writing down what Muhammad claimed to have experienced does not add credibility the fact that Islam is founded on the basis of one man's testimony (are you gonna declare a fatwa on me for insulting the Prophet?)

As for the earlier part of your reply, I seriously don't know what you're talking about.

 

About 2000 years old

Who was it who wrote down the new testament again?

 

Understood. My point was only how silly "laws" can get when they become justified by religion, regardless of the religion. Islam has laws just as rediculous, as do certain aspects of Hinduism.

But, if you wish to breach the topic of the New Testament, don't get all smug about it yet - there are some pretty questionable things to be found there, as well:

How many women go to your church without covering their head? An abomination, it seems. Further, I take issue with the whole "Women belong to men and are less than men in the eyes of God" thing. (but that's something for another day.)

Just a little down from this last passage:

Not only must women cover their heads, and men keep theirs uncovered. Apparently men can't have long hair, either.

Anyway, there's more where that came from, but case in point: silly laws are only unquestioningly accepted when justified by a supernatural being, dictating them from up on high.

 

I thought all babys were born with sins of adam on their heads

Go figure blame a 10 month old creature who is only barely sentinent on the sins of someone who may or may not have existed 6002 years ago!

I think your'e talking like an impartial observer and I have to agree with ethics aside, eugenic selection is probably the only thing that can save us and letting retirees die off isn't so bad

the only credible anti aging theory i can think of is usding genetics to gradualy lower peoples body temps so they have slower metabolisms

If god is as you say

During the creation of the universe he could see what would happen and like, MAKE IT NOT HAPPEN, by say having a nice little chat with lucifer.

God wants us because he is vain, PRIDE = NOT PERFECT

If god has lucifer and can not change his mind even though he wants to then = Not Ominpotent

If god could change lucifers mind but won't that means the devil is a part of his subconsious that is evil but seperate from the part in heaven = Not PERFECT again

since arguing with you just causess you to make seemingly mature but still childish acusations and sayings I guess I should'nt have wated my time

Is suppose you don't believe in genetics and the world is 6002 years old

And if you could truly be right you would not bring in god and try to win with logic and stop using sources generally held to be uncreditable

 

Most of the arguments i have seen on here are flawed.

The earth isn't overcrowded, there is enough food for every man woman and child in the world. The problem is food DISTRIBUTION there are huge grain stockpiles in europe that will probably never be used and people starving in the 3rd world because thier govornments suck balls and let them live in poverty. It's all about rich men fucking over poor people.

If people lived longer thier would not be an overcrowding problem, people would simply breed less, have any of you heard that the birth rate in Germany France and Britain are falling below the death rate now, they are getting worried about the population becoming old and crappy, however this is nothing to worry about, it is nature, it's like a built in switch in humans to want to breed when there's lots of room and recources and not want to breed when there is not enough room

Overall i think a reduction in the ageing process is an exelent idea that would aid mankind no end.