Would immortality be the downfall of theism?
If we human beings found a way to make ourselves immortal..
(Transhumanism, anti-aging treatments, reaching longevity escape velocity..)
Would there still be a need for people to believe in god(s)?
No matter if you believe in the possibility or not, just imagine it as a thought scenario. If we ever reached this stage, what would be the point of religion? What would be the point of blind faith?
I personally think many theists believe in god(s) because they are clinging to the hope of there being something more after death. So I want to ask you theists two questions:
1. Would you still believe in god(s) if you no longer had to die?
2. If you had the opportunity, would you want to live forever, or at least for as long as you desired? Or would you rather die after having lived a normal human life? Are you *that* convinced of there being an afterlife in heaven that you would refuse to accept anti-aging treatments if we had them? Or exactly what would your choice be in such a scenario..?
As for all you other people out there who are NOT theists, you can just tell me what you think about this whole dilemma, and what you personally would do. How long would YOU want to live for, if you had the choice..? 
Tagged with: afterlife • blind faith • dilemma • escape velocity • god • heaven • human beings • live forever • longevity • religion
Filed under: Anti Aging Treatment
I am hardly a theist, but I think this is an interesting question.
A lot of people do no doubt "cling" to religion because of hope for an afterlife. And a guaranteed immortality on earth may lead them to abandon religion. I think religion would survive the hit though. A lot of religious belief comes from other sources, especially tradition. Many people are religious because they were raised in a religious environment (household or society).
While the case you imagine has not happened before, I think we can look at the outcome of similar scenarios. One of the major attractions of religion, for example, has been its ability to explain the world. With the rise of science, this attraction of religion has steadily eroded to such a degree that today only the most fanatical of believers think that religion explains the world better than science, and even most of them at least attempt to couch their claims in quasi-scientific language. Religion (in the modern west) by itself is effectively dead, even among fundamentalists, as a means of explaining the world. Many people left religion because of this. Many atheists today are atheists because a much better framework has arisen for explaining the world.
Looking at your hypothetical scenario, I think something similar might happen. Guaranteed immortality may cause religion to further decline in popularity as it loses another of its main appeals, but other reasons for religion would still remain, such as the the utter mystery as to why anything even exists (something we may never figure out), the need to account for worldly injustices (which presumably would still occur) or, as I stated, the sheer weight of tradition. I can imagine the believers that remain in your scenario breaking off in to different sects, one perhaps seeing the new immortality technology as something to be embraced – the ultimate triumph of the intellectual gifts created by God over the material world; another, likely less mainstream, rejecting the new technology as the ultimate usurpation by humanity of God’s powers.
As for me, I wouldn’t want a preset duration of life. I definitely would not want infinite life. I think the idea of immortality is not that attractive. Forever is a really, really, long time. After a while, you will have done everything. So what do you do with the infinite amount of time remaining? Imagine what it would be like to be trapped inside a room for 1,000 years. No matter what diversions exist in the room, it will become hell after too long. While the world is billions of times larger than a room, infinity is infinitely longer than 1,000 years. I think sooner or later it would become one of the worst sorts of hell. Right now, being young, I do wish that life was a little longer. Sure, I would like to live for 200, 500, maybe 1,000 years. But I also know that my perspective on this might change, so I would not want to commit to any of those. I also know many non-depressed older people welcome the arrival of death. Not out of any sort of depression, but just because they have lived a full life and are ready to die. I think that is the sign of a successful life, so, in a way, if I am successful I may not want a longer life.
maybe because th ebilbe says man can live no longer than 123 yearrs! and people already hav elived longer than that!
But i know your question is hyperthetical, but i think theists would just say god is blesing us by letting us live this long!
actually i am immortal- i spend my time hunting down others like me and lopping off thier heads with a scimitar.
and watching really really bad sequels to good 80’s films, well I stopped watching after the second one but still….
Just remember, you could always get hit by a bus.
Atheism has existed for as long as religion has – in fact, atheism is a byproduct of religion. The only thing that will put an end to it is the end of religion
I want to live forever.
Fame.
For my part I would want to live forever. Death is not an attractive option but we all know it’s coming in time.
And not dying would not make me less a Christian it would most likely make me more of a Christian.
Accidents do happen and if God allowed me to survive forever I would praise Him my entire life.
I believe in God because I feel like there has to be something bigger than all us. But that’s just what i think. I dont think i go to heaven or hell once i die, though.
I’d rather die after having lived a normal human life.
1> Yes, I would. John trhe revelator did not die but was traslated, as was Moses and others. In the Millenium, the 1000 years during Christ reign, people will not die, but;
D&C 63:51
51 Wherefore, children shall grow up until they become old; old men shall die; but they shall not sleep in the dust, but they shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye.
2) Yes, but not in the present body. I want a perfect immortal body as Christ promised after I die and I await the Second Coming when that will happen.
13 O how great the plan of our God! For on the other hand, the paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and immortal, and they are living souls, having a perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh, save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect.
2 Ne 9:14
14 Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness.
2 Ne 9:15
15 And it shall come to pass that when all men shall have passed from this first death unto life, insomuch as they have become immortal, they must appear before the judgment-seat of the Holy One of Israel; and then cometh the judgment, and then must they be judged according to the holy judgment of God.
Interesting question.
1) Yes
2) No I would take an Elixir of youth but I don’t know about living forever.
While some believe in religion out of a desire to live beyond death, not all do.
To some religion is an answer to metaphysical question and gives direction in this lifetime (also the holidays are fun).
As such in a world were your scenario was to take place there would be a decline in some religions but others would continue to grow.
Also religions like Buddhism and Jainism are atheistic, so how do you think they would be affected in your scenario ?
_()_
We can never be truly immortal. One day, the sun will reach the end of it’s life and that means the end of us as well. Space travel to get away from here isn’t viable (the closest star to us apart from the sun, Alpha Centauri, would take over 4 years to reach at the speed of light. It is physically impossible to accelerate to the speed of light so it will take us even longer. Let’s not mention the dilemma of finding a viable planet to live on in that or any other solar system.) We could also be blown up, shot or killed in many other ways.
1) Yes
2) I would want to live as long as my friends live and die when they die. If I had a choice, I would delay my death until I have accomplished and seen everything I’ve wanted to but would never want to live forever here on earth.
1. Of course I would!! I love God! How can I willingly reject him after all he has done for me?!
2. No, I wouldn’t. I want to go to my father in heaven, and yes, I am convinced that it does exist.
Interesting question, though…
God bless you!
- Abigail -
eternal life is so overrated. when you live forever (or planning to after you die), you lose appreciation for what you have now
Are you offering immortality or inability to die due to old age?
Personally I’d choose immortality as in not being able to die (not even by decapitation) but I wouldn’t tell anyone. I’d just retreat to the woods and keep a record of humanity.
1. Absolutely. I don’t believe because I fear death or the afterlife, or the lack thereof. I believe because I have experienced too many "coincidences" to know better (aka, not blind faith). I think that every human, no matter the lifespan, should strive for enlightenment. I believe we should thank the deity/deities out there for our gift of life…not out of fear of death.
2. My choice would be to live a normal life…and again, this has nothing to do with an afterlife or what have you. I think that it is the normal course for things to die, to return to the earth. I also believe that life would seem more worth living, since you can’t indefinitely put things off for tomorrow.
If it could happen, I would love to be resurrected for, say, a year each century to see what progress we’ve made. So much for "natural," but you get my idea!
you’re concerned with the finite nature of this human experience, and yet, you’re wasting precious time and energy thinking up stuff like this… why? i guess that’s why you want to live like this forever, huh? so you’ll finally have a chance to do all the things you missed doing now while thinking up of new ways to be clever.
All humans, or simply the person who is answering the question? The thing about mortality, is we seek immortality, just as if we were immortal we would search for mortality.
Most likely, religion would diminish since no one would need to praise their God(s) any longer (we wouldn’t die, most likely need no food, etc.) so religion would lessen. Some may say they would continue to praise God, but this is most likely a factor for being raised Christian/Muslim/etc. of course it could go in either direction. If we were always immortal (meaning no one has ever died for thousands, millions, etc. years) I doubt we would have religion. If we suddenly just became immortal, we might still have some religion, but it would probably be like a small cult (such as worship in a basement rather than a church or so).
That would be like denying the existence of gods when you are already one of them.