Immortalism --- the last religion there will ever be.
Imagine the world a thousand years from now. Medical technology will be at a point where people can be 200-300 years old, but live in 20 year old bodies. What meaning do current religions have in these people's lives? What meaning do the current religions have in OUR lives now? How relevant are the ten commandments after you've met your basic needs and live in a prosperous world? How relevant is the concept of afterlife punishment and reward when you may never die?
At some point, we will cross the threshold from being mortals into immortals. It may not be in our lifetimes, and it may not be graceful, but it will happen. Can you imagine how the world would be divided into the haves and the havenots when this has occurred, or at least when the havenots have realized that it has occurred? What is the likely result? War. Between the haves and havenots... likely to be almost two different species at that point--- the biological old fashions humans, and the technology assisted humans who are rich, powerful, and nearly invincible.
Is there a better way for humanity to take its first steps into immortality? I think that there is, and it comes in the form of a religion... in fact, it will be the last religion on earth because the practioners will be immortals.
Think about it. The afterlife. What is it really offering, except an escape from death. But this escape is a fantasy. At least, it's not as much of a sure bet as seeing a gorgeous 300 year-old woman who is fertile and healthy in both mind and body. Now, which religion would you believe in? The one that promises an afterlife, or the one that promises you eternal life, here and now, with an awesome body to boot? Why not go for the sure thing?
But immortality may not be available to everyone. If a magic pill that granted immortality was discovered tomorrow, who would get that pill? Would it be the most moral and good person in the world? Who...
Immortalism --- the last religion there will ever be.
Imagine the world a thousand years from now. Medical technology will be at a point where people can be 200-300 years old, but live in 20 year old bodies. What meaning do current religions have in these people's lives? What meaning do the current religions have in OUR lives now? How relevant are the ten commandments after you've met your basic needs and live in a prosperous world? How relevant is the concept of afterlife punishment and reward when you may never die?
At some point, we will cross the threshold from being mortals into immortals. It may not be in our lifetimes, and it may not be graceful, but it will happen. Can you imagine how the world would be divided into the haves and the havenots when this has occurred, or at least when the havenots have realized that it has occurred? What is the likely result? War. Between the haves and havenots... likely to be almost two different species at that point--- the biological old fashions humans, and the technology assisted humans who are rich, powerful, and nearly invincible.
Is there a better way for humanity to take its first steps into immortality? I think that there is, and it comes in the form of a religion... in fact, it will be the last religion on earth because the practioners will be immortals.
Think about it. The afterlife. What is it really offering, except an escape from death. But this escape is a fantasy. At least, it's not as much of a sure bet as seeing a gorgeous 300 year-old woman who is fertile and healthy in both mind and body. Now, which religion would you believe in? The one that promises an afterlife, or the one that promises you eternal life, here and now, with an awesome body to boot? Why not go for the sure thing?
But immortality may not be available to everyone. If a magic pill that granted immortality was discovered tomorrow, who would get that pill? Would it be the most moral and good person in the world? Who has and is likely to contribute to society in his or her next 300 years of life? No. It's going to be some very rich person. Is that the criteria that we want for people to qualify for the immortality club? Material wealth? That criteria is guaranteed to cause the poor to lose hope and rise up and seize wealth and immortality.
But a religion, one that controlled the people and ideas and the path to immortality could guide humanity past this rough spot smoothly. By changing the criteria from wealth accumulated to moral deeds accomplished, we can provide a means to improve society for everyone on an individual by individual basis, and also provide hope for the poor who have no way to access this technology otherwise.
I'm not sure what rules, commandments, or whatever would need to be set up to guard against the inevitable petty corruption of individual men, but I think it could be done, and done in such a way that immortality provides hope rather than envy and hatred.
Anyway, I have more thoughts on this, but they aren't entirely well thought out at this point.
Imagine the world a thousand years from now. Medical technology will be at a point where people can be 200-300 years old, but live in 20 year old bodies. What meaning do current religions have in these people's lives? What meaning do the current religions have in OUR lives now? How relevant are the ten commandments after you've met your basic needs and live in a prosperous world? How relevant is the concept of afterlife punishment and reward when you may never die?
At some point, we will cross the threshold from being mortals into immortals. It may not be in our lifetimes, and it may not be graceful, but it will happen. Can you imagine how the world would be divided into the haves and the havenots when this has occurred, or at least when the havenots have realized that it has occurred? What is the likely result? War. Between the haves and havenots... likely to be almost two different species at that point--- the biological old fashions humans, and the technology assisted humans who are rich, powerful, and nearly invincible.
Is there a better way for humanity to take its first steps into immortality? I think that there is, and it comes in the form of a religion... in fact, it will be the last religion on earth because the practioners will be immortals.
Think about it. The afterlife. What is it really offering, except an escape from death. But this escape is a fantasy. At least, it's not as much of a sure bet as seeing a gorgeous 300 year-old woman who is fertile and healthy in both mind and body. Now, which religion would you believe in? The one that promises an afterlife, or the one that promises you eternal life, here and now, with an awesome body to boot? Why not go for the sure thing?
But immortality may not be available to everyone. If a magic pill that granted immortality was discovered tomorrow, who would get that pill? Would it be the most moral and good person in the world? Who...