I don't think the human mind is capable of comprehending either eternity or infinity, thus it's not likely we can comprehend immortality, either.
But what small amount I do comprehend of any of the above concepts leads me immediately to conclude that an eternity spent in an immortal, perfect existence on THIS PLANET, this dust mote, orbiting an unremarkable star, in the spiral arm of a galaxy utterly no different than millions just like it would JUST NOT CUT IT. When our sun goes red giant in, oh, say, seven billion years, then some kinda arrangement's gotta be made by somebody to get our asses off of here and to somewhere else. That's another problem with immortality on this planet. (NO, I don't think God violates his own laws, so NO, he's not going to intefere with the sun's functioning or any other physical laws.)
The main problem in my mind would be boredom. And quick. Life everlasting on a paradise earth? No thanks, even if I could pick the government. And what kind of government would be needed for perfect individuals? NO government, that's what kind of government.
I don't think the WTBTS has stopped to consider the implications of a perfect life on a perfect planet that goes on forever. Ice cream every day gets boring after awhile, as does steak. And I don't care how good looking a given woman is, how talented in bed, how beautiful and charming of personality, how skilled of intellect - there's some guy somewhere who's tired of putting up with her shit...in a short life!
I don't have the slightest idea of what God did before he did the first thing. Don't care. But I do think that conceiving of eternity as a straight line through infinity is likely in error. I don't know why I think this, call it intuition, but for some reason I conceive of eternity as an ellipse.
This is a great topic. I hope it goes on...well,....forever.
-francois
Edited by - Francois on 31 July 2002 9:59:3