by Puternut 25 Replies latest jw friends
As the song goes, "you and me baby ain't nothing but mammals." Or to put it a bit more poetically:
I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath.
Approaching the age of fifty, this is something, which is more and more on my mind. Sometimes I think for everything there is a beginning and an end, and maybe so for us as well. I believe God exists and it?s a nice thought that he would make provisions for us to experience self-awareness forever. (I think so therefore I am.) But what if this life and its self-awareness are His gift to us and when this life is over, that?s all there is for us? I wonder if this were true how many people would still be able to love God. I think I still could. What a great gift even for a short time.
I sometimes think that since my brain contains all that is who I am, that if there were self-awareness after this life, would I even be me anymore without my memories of who I was? How could I remember who I was without my brain? In this case, even if my "soul" or "spirit" were to continue, the thing that makes up who I am now, would die anyway.
Seems to me like its one of four possibilities. Death is at it looks, nothingness. Or, there is an afterlife where we can go and be with God. Or, maybe our "spirit" gets reabsorbed somehow into the Universe and there either is or there is not self-awareness. Or maybe it is something we have absolutely no idea or concept about what it will be. (I simply cannot accept the idea of a place of an eternal hell as the bible explains it, although I guess that would be another possibility.)
I like to think that considering how vast the Universe is and how incredible it is, that God has plans on allowing us to go and explore it. It would be nice to be able to travel at the speed of thought to witness a Super-Nova, or the birth of a new star or galaxy.
I have prayed for Him to allow me to see, if even in a dream what lies ahead after this life. But to date, He hasn?t revealed even the smallest clue to me. I think maybe He likes to keep this one a secret.
I hate it.............. I believe when you are dead you are dead.
And sadly, you may be exactly right.
i kinda like not knowing, makes life more interesting
The Dubs claim that the "paradise earth" is a Bible-based hope and the only hope for the vast majority.
The Bible however only speaks of one hope, that of being with God, as spoken of by the apostle Paul.
Where that is really seems unimportant. It's the state of being with God that is the real christian hope.
As LT has mentioned, this may involve a new heavens and new earth. We know too that Revelation speaks of New Jeruslaem coming down to earth. Is this literal? Is this on the new earth?
We don't know from the Bible, so I guess it's a case of "wait and see".
Cheers, Ozzie
