Reflections on the Schema

Reflections on the Schema

of interpretations

about God, the world, religion, and mankind

Fifth Part

I updated some of these thoughts on essay: The Paradox of Some Christian Teachings. From Reason to Faith, to "Amen" and Eternity; and in particular on essay: Eternal "Ideas" in God. Please click to see them.

11. Is there an afterlife for mankind?

This is one of the main questions human beings may ponder. In some religious traditions as in Christianity, eternal life is what gives sense to human life; that is the meaning of existence.

But is there an eternal life? This point arises from the questions: What are we? What is the purpose of our being? Are we just living mortals? Is there "resurrection"? What does resurrection mean?

We may believe in resurrection, by faith; however, as with all beliefs of faith, there is no proof of it at all. We could say, look at the Bible, at the gospels. Yes, but the truthfulness and reliability of the Bible should be proven in the first place, and there is no proof at all either. This is a belief of faith.

In conclusion, we are in total ignorance regarding the afterlife. In faith, we might make some conjectures about the belief that there is one, about what it could be, or will be.

11.1. Immortality

Immortality is an attribute that belongs only to God. For a human being immortal means to possess this divine attribute within its own being, and to be transferred from temporality to the no-time. But as the divine is not divisible, having immortality is the same as having God himself.

Human immortality is not important in God's total design for creation, even if this might be important for us. As a matter of fact, the belief in eternal life is not clear in the Old Testament; human existence ended at death, and the meaning of human life was only temporary. God said: Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it (Genesis 1.28).

Immortality has been a strong desire of humanity ever since. This is the belief of the New Testament, it has not yet been revealed what we shall be (1 John 3.2), and it was easily accepted in earlier centuries; however, it is highly controversial today. The progress of science has shown that the Universe may last forever; stars disappear and are born again, constantly; and there is the presumption that the Universe will last forever.