Question about the concept of eternal life.

[Wapsie B]

I've always wondered about what is meant by the term eternal life. Biblical literalists will say that that's what it is, forever. But I can't begin to comprehend that idea. Forever, meaning time never ends. When I sit and think about it it just blows my mind.
How does everyone else feel about it?

[RevCheesehead]

1. A better translation of Jesus' words is "a full and lasting life."

Meaning, a life full of abundance of God's grace, here and now.

I think too many fundies get hung up in the notion of what happens after death. Jesus focuses on the present: all the end-time parables in Matthew, for example, remind us to "wait, watch, and be ready... don't be caught idle... keep awake," and so on.

Regarding life after death: I think part of our failure to comprehend God, and eternal life, is that we are trapped - not just in a physical space, but also trapped in chronological time. We cannot suspend time, and have trouble thinking of a concept like "time does not exist - it is a human construct." God's time is eschatological - non-linear, not limited by chronos.

The best way I could explain this to my confirmation kids was to have them watch "Star Trek: Generations." The nexus IS eschatological. As Guinan says, "Time has no meaning here."

If you haven't seen this movie, you simply must. Or I won't talk to you ever again. :P

(and it is good to see you here! :hi:)

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. The heaven or waystation or whatever it was I visited in my

OOB dream looked kinda like the Nexus. Well, more like the horsehead nebula, but with no stars. :)

It was very peaceful there and amazing in that we were all one and connected yet I retained my sense of individuality as well.

I think, though, if that is what heaven is that I can understand the idea why some people reincarnate. Maybe sometimes they want to break up the "monotony". (That and feelings were more muted there. I guess you have to have bodies to really experience certain things.)

[Wapsie B]

3. Yes we do have a hard time thinking of such a thing.

I've left it as one of the mysteries of the universe. I'm not a Trekkie per se although I love the original series and STV. Thanks for the movie tip. I'll check it out. And not because of any threats of excommunication either. :P


I really do have an interest in religion beyond that of getting in my "Pew Time" in every week. That's why the right's mixture of religion and politics fascinates me almost as much as it angers me.

(it's good to be here! :hi:)
there's lots of groups i haven't explored around here

[I_Make_Mistakes]

4. True story. A good Church friend (deacon) is a Sci-Fi and

Horror film crazy. He is not into politics. I find it soo funny that he doesn't get the gist of both genres (which are totally Biblically inspired, not all and not always properly, but most).

It kills me, when he says, "I don't want to talk about politics after watching a ST, Lord of the Rings, yadda, yadda movie".

I actually, love the Stephen King movie's (the humor is beyond me) and this years snow storm will re-rent The Stand.

I rented, so I thought The Stand (2-2hr tapes), (impending snow storm), and after the first 2 tapes, it cut off. I truly could not have even imagined that it could be 8 hrs., so I drove in the snow to get the last 4 hrs. I loved that movie and can't wait for the first snowstorm this yr to re-watch it.

[Wapsie B]

5. I honestly didn't know that Horror movies were Biblically inspired

or at least didn't stop to make any connection. I didn't see the movies on any other level than what was on the screen.

8 hours for The Stand? You need to get the DVD version if it's out.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

6. Please understand, I said biblically inspired and in many cases

just some people's inspired version. Okay, remember the Stephen King's version of The Fog, I don't have the name in front of me.

It was about a New England Island town, that got blizzard in, the revealing line went something like, you know the book of Job? Well, the chapter not in the Bible, said God, just didn't like Job!

Pet Semetary had a lot of references. The Stand, at the end had a verse that went something like, Boy's you did a good job, come Home!

That's just SK, then you have the St. Michael,(avenging angel and let's add Gabriel to the mix) running thru so many movies, that it hurts to try to think of them all!

I am going to bed soon, so, I will not even start on the Star Trek, etc., and Stars Wars inferences to who the evil empires are!

[Wapsie B]

7. I believe you.

I just didn't stop to think of any references or inspiration for a particular flick. That's why there's so much to learn about religion and it's influences on society.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

8. Quite honestly, it will freak you out, as it did me.

[Wapsie B]

9. You mean the biblical references?

How so?

[I_Make_Mistakes]

10. Yes, I am not saying that it is TRUE Biblical references., but

honestly, most are based on Biblical stories or rumors. Once, I started reading the Bible and visiting Religious chat rooms, it was a new awakening. There is a lot of BS, I am a Christian and will be til I die, but it did freak me out how many are based on religious beliefs or rumors.

To be honest, and not bashing any beliefs, lots are based on St. Michael (RC) and the avenging angel theme.

If you educate yourself in the religions, (which you probably don't want to, you would be amazed at the subliminal reinforcement of particular themes), most of which aren't even provable!

[Wapsie B]

11. Yes there seems to be a lot of myths concerning religion itself.

I was intrigued when I learned of Mithras (sp), a person who's life was very similar to that of Jesus, only much before.
Then the making of Christmas into a religious holiday, just to think of a couple of things off the top of my head.
I would like to learn more in general about many different religions.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

12. If there is a good College, that is religious based, near you, you

could actually get up to speed real quick,

I had a class (Non Western Religions, usu. a 15 wk class, but during the summer, 4 week mini class, daily, it was phenomenal! In the accelerated schedule, a little challenging (2 test per week on different faiths). I Got a broad paint stroke education on all the other major religions. It was an incredible eye opening experience and one of my top 10 favorite classes

[Wapsie B]

13. There's a new Lutheran college

near here. They were a community college and now have expanded into a 4 year school so I'm sure they've got classes like that. I did take a class on religion way back freshman year. But I couldn't really appreciate what was being covered. It seemed interesting at the time but a lot of concepts I never dealt with as a Catechism memorizing Lutheran. ;-)

I'm going to bed. nitey night. yawn.......

[Rabrrrrrr]

14. RevCheesehead, you are brilliant!

I had never thought of the Nexus as being eschatalogical! But yes, that's perfect - a perfect description for the Nexus, and a perfect description for what eschatalogical is!

Of course, it only works for Star Trek fans and not the little old ladies in bible studies, etc., but still... it's good to have that in my ammo pile for when speaking with sci fi people. Woo hoo!!

Thanks!

[RevCheesehead]

15. And it's taken you that long?

(to figure out how brilliant I am?) You need to pop in here more often, buster. :hi:

[Rabrrrrrr]

16. Well, no, I knew you were brilliant, I just didn't know the levels

to which your brilliance exceeded!

[RevCheesehead]

17. That, my friend, is pure luck.

I am not organized enough to have "levels." :)

[Rabrrrrrr]

18. No, it's not luck!

Even though you went to Duke, and not a proper (that is, New England Ivy League) (sorry, I'm smugly biased!) seminary, you still obviously picked up not only a good education, but a good ability to synthesize.

[RevCheesehead]

19. I didn't get that from Duke...

I got that from Dad - he's brilliant.

[Maat]

20. I think I will take a look at that Star Trek flick, Rev.!

I'm sure that my husband has seen it many times.