I spent the day at a funeral, which raised a lot of thoughts. One thought I wanted to discuss some months back but never got around to was: do you realize that in one sense, we are immortal? Yep. It turns out that every particle of our being has existed since the beginning of time. Each particle began as part of a ball of matter that exploded into a trillion suns and was transformed into particular elements by being cooked in a sun. Then it was spit out into the universe until it came here and made us.
Moreover, keep in mind what Einstein said about the preservation of matter. Nothing is ever destroyed. It is merely transformed into another state. This means the stuff that makes us will always exist... always. Doesn't that sound like it should count for something? If every part of me has existed since the beginning of time and will continue to exist until the end of time, what does that say about me? Even the energy that powers me (be that what it may) will always be conserved. Doesn't that sound like an immortal soul to you?
I think this means there is something much more out there for us than blinking into nothingness when we die. I think this means we must be something immortal, retaining our existence in some shape or form. I don't know what form for sure, but I think that's very comforting actually. You and I and everyone else were created to be immortal.
Thoughts?
Moreover, keep in mind what Einstein said about the preservation of matter. Nothing is ever destroyed. It is merely transformed into another state. This means the stuff that makes us will always exist... always. Doesn't that sound like it should count for something? If every part of me has existed since the beginning of time and will continue to exist until the end of time, what does that say about me? Even the energy that powers me (be that what it may) will always be conserved. Doesn't that sound like an immortal soul to you?
I think this means there is something much more out there for us than blinking into nothingness when we die. I think this means we must be something immortal, retaining our existence in some shape or form. I don't know what form for sure, but I think that's very comforting actually. You and I and everyone else were created to be immortal.
Thoughts?
I'd put it a little differently, but you are basically talking about the creation and salvation of the Christian bible. :)
ReplyDeleteThis may well indeed be so, but I'm not hedging my bets... I need to find Ben Richards!
ReplyDeleteI realize that every time I look at my kids, my grandkids, and my nephews and nieces..it's amazing...and yes, we will be "one with the universe" someday...interesting thoughts.
ReplyDelete“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
ReplyDelete— Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
tryanmax, That's a fascinating quote. I find it interesting how we are definitely body-bound, yet seem to be only contained by a body in many ways.
ReplyDeleteStacy, That could very well be. What interests me is that these things (supposedly) are not questions of faith. We are made of material created in stars... that material is immortal. I wonder if science isn't closer to touching religion than many want to believe?
ReplyDeleteBackthrow, The Running Man?
ReplyDeleteCritch, It's hard to watch kids and not see something greater than just a biological process.
ReplyDeleteGood thoughts all around (and poignant timing for me personally since it was my late mother's birthday last week). Not much I can add since my head still hasn't completely cleared up but I appreciate the post.
ReplyDelete