Is There Really Such A Thing As Eternity? (paradise, soul, America)

[MontanaGuy]

We're all familiar with the promise of eternal life as presented in the Bible but it makes me wonder if eternity even exists. I think most of us can agree that the universe did have a beginning and couldn't possibly be eternal in the opposite direction or we would never have been able to arrive at the present time because there wouldn't be a starting point. Most scientists agree that space, the universe, and time itself came into existence approximately fourteen billion years ago. But what about the future? Einstein proved that time is not a constant and doesn't necessarily move along at a predictable rate but science can't really answer the question about the long term consequences for our universe or if in fact it might also have an ending as well as a beginning. It is inconceiveable to me to imagine eternal life and to fast forward to say a trillion years from now and think that those who were saved will still be existing in heaven and it's just never going to end. Have any of you really tried to contemplate the concept of eternity and are you really sure it even exists?

[Reverend1111]

I think our term of eternity is different than God's term. There is no time where God is so eternity couldn't really be defined from our point of view.
I think of eternity and what we'll be doing once all are in their heaven. I also think that once we're there, we'll get to do whatever we want. Travel all of the universes, the planets even go to the sun. I think it will be a while before we're all there as we all have to help each other get there.
Being in the center of Paradise with God for all cannot be fathomed from our perspective.

[Kerowyn]

Originally Posted by MontanaGuy

We're all familiar with the promise of eternal life as presented in the Bible but it makes me wonder if eternity even exists. I think most of us can agree that the universe did have a beginning and couldn't possibly be eternal in the opposite direction or we would never have been able to arrive at the present time because there wouldn't be a starting point. Most scientists agree that space, the universe, and time itself came into existence approximately fourteen billion years ago. But what about the future? Einstein proved that time is not a constant and doesn't necessarily move along at a predictable rate but science can't really answer the question about the long term consequences for our universe or if in fact it might also have an ending as well as a beginning. It is inconceiveable to me to imagine eternal life and to fast forward to say a trillion years from now and think that those who were saved will still be existing in heaven and it's just never going to end. Have any of you really tried to contemplate the concept of eternity and are you really sure it even exists?

As I see it, all would be how you measure eternity. By scientifc measurement, by spiritual, by human daily standard time, minute by minute? How should it be measured?

I think there in lies the main trouble. One cannot measure time back home, or should I say, with God or within Heaven by the same means we tell time here in the human world. The rules all change once we return to God. It is my belief that we are all living an eternal life already and have been for a very long time in accord to human measurements of time.

[calmdude]

Originally Posted by MontanaGuy

We're all familiar with the promise of eternal life as presented in the Bible but it makes me wonder if eternity even exists. I think most of us can agree that the universe did have a beginning and couldn't possibly be eternal in the opposite direction or we would never have been able to arrive at the present time because there wouldn't be a starting point. Most scientists agree that space, the universe, and time itself came into existence approximately fourteen billion years ago. But what about the future? Einstein proved that time is not a constant and doesn't necessarily move along at a predictable rate but science can't really answer the question about the long term consequences for our universe or if in fact it might also have an ending as well as a beginning. It is inconceiveable to me to imagine eternal life and to fast forward to say a trillion years from now and think that those who were saved will still be existing in heaven and it's just never going to end. Have any of you really tried to contemplate the concept of eternity and are you really sure it even exists?

Big Bang postulates we are 14-15 billion years old. Our 3D space and time zero started there and are related. Time always increases based on this theory - it has an "arrow" away from the instant of BB. In an ever-expanding universe, we will not see an end based on some BB scientists. Others see possibilities that the universe may eventually collapse ("Big Crunch"). Still, others theorize the possibility of an infinite bang-bang-bang model where such cycles repeat, and for obvious reasons, some eastern theologans (Dalai Lama) like this theory as it seems to fit with some of their beliefs. In any case, like Hawkins (i think?) argued, the only thing we can make sense out of now is our BB world - with 1 bang. So, yes, we are 14-15 billion yrs old and time may exist for ever. But, no one can tell if your conciousness can carry over even into 200 years. In the big scheme of things, I think we are simply discrete beings with a finite life span and die - but there are other new beings that are born and carry our torch forward. There may be no "eternal" sense of awareness or soul - heck, we really do not even know if "eternal" exists (Big Crunch??).


All this assumes that time always increases - there are still other postulations about how the universe would be if the time arrow were non-linear - for example circular. Understanding "time" -and eternity - gets to be quite tricky. In grad school, I had some friends who were theoretical physicsists and would discuss these concepts as easily as I can discuss American Idol. Maybe one of the physics majors can explain this much better than I can.

[effie g-tad]

oh yes, please, and in their abstract language!

btw. no american idol anymore, whether linear or circular.

[calmdude]

Originally Posted by effie briest

oh yes, please, and in their abstract language!

btw. no american idol anymore, whether linear or circular.

AI is more useful, entertaining and therefore good for your/my health than discusing "time" or eternity as no one will ever probably know what they mean for sure.

[kdbrich]

If not, can you explain how this universe started? Or what there was before?

[MontanaGuy]

kdbrich wrote:

If not, can you explain how this universe started? Or what there was before?

Are you familiar with how a broken record will just keep saying the same thing over and over again? Just wondering.

[kdbrich]

Originally Posted by MontanaGuy

kdbrich wrote:

Are you familiar with how a broken record will just keep saying the same thing over and over again? Just wondering.

Maybe it will keep saying that until someone can give a reason to stop it. You guys are laughable....you don't want to believe the universe had a creator...but can't explain how it is here. You don't want to believe in eternity..but can't explain how we got here, or how time began.

If there is such a thing as eternity....then we have an eternal past. How did we pass an infinite amount of time to get to now?

[calmdude]

Originally Posted by MontanaGuy

kdbrich wrote:

Are you familiar with how a broken record will just keep saying the same thing over and over again? Just wondering.

Thank you.

Originally Posted by kdbrich

If not, can you explain how this universe started? Or what there was before?

BB can explain the history of time since time almost equal to zero till now. It tells you how things came to be up till the very moment of time=0.
Mysteries of Deep Space - History of the Universe Timeline

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Hints of 'time before Big Bang'

The Standard Hot Big Bang Model

I do not think the purpose of the bible is to (nor it can) explain this history. As you can see, 15 billion is a lot more than 6000 years. But you need to worry about the "why" we are here -regardless of how. All current evidence points to none of the religious books being able to explain the how of things.

Goddidit is not a credible theory.