“What kind of work do you do?” the surgeon asked, tilting back in his chair. The two of us were having a get-acquainted interview.
“I edit books,” I told him.
“What kind of books?”
“Religious books, mostly.”
He leaned forward, suddenly intent. “And what’s religion going to do when medicine delivers immortality, instead of religion?” he demanded.
I tried to explain that religion wasn’t just about earning eternal life. And it isn’t, though many people do look forward to living forever in heaven. (No one looks forward to living forever in hell.)
I don’t think I convinced him.
Inevitable progress
Recently, I read Yuval Noah Harari’s latest bestseller, Homo Deus. In his first book, Sapiens, Harari sketched human development over the last million years or so. In this book, he looks into our future.
“In the twenty-first century humans are likely to make a serious bid for immortality,” Harari writes. “Humans always die due to some technical glitch. The heart stops pumping blood. The main artery is clogged by fatty deposits. Cancerous cells spread in the liver. Germs multiply in the lungs…
“The vast majority of scientists, doctors and scholars still distance themselves from outright dreams of immortality, claiming that they are trying to overcome only this or that particular problem. Yet because old age and death are the outcome of nothing but particular problems, there is no point at which doctors and scientists are going to stop.”
It’s inevitable, Harari argues, because thousands of medical researchers are working independently on tiny fragments of the whole picture, all designed to extend human life. They won’t achieve immortality; they’ll simply defer death indefinitely.
In another century, says Harari, people will die only in wars, accidents, and suicides. Or because they don’t have access to the latest technologies.
Mind you, they may be barely recognizable as humans. They may have titanium joints, a mechanical heart, and someone else’s lungs and liver. They may have electronic eyes. They may even have a massive memory chip installed in their brains.
But the uber-wealthy could go on replacing parts forever. If they choose to. Sophia Loren could look as good at 190 as she did at 50.
Religious reactions
There’s no point in opposing these developments. You can’t stop of all the current efforts to reduce pain and suffering without condemning millions to continued pain and suffering. Harari calls it “an irresistible momentum.”
Suddenly, my surgeon’s question becomes relevant. What will churches do, when it becomes obvious that human lives have no longer have an expiry date?
I can imagine four possible scenarios.
· Some churches will accept reality, and focus on life here and now.
· Some churches will continue to proclaim the attractions of an afterlife in heaven to those who have no intention of ever going there.
· Some churches will insist that God decreed death for all humans. They will find in the Bible an age beyond which humans are not supposed to live. They will lobby for mandatory death at that age. Suicide could become a community sacrament.
· Some churches will revise their theology to show that the true consequence of sin is not death but artificially extended life.
Which option do you think your church might choose?
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Copyright © 2017 by Jim Taylor. Non-profit use in congregations and study groups, and links from other blogs, welcomed; all other rights reserved.
To comment on this column, write jimt@quixotic.ca
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YOUR TURN
Okay, another column that got only two responses, and both from regular writers.
I had wondered how the TV model, of speakers looking directly into the viewer’s eyes, might affect communication. Isabel Gibson went a step farther: “Your concerns about what TV does to our conversations might be overtaken by what handheld devices do to our willingness/ability to even engage in conversation.”
And Tom Watson wrote, “It's very interesting that, as you say, we take the talking TV head with the fixed gaze as our model, when that's the reverse of how we talk to one another. I know only one person who never takes his eyes off me when he speaks. He once told me that when people took their eyes off him and glanced around when speaking he felt they weren't paying full attention to the conversation, and that made him nervous. Personally, his persistent ‘stare’ made me a bit uneasy.
“Why, then, am I not nervous when the TV announcer looks at me with that same persistent stare? I think it's because of the fact that even though we know the announcer is reading from a teleprompter we prefer that illusion of talking directly to us. A few years back there was a news announcer from a local TV station who, it was quite apparent, wasn't looking directly at the viewer when speaking. It might have been due to an incorrect positioning of the teleprompter but it was obvious that announcer was ‘reading’ and not ‘talking directly’ and it shattered the illusion. That person was replaced after a few weeks’ time.”
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PSALM PARAPHRASES
A notable characteristic of Canadians is their desire to head south for the winter. Anywhere south, as long as flowers bloom, and warm winds blow, and snow doesn’t. With that in mind, I wrote this paraphrase of Psalm 118:19-29, for Palm Sunday. Perhaps Jesus felt this kind of exultation as he rode into Jerusalem.
19 An honor guard of palms salutes the sky;
I extend my arms to embrace paradise!
20 Now I know heaven on earth.
The sweet scent of spices seduces me.
21 Like wisps of smoke escaping from a dying fire,
I sent my prayers to you;
Morning and evening, I pleaded with you.
And you gave me another chance!
22 The blossoms that others discard have become a garland around my neck.
23 I can hardly believe my senses.
24 Only God could create a day like this;
The very stones cry out with delight.
25 Hosanna, Lord, what a heavenly day!
26 Do these people take God for granted?
Do they realize they have heaven among them?
27 Only God can give such glorious perspectives.
Even the palms raise their arms to praise their creator;
The whole world is God's holy altar.
28 You are my God;
my heart overflows with happiness.
You are my God;
I'll dance in your garden.
29 Thank you God! Life is good!
May you continue for ever!
For paraphrases of most of the psalms used by the Revised Common Lectionary, you can order my book Everyday Psalms from Wood Lake Publishing, info@woodlake.com.
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YOU SCRATCH MY BACK…
• Ralph Milton most recent project, Sing Hallelujah -- the world’s first video hymnal -- consists of 100 popular hymns, both new and old, on five DVDs that can be played using a standard DVD player and TV screen, for use in congregations who lack skilled musicians to play piano or organ. More details at www.singhallelujah.ca
• Isabel Gibson's thoughtful and well-written blog, www.traditionaliconoclast.com
• Wayne Irwin's "Churchweb Canada," an inexpensive service for any congregation wanting to develop a web presence, with free consultation. <http://www.churchwebcanada.ca>
• Alva Wood's satiric stories about incompetent bureaucrats and prejudiced attitudes in a small town are not particularly religious, but they are fun; write alvawood@gmail.com to get onto her mailing list.
• Tom Watson writes a weekly blog called “The View from Grandpa Tom’s Balcony” -- ruminations on various subjects, and feedback from Tom’s readers. Write him at twatson@sentex.net
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TECHNICAL STUFF
If you want to comment on something, send a message directly to me, jimt@quixotic.ca.
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My webpage is up and running again -- thanks to Wayne Irwin and ChurchWeb Canada. You can now access current columns and about five years of archives at http://quixotic.ca
I write a second column each Sunday called Sharp Edges, which tends to be somewhat more cutting about social and justice issues. To sign up for Sharp Edges, write to me directly, jimt@quixotic.ca, or send a note to sharpedges-subscribe@lists.quixotic.ca
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