I just read a New York Times editorial written by a Villanova Philosophy professor. The subject? Death!
What prompted this prof to think about death was his own 6-year old son who wrestles with the thought of death each night before dropping off to sleep. Remember those days?
The Prof is QUICK to point out that religion has looooong been discarded as any solution to the problem of death. He is quick to recognize that death is just another aspect of life. He also points out that humans live in many dimensions, many shared with others, and some of what we do lives on long after our mortal bodies. He also notes that he no longer struggles, as does his son, with thoughts of death; he has successfully banished those.
Hmm, has he really? Perhaps he has merely suppressed them. After all, we all shall surely die, as he admits. He admits no knowledge of what might lie beyond the grave, and claims he is at peace with his ignorance. Perhaps the lack of other alternatives has occurred to him.
I have written before that I have a hard time understanding how, as the prof gets older, he can live in peace with his impending uncertainty of death. I guess the "no-other-choice" option is the one that wins the day.
I do find it a bit ironic that the prof did get something "dead on" to use a pun. Indeed we do live beyond our physical death. There is the reality that we don't really die in the spiritual sense.
Those of us in relationship with the Christ will live on into eternity, awake, aware, and functional. Likewise the prof will live on in eternity, just not so comfortably. In fact Luke told an interesting story about this in Luke 16 where he talks about Lazarus dying at the same time as a very wealthy man. It's too good a story for me to summarize, so take the time to read it.
Yes, there is something beyond the grave, something that lasts a LOT longer (not even correct to talk about eternity as "a lot longer) than this short life.
What will become of you after you die?
It's worth considering.
What prompted this prof to think about death was his own 6-year old son who wrestles with the thought of death each night before dropping off to sleep. Remember those days?
The Prof is QUICK to point out that religion has looooong been discarded as any solution to the problem of death. He is quick to recognize that death is just another aspect of life. He also points out that humans live in many dimensions, many shared with others, and some of what we do lives on long after our mortal bodies. He also notes that he no longer struggles, as does his son, with thoughts of death; he has successfully banished those.
Hmm, has he really? Perhaps he has merely suppressed them. After all, we all shall surely die, as he admits. He admits no knowledge of what might lie beyond the grave, and claims he is at peace with his ignorance. Perhaps the lack of other alternatives has occurred to him.
I have written before that I have a hard time understanding how, as the prof gets older, he can live in peace with his impending uncertainty of death. I guess the "no-other-choice" option is the one that wins the day.
I do find it a bit ironic that the prof did get something "dead on" to use a pun. Indeed we do live beyond our physical death. There is the reality that we don't really die in the spiritual sense.
Those of us in relationship with the Christ will live on into eternity, awake, aware, and functional. Likewise the prof will live on in eternity, just not so comfortably. In fact Luke told an interesting story about this in Luke 16 where he talks about Lazarus dying at the same time as a very wealthy man. It's too good a story for me to summarize, so take the time to read it.
Yes, there is something beyond the grave, something that lasts a LOT longer (not even correct to talk about eternity as "a lot longer) than this short life.
What will become of you after you die?
It's worth considering.
The Prof is QUICK to point out that religion has looooong been discarded as any solution to the problem of death.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with the Prof. here...A very high percentage of what has been called religion in my life time doesn't offer much peace or comfort for the thought of death...
But as you point out, when the reality of our lives in this current fleshly robe is... John 14:23...Then the words of Paul in his 1st letter to the Corinthians (2:9) only produces great anticipation for the fog to clear in this current vapor of a life...(Now dimly, then face to face)...I pray the Prof...comes to experience this treasure, while he is still upright!
"Those of us in relationship with the Christ will live on into eternity..."
ReplyDeleteI have a hope of this but no certainty and those who tell me they are certain are in reality no better than hopeful.
That is, however, sufficient and better than, to my mind, than no hope of a future beyond death, at all. If when we die we are wrong and there is nothing our lives will still have been lived better for being Christian, and if death is the gateway to glory how wonderful that will be.
Nobby, Hang in there! The famous Blaise Pascal's wager is your position: even if Christianity were wrong, it is still the wise position. Blessings, friend.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that Phil B. Very interesting. I knew of Pascal's Triangle but not of his 'thoughts'.
DeleteI see also that Blaise Pascal was writing in France during the same decades that my Huguenot ancestors were leaving for London.