Skip to content I want to know how to be immortal. Recently, I’ve started experiencing some back pain and noticed a few gray hairs, and it feels like nature’s way of reminding me that my body is beginning to wear down. Like a car that starts to sputter or shoelaces that start to fray, we all eventually show signs of aging. Because of this, the idea of immortality seems more like a fairy tale, at least for this body of mine.
This was a sobering realization until I learned that some scientists now believe the first human to live forever might already be among us. The quest to extend the human lifespan is becoming increasingly plausible. With advancements in medical technology—from understanding diseases that lead to death to our knowledge of the cellular and brain aging processes—humans may indeed achieve immortality. But what are these technologies? Is eternal life in this physical world truly worth it? And from a Christian perspective, where should we place our hope for everlasting life?
How to be Immortal- Advancements in Science
Medicine
One of the primary roles of a physician is to help patients make decisions that extend their lifespan. This involves addressing life-threatening diseases and offering measures to increase their likelihood of survival, such as preventive screenings, lifestyle changes, and medications proven to enhance longevity. As more research is conducted, our understanding of what works and what doesn’t continues to improve, leading to the longer lifespans we’ve witnessed over the decades.
Understanding creatures that are living forever
Scientists have discovered organisms that exhibit biological immortality. One example is the small invertebrate known as the hydra, which essentially consists of stem cells that continuously discard older cells and replace them with new ones, allowing it to live indefinitely. Does this creature hold the key to human immortality? Probably not. Humans are vastly more complex than hydra, whose primary function is replication, making its application to us limited. However, who knows? Maybe one day we will unlock the secret to regenerating every part of our cells and continuously staying young.
Downloading your mind
In college, I wrote a short story about a man who cracked the technological code to download his consciousness and memories onto a computer. Surprisingly, this science fiction concept may not be that far-fetched. Scientists have successfully replicated the neural networks of a roundworm’s brain and uploaded them to a LEGO robot, which then began to exhibit behaviors similar to the roundworm.
Could we achieve this on a massive scale with the human mind? If we transfer our conscious thoughts to a machine, does that make us the machine in a digital world? This isn’t necessarily biological immortality, but if our consciousness is simply an arrangement of neural networks, then perhaps this is a way to achieve a form of immortality.
Cyborg- Remember Robocop. Anyone?
If you belong to a certain generation, you are probably familiar with the movie Robocop—a half-man, half-machine battling bad guys in Detroit. This concept, however, may be less fictional than we think. For years, we’ve been developing ways to replace our organs with machines: prosthetic hearts, dialysis machines for kidney function, and artificial joints and limbs. But what about replacing our brain with chips? Human life could potentially achieve immortality by becoming less human.
Genetic Manipulation
Genes are the blueprint of our physical bodies. Cells age by degenerating until they die, but researchers have discovered that they can reprogram the genetic makeup of single-celled yeast to extend its lifespan. Whether this can be applied to humans remains to be seen.
Cyrosleep
I recently watched the movie Interstellar, which includes a scene familiar to many space-travel films: cryosleep. This is the process of freezing a person to delay aging until they are thawed. Researchers have successfully achieved this with simple organisms, making the concept a possibility for humans. While it isn’t true immortality, it could potentially allow us to live for a very long time.
The Implication of Eternal life
Our innate desire to live on is deeply embedded in our nature as humans. Unless impeded by mental illness, we all strive for survival. However, this desire comes at a cost, and the idea of living forever may not be as appealing from a practical standpoint.
Hypothetically, if the human race never died, overpopulation could become a severe issue. Our natural resources would be depleted, and fossil fuels would disappear, necessitating the urgent need for sustainable energy. Real estate would become unimaginably expensive, and governing such a society would be fraught with challenges. Would mandated deaths or strict birth control measures become necessary? These scenarios raise numerous philosophical and ethical dilemmas.
Moreover, achieving immortality would not solve all of the world’s problems. Issues like suffering, poverty, injustice, selfishness, and greed would still persist. Some might argue that eternal life in a world often characterized by suffering could indeed be a form of hell on earth.
True Immortality- Not of the body but of the soul
If someone were to crack the code to we are to obtain immortality, we might lose the opportunity to discover whether there is indeed life after death. Is there a soul? In the Christian faith, we believe that we are already immortal. Our bodies may not be, but our souls are. This belief holds that the essence of who we are as human beings is not encapsulated in a physical form. Of course, there are variations of this belief, as no one truly knows. However, it is a belief that there is life after the death of our human body.
If this is true, our priorities change dramatically. We might spend our entire lives focusing on our physical bodies, turning our attention inward in a self-serving endeavor, further enhancing our already self-absorbed culture. We might hope that this focus on the self will lead to a life everlasting on this decaying earth.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
However, if we are already immortal and our souls exist, we are free to focus not on ourselves but on everything around us. There is no need to be preoccupied with our health beyond reasonable care; while important, it is not a necessity for eternal life. This perspective allows us to focus our lives on people, our environment, and God.
check out: WHY DO WE NEED SALVATION
Conclusions
The draw to immortality here on earth is undeniably appealing. Life, despite its challenges, holds many joys and wonders, and the idea of experiencing these eternally can be tempting. However, while the pursuit of extending human life through scientific and technological advancements is a noble endeavor, it is not without its complexities and potential pitfalls. The implications of eternal life in a physical sense present significant ethical, environmental, and societal challenges that we must carefully consider.
From a Christian perspective, the promise of eternal life is already offered, not through physical means but through faith and the soul’s journey beyond this world. This belief shifts the focus from an obsession with prolonging our physical existence to nurturing our spiritual well-being and our relationships with others and God.
Ultimately, while humanity may someday unlock the secrets to extending life significantly, my hope rests in the promise of a future beyond this earthly existence—a future in heaven where the true essence of immortality is realized. This perspective encourages us to live meaningful lives here and now, investing in what truly matters, with the assurance of a greater, eternal life to come.
