Opinions on Suicide

[Jack]

Hi Jack,

Just exactly how long is eternity?

From dictionary.com:

2 entries found for eternity.

e·ter·ni·ty ( P ) Pronunciation Key (-tûrn-t)
n. pl. e·ter·ni·ties

1. Time without beginning or end; infinite time.
2. The state or quality of being eternal.
3. 1. <LI type=a>The timeless state following death.
   2. The afterlife; immortality.
4. A very long or seemingly endless time: waited in the dentist's office for an eternity.

[Faith]

What do you mean? Only sins that aren't "man-made" are mentioned in the Bible?

[Jack]

What do you mean? Only sins that aren't "man-made" are mentioned in the Bible?

LOL!. Yeah. For example, another man-made law is that you have to go to church every Sunday or you're going to hell.

[Jack]

Hi Jack,

Just exactly how long is eternity?

Next time you don't know the definition of a word, I've found that the dictionary helps. You might try it out.

[Faith]

Suicide isn't mention in the bible but references to men killing themselves are mentioned.

[GrandMaMa]

From dictionary.com:

2 entries found for eternity.
)
n. pl. e·ter·ni·ties

1. Time without beginning or end; infinite time.
2. The state or quality of being eternal.
3. 1. <LI type=a>The timeless state following death.
   2. The afterlife; immortality.
4. A very long or seemingly endless time: waited in the dentist's office for an eternity.

So Jack, Eternity is without a beginning nor end, correct? Then are we not in eternity as we speak? So, why would one think that eternal reward or punishment begins at a certain point in eternity, why would anyone think that our rewards or punishments (if one believes in that sort of thing) only chooses to begin after one takes their last natural, physical breath?

[GrandMaMa]

What do you mean? Only sins that aren't "man-made" are mentioned in the Bible?

It depended on the agenda of the interpreter at that particular time what was included in each and every interpretation. And yes, everyone has/had an agenda. Why do you think that the "King James Version" is named just that? It was his version. The first set of scribes that he hired to interpret the bible were not interpreting it as he personally saw it, so he not only fired them, but had them killed...the next set of interpreters learned from the example and thus, you have the "King James Version" of what is now referred at the Holy Bible. One has to remember that the bible or what went into the bible was not a day by day account of what was happening at the time. It was set to words by those who listened to others who got their stories from their families and whoever had an opinion or agenda at the time. It was all subject to interpretation when it was repeated down through the years, then again when it was put to text, then again many times each time it was interpreted from one language to another, and finally, today's clergy that think that they have it all figured out. One cannot take literally the Bible, otherwise, hands would be severed for thieves, adulterers would be stoned, etc, but on the other hand, how can one just pick and choose what to believe at all? So, your question about what is included in the bible? It will have to remain unanswered and commmon sense will have to prevail.

[Patrick]

So Jack, Eternity is without a beginning nor end, correct? Then are we not in eternity as we speak? So, why would one think that eternal reward or punishment begins at a certain point in eternity, why would anyone think that our rewards or punishments (if one believes in that sort of thing) only chooses to begin after one takes their last natural, physical breath?

I'm not Jack, but I'll answer. Actually, we're not in eternity. Eventually life on earth will end as we know it. The sun only has enough hydrogen gas to power itself for so many years. Also, life ends when you die. But, eternity extends after death. Everyone enters eternity, it's simply a matter of where you spend it. Rewards and punishments after death are based on how you lived your life and what decisions you made during your life. You have a span of typically less than 100 years to decide your eternal fate, after death.

[GrandMaMa]

I'm not Jack, but I'll answer. Actually, we're not in eternity. Eventually life on earth will end as we know it. The sun only has enough hydrogen gas to power itself for so many years. Also, life ends when you die. But, eternity extends after death. Everyone enters eternity, it's simply a matter of where you spend it. Rewards and punishments after death are based on how you lived your life and what decisions you made during your life. You have a span of typically less than 100 years to decide your eternal fate, after death.

Patrick, thank you for your response. You seem to be choosing to intrepret life, eternity, rewards and punishments from Christianity's limited perception of reality. Assuming you use Buddhism's perception of reality, life and eternity have no beginning or end; That life itself is eternal. Life is energy and therefore, cannot be destroyed. How do you know that life ends when your physical body dies? Are you basing that on your own experience or the experiences of those you know who have returned from the dead? By it's very definition, eternity has no beginning nor end, how can you say that we are not in eternity now? In the same context, how can you say that it starts when someone dies?

[GrandMaMa]

.......if God lives in eternity and eternity is timeless........hmmmmm?

[Midtowner]

The question is not one of normalcy vs. non-normalcy. It's one of can the person mentally separate right from wrong.

Actually, the DSM-IV has a fairly acceptable version of what is 'normal' for the purposes of a discussion like this

And yes, you're right. It's more a question of mental lucidity than normalcy.

[Randy]

Actually, the DSM-IV has a fairly acceptable version of what is 'normal' for the purposes of a discussion like this

And yes, you're right. It's more a question of mental lucidity than normalcy.

You're funny

[Midtowner]

You're funny

You're over 50 years old.

Amazing.

[PUGalicious]

That is amazing. Kind of surprising... but then again, maybe not.
.

[Faith]

Our spirits live in eternity. Our spirit is alive right now and will be alive after our body here dies if we make the right decisions in life. Therefore, our spirits live in eternity.

[sweetdaisy]

It depended on the agenda of the interpreter at that particular time what was included in each and every interpretation. And yes, everyone has/had an agenda. Why do you think that the "King James Version" is named just that? It was his version. The first set of scribes that he hired to interpret the bible were not interpreting it as he personally saw it, so he not only fired them, but had them killed...the next set of interpreters learned from the example and thus, you have the "King James Version" of what is now referred at the Holy Bible. One has to remember that the bible or what went into the bible was not a day by day account of what was happening at the time. It was set to words by those who listened to others who got their stories from their families and whoever had an opinion or agenda at the time. It was all subject to interpretation when it was repeated down through the years, then again when it was put to text, then again many times each time it was interpreted from one language to another, and finally, today's clergy that think that they have it all figured out. One cannot take literally the Bible, otherwise, hands would be severed for thieves, adulterers would be stoned, etc, but on the other hand, how can one just pick and choose what to believe at all? So, your question about what is included in the bible? It will have to remain unanswered and commmon sense will have to prevail.

GrandMaMa, I'm so glad you brought this up. I've often wondered, when people say "the bible says", which version are they using? Which one is correct? Which passages are to be taken literally?

Shucks, I'll stick with the 10 commandments...they at least make sense to me.

[GrandMaMa]

[QUOTE=okcgoddess]Our spirits live in eternity. Our spirit is alive right now and will be alive after our body here dies if we make the right decisions in life. Therefore, our spirits live in eternity.[/QU

If our spirits live in eternity, and our spirit is alive right now and will be alive after our body here dies, when did it begin? When eternity began? If eternity has no beginning nor end, then that must apply to your spirit as well, right?

[Faith]

[QUOTE=GrandMaMa]

Our spirits live in eternity. Our spirit is alive right now and will be alive after our body here dies if we make the right decisions in life. Therefore, our spirits live in eternity.[/QU

If our spirits live in eternity, and our spirit is alive right now and will be alive after our body here dies, when did it begin? When eternity began? If eternity has no beginning nor end, then that must apply to your spirit as well, right?

Well obviously I don't know all the correct ways to explain and define eternity. But I do know what I believe to be true in my heart and what feels right. I do believe my spirit has been in existence even before my human life was. I also believe that my spirit will continue to exist in heaven after my human life ends here. No one can possible tell you when it all began. We are just humans... science can't explain everything.. especially the spiritual side to humans.

[Faith]

I don't think you can honestly get the true answer to your questions on eternity. You have to go with what your mind and soul tells you, IMO. God of course knows how and when it all began.

[GrandMaMa]

GrandMaMa, I'm so glad you brought this up. I've often wondered, when people say "the bible says", which version are they using? Which one is correct? Which passages are to be taken literally?

Shucks, I'll stick with the 10 commandments...they at least make sense to me.

Which ten commandments? Protestant, Catholic or Hebrew? In fact, there are even differences within the particular bibles.

So, again, we will have to go "within" to know good and yes, again, common sense will have to prevail.

[GrandMaMa]

[QUOTE=okcgoddess]

Well obviously I don't know all the correct ways to explain and define eternity. But I do know what I believe to be true in my heart and what feels right. I do believe my spirit has been in existence even before my human life was. I also believe that my spirit will continue to exist in heaven after my human life ends here. No one can possible tell you when it all began. We are just humans... science can't explain everything.. especially the spiritual side to humans.

I couldn't agree with you more! And that was my point. It's what's in your heart, and yes, if you go there,(within) you can tell truth from what others are spouting as truth with such authority. Fact is, unless our body has died and we have gone on to whatever there is, all we do know is what is inside of us, everything else is strictly heresay. I also commend you for not claiming to know all of the answers, but giving yourself the credit it justly deserves.