Life is a strange experience. Often we think of humanity in generality: we are born, we grow, we mate, we age, and we die. Rinse and repeat for thousands of years. For most people, a tombstone is their only lasting legacy; after a generation or two they are forgotten.
Almost all religions teach that death is not the end and that the soul is immortal in some form or another. Those who don’t follow a religion – agnostic - are about 13% of the world’s population and believe fate after death is unknowable. Only about 2% of the world’s population are “convinced atheists,” meaning 2% of people believe that when you die you get eaten by worms, period.
For those worried this post is intended to proselytize, don’t be. If you are in the percentage convinced death is the end, maybe you are better off. My goal is for people to consider a conscious eternity, a living immortality.
Speaking of the eternal, I love vampire movies. Imagine in this, the knowable world, being able to live forever, but trapped by the depravity of vampirism. In recent years, vampire movies have humanized the vampires, adding morality to their makeup. Now that is a true curse. If you could live forever as a vampire and free from morality, then eternity would be grand. However, if you are a “good vampire” not freed from morality but forced to live for eternity depraved, life is tortuous.
Humans live in a constant state of torment. Yes, I know it’s quite cynical, but how often do you feel perfect? We buy alcohol for a reason.
Our problem is moral consciousness. It varies by cultural and many other factors, but it’s always there. There is a general conscience of morality - most believe stealing, murder, rape and the like are wrong. General morality states infringing on another person is wrong. We do not stop at the moral conscience - our government, our parents, and our society all add moral imperatives to our consciousness. We often even add our own set of rules - think New Year’s resolutions. Our conscience collects rules, obligations and morals, until we have no choice but to fail.
Unfortunately, no matter what your moral tolerance is, you have failed. There are no guiltless people. As Darth Vader would say, “Search your feelings…You know it to be true.” We have all failed our personal moral code, no matter what your moral code is derived from: parents, experience, religion belief, self, or whatever. You have failed and you know it to be true.
“What we do in life echoes in eternity.” (Maximus, as played by Russel Crow in the Gladiator)
Many religions teach your works, actions, and beliefs on corporal earth have consequences in the afterlife. Have you considered that may be the least of your worries? You have to live with yourself and your failures for eternity. Imagine every deed, every action, every failure, and every missed opportunity that you carry within yourself, forever. Immortality is a curse of our own making.
So imagine you will never stop and every day you will be with yourself. No matter what your religion, that’s a scary thought, and the scary thoughts won’t stop.