Futurist Ray Kurzweil is predicting that humans will be able to have eternal life in the next 15 to 20 years. That's right...eternal life. The aging process will be slowed down, then stopped, and maybe even reversed. Why does he believe that this is possible? His predictions are based upon the rate at which nanotechnology, biotechnology, and genetic technologies are advancing. And........ he is not alone! This is not a surprise, as the search for eternal life and "the fountain of youth" are ancient. What is different today is that, while these predictions may sound like the rantings of a lunatic, the science behind them is real. So real, in fact, that Kurzweil suggests that the best thing that a living human can do today is to take radical steps to keep their bodies healthy for the next 15 years or so until the emerging technologies mature.
Here is a link to the transcript of the commencement address that Kurzweil made to the Worcester Polytechnic Institute on May 21, 2005. In his own words he describes what he believes mankind will achieve as machines and humans merge.
The ramifications for mankind would be immense, certainly more than can be entertained here. No more sickness. No more disease. No more idiots. No need for religion to make people feel "at peace" about dying. As you consider the ramifications that the above prediction from a highly respected inventor and futurist may hold for the not-so-distant future of mankind, here are a few scriptures to consider as well.Genesis 11:1-9 NLT 'At one time the whole world spoke a single language and used the same words. As the people migrated eastward, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there. They began to talk about construction projects. "Come," they said, "let's make great piles of burnt brick and collect natural asphalt to use as mortar. Let's build a great city with a tower that reaches to the skies--a monument to our greatness! This will bring us together and keep us from scattering all over the world."
But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. "Look!" he said. "If they can accomplish this when they have just begun to take advantage of their common language and political unity, just think of what they will do later. Nothing will be impossible for them! Come, let's go down and give them different languages. Then they won't be able to understand each other."
In that way, the LORD scattered them all over the earth; and that ended the building of the city. That is why the city was called Babel, because it was there that the LORD confused the people by giving them many languages, thus scattering them across the earth.'
Here is another:
I Samuel 2:6-8 NLT
'The LORD brings both death and life;
he brings some down to the grave but raises others up.
The LORD makes one poor and another rich;
he brings one down and lifts another up.
He lifts the poor from the dust--
yes, from a pile of ashes!
He treats them like princes,
placing them in seats of honor.
"For all the earth is the LORD's,
and he has set the world in order."'
So here are three questions to toss out for your consideration:
First, what are the ramifications of mankinds scientific advances to the second coming of Jesus?
Second, who holds the keys to eternal life and what are the conditions to obtain it?
Third, as a futurist, what would you suggest the best thing for a living human being to do for the next 15 years or so?
