Can eternity be closed at one end?

Question

A theologist once said to me that God is eternal but now dead; go backwards and he goes on forever, he does nothing now because he no longer exists - kind of logical, but does this make God eternal? or eternity being endless one way but closed at the other end?

Answer 1

While in iraq, I asked a guy who had just witnessed a suicide bomber what he thought happened. The iraqi said, i think he went to hell. I asked why, and he said because there is no God.

I then asked, what about paradise and the 70 virgins? He said, if there is a God (not allah) he did not go to heaven. If there is allah then I can't say. But if allah let him go he will have 70 virgins.

I asked, why would allah do that? Torment him like that. He could not touch them, they are virgins in eternity, the man could not have relations with them. This one stopped him in his tracks, he grasp that eternity is forever, and nothing changes, it is fixed and locked

Now to your question, Eternity is without time. God is not living and therefore he can not die. God is life. The opposite of living is dead, the opposite of life is non-existence.

Your theology friend makes a cardinal mistake that his basic training in theology (not theology proper) teaches. That is, for God to exist, he exists apart from human understanding of time and space. He exists where there is neither.

Eternity by its nature is a closed system of existing for ever. It is not open in terms of starting, and it does not end. It just is there.

using human terms to define this does not do justice to your question or the state of eternity. I can't graspe it. I have given it much thought since the mid 1970's and sometimes I get glimpses into it (like being able to talk about the virgins with the iraqi man, but I can't do it justice.

Look at the universe, it goes on forever, yet it really does not. Eternity is like that except it does continue.

read the last book in the chronicles of narnia, CS Lewis describes a decent view of eternity, or at least I think so.

Answer 2

'Eternity' as a word is defined as having no end (Oxford dictionary), and doesn't say anything about a start.

But let's go beyond words, and let's suppose that 'eternity' as a concept means "no beginning and no end", then I believe that eternity doesn't really exist. Why? Because it's something that just goes on with nowhere to go to. It cannot be reached. But, talking about it that way limits 'eternity' as a destination. Right. But eternity is not a destination, but concept where we are all immersed in... >> ..

augh..
I can't answer this question. I'm confusing myself. (Or I think I just made a bad start.) Got projects to attend to. And they have deadlines.

*Anyone who wants to continue or counter this argument(?), you're welcome.*

Answer 3

By the very meaning of the word, eternity cannot be closed. The symbol for eternity, a figure 8 on its side, attests to this... it never ends nor begins, but simply is.

Answer 4

Eternity is never ending, so I would imagine it could go both ways if you want to think of reincarnation, I mean if we could be reincarnated than we are being reborn into a different life over and over, so where is the beginning and where is the end. I hope this makes sense.

Answer 5

Eternity:
1. infinite, or unending time.
2. a state to which time has no application

So from the dictionary definition, no. Though from the perspective of a human being, time started when you were able to think. Everything else is closed off from your experiences and sense of being. So, to you, time doesn't start until your memories do. I suppose if you wanted to refer to it as "closed", a case could be made for it.

Answer 6

properly, the Bible says: "at an identical time as he grew to become into sitting upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately, asserting: "let us know, whilst will those issues be, and what stands out as the sign of your presence and of the tip of the gadget of issues?" For us of a will upward thrust against us of a and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be foodstuff shortages and earthquakes in one place after yet another. those form of issues are a commencing up of pangs of misery." (Matthew 24: 3, 7, 8) All of those issues have already got here approximately. . . So we are noticeably close humorous, nonetheless, human beings anticipate that it would be on a definite twelve months like 2012, whilst Mark 13:32 says: "on the topic of that day or the hour no one is standard with, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, however the father."

Answer 7

I'm guessing eternity has no end,
as space is more than both
three-hundred and sixty degrees
AND an immeasurable amalgam
of what we might call points.

I also believe that which we call
our perception will be shown to
have been quite limited.

Starting with my own.

But I'm hopeful. I say it gets better.

ADDED: As per your additional,
I'd like to suggest that we're not
limited to linear existence. Why
do we then persist in trying to
choke our thoughts to be such?

Answer 8

I don't think so. Not even in our lifetime or our children's children will eternity come to an end. It is not just Rodeo Drive where you see where it starts and where it ends. Eternity is infinite. It is forever.

Answer 9

Eternity is usually only hoped for by space-fairy fans,

so yes, it's probably clenched real tight at one end, and very judgemental at the other.

Danny.

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