Creationists: How can there be eternal life if we need to be created?

Question

Eternal-without beginning or end; lasting forever; always existing (opposed to temporal): eternal life. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/eternal

It is impossible to live an eternal life if we need to be created in the first place so therefoe we do not live eternal lives in heaven (assuming it does exist).

hil - I choose Hell. Its definitely more exciting that singing church hynms with religious fanatcis for all eternity

Answer 1

The default door-to-door christianity salesman-type answer would be "When we die we are born again in heaven creating a new life to live for all eternity."

My answer: "It's all a load of crap!"

edit: Just keep giving me thumbs down! My ego LOVES it! :-)

Answer 2

The Lord moves in mysterious ways, my son. Now sit down and don't ask awkward questions, or you will end up in hell.


Actually of you start at zero, or any finite point, and then go on existing for an infinitely long time, then you will have an infinitely long life, or an eternal life. Just not as an eternal life as God, who (allegedly) goes on for infinity in both directions not just one.

All this goes to show that humans, and Christians, have a very poor grasp of what infinity really is and the consequences of banding around words like 'infinite' and 'eternal' just to sound impressive rather than understanding the consequences and meanings of the words.

Answer 3

Well for starters, you're assuming the definition of eternal (the western definition I might add) today and a few thousand years ago are one in the same.

You're also assuming eternal is the proper word, when in reality its the most closely associated word in the english language.

And you're only using one of the many definitions, here's another form the same link you provided:
"eternal1 [iˈtəːnl] adjective

without end; lasting for ever; unchanging
Example: God is eternal; eternal life "

As you can see, thats the proper use of the word in the context you've presented.

I am man of faith, not religion.

Answer 4

I assume that if you are created, then something created you, and thus you are somehow a portion of that which created you, and not any less eternal but as a unit of individuality may be considered separate till such time as you merge back into All That Is.

Frankly, even if you are not a creationist, the particles which make you up are still more or less eternal, though not necessarily conscious, having always existed in the form of energy of some sort or another.

Answer 5

God lives outside of time and so will we once we die. Eternal is simply a word to describe what we can't really understand as our minds are bounded by time at the moment. I can't imagine something without a beginning or end and I doubt most people can.

As for hell I'm afraid it won't be fun at all, no parties! None of us really know what it will be like but we do know it is the place God isn't. What that probably means is that you will be totally alone for eternity... it will never end.

Answer 6

eternal life means once it begins, it never ends. That means EVERYONE has eternal life, but whether in heaven or hell is up to the person. It will last forever, even though there was a beginning. It isn't like you can say the time before we were created can be subtracted from the infinite amount of time we will live on spiritually. And if we weren't created, where did the first particle come from? nothing? Evolutionist constantly contradict themselves saying God can't have come from nothing, yet they say the little particles that caused the big bang or whatever theory other believe came from nothing...hmm....

and everlasting is a better word...our lives will last forever. I know i won't spend that time in total torment....i hope you won't either...

EDIT: everyone has eternal life, but where you choose to spend it - heaven or hell- is up to you.

*God doesn't pick and choose who gets to just die...your soul can not just die...it was created to last forever*

**CAPTAIN OBVIOUS - I can tell you being thrown into a bottomless abyss of fire and sulphur and total torment is NOT going to be as appealing as it is now...i promise you.

Answer 7

eternal and everlasting...two different things , yes ...but only in todays English... not in older languages.

But even if we ignore that, creationism says we have been created as part of God, who has no beginning or end. Basically, our life on earth is a deviation from that eternal God at the end of which we will either go back to that, or go on a different path... but there is still no END.

Answer 8

On the other side it sure would be hard to have eternal life if we weren't created!! The eternal life is without ceasing from the present forward.

Answer 9

You are basing your question on the assumption that eternal life exists.
Many do not believe erternal life exists.
How can anyone give a definitife, irrefutable answer to such a theoretical question?
This is only a personal belief that can be answered personally by each individual as it pertains to them.

Answer 10

We're not. Eternity in the bible in incorrectly translated. As it is used it refers to an age that has a start and end.

God is thought of to be ageless, that is, outside of this circle but we are not.

Answer 11

Only God is eternal. However, we as His creation will live in eternity. So while we do have a beginning (creation or bith) we will continue to exist.