Happy New Year!!!!!!!!
When I think of the fact that the sun is just a one of a bazillion other stars out there, and just like every other star, it will eventually use up/burn up all its energy, and thus, no longer be able to support life here on earth, it's inescapable that this paints a rather grim picture for those of our fellow human race who will inhabit this earth just up to before that end.
WARNING: this is where I start to actually look at things from different a perspective and point out things that are unpopular and not very palatable, so, if you are bothered by people who do this, now's the time to navigate away. On the other hand, if you value different perspectives, even if this happens to point out things that are unsettling, please do keep reading, and join me in deep thought.
When talking about the Sun turning into a "red giant"..i.e..the next-to-the-last phase before it totally burns out, this of course is assuming that something else doesn't wipe out the human race first. There's always a chance of a giant meteor hitting Earth, or just plain overpopulation and the using-up of the necessary, natural resources that sustain human life..e.g...food, water, etc. And then of course there's also the very good chance that we'll blow ourselves up over who worships
In any case, the real eye-opener is that people of my former faith..i.e..Christianity, believe that the end is imminent and near, and get this, many of them(all?) actually welcome it! This, of course, is because they believe that "Jesus is coming soon" and that he is going to take his followers with him to "Heaven", and the balance will remain on Earth for a period, or get sent straight to "Hell". It really depends on who you ask, or which bible verse you pick.
Before I get to the point and the light at the end of the tunnel(and yes, there's a light at the end of the tunnel for nonbelievers), I'd like to make a few little observations:
1) in no other aspect of day-to-day living do we think of the word "soon" to mean two THOUSAND years. No, and to illustrate the absurdity, try reading the following and let "soon" mean just one year:
Kids, let's try to finish this milk up! It expires soon!
Okay, honey-bunch, I'll be home soon!
Me: Hello? IRS? When is my refund check coming? IRS: Soon!
Enough said.
2) in hypothetical two, above, where I raised the issue of overpopulation and the depletion of natural resources, let's look at what would happen if the Biblical Garden duo, "Adam & Eve", had not eaten the infamous "forbidden fruit". Okay, in Genesis, God told Adam and his better half that if they eat the fruit that they'd surely die. Die, as in, the opposite of live. So, we can logically conclude that, had they not eaten the fruit, they'd live forever. Now, try to imagine what living on Earth would be like, if, from the time Adam and his lover got fruitful 'n multiplied, that no one's offspring ever died!
LOL! Oh, my goodness! 'You think the mall's crowded now? 'You think the line at Space Mountain is long now?
Hopefully you can see the absurdity.
The Light at the End of the Tunnel for Atheists:
Since science tells us that the sun will eventually burn out and expand and that this expansion will likely gobble up the orbits of Mercury, Venus, and Earth, think of all the potential human life that will never be born and get a chance to live. Trillions, and trillions, or better yet, an infinite amount of potential "individuals" who will never know what it even means to live, love, and everything else. For Atheists, yes, it is rather a bleak notion that we'll lose everything, and more importantly, everyone we've ever loved. But on the other hand, we're here, and we have the privilege of spending time with those we love right now, whereas, most individuals will never get that chance. Of course, those "individuals" will never know the better, but that's moot, because we, the living, do know.
