X-Message-Number: 6329
From: Peter Merel <>
Subject: Cryonics and Christianity
Date: Sat, 8 Jun 1996 20:43:30 +1000 (EST)

Sam Galvagno writes,

>What exactly do you mean by "chiliastic?"  

Thomas's meaning was quite clear - he is worried that cryonicists, by
placing their faith in the general exponential progress of science, will
succumb to an apathy that will abnegate their chances of future
resuscitation. Nor is his choice of analogies difficult to understand -
he refers of course to sects like the Jehovah's Witnesses who have a
habit of predicting an imminent chiliasm, and then revising their dates
when this chiliasm does not eventuate. The JWs have done this several
times in the last 200 years as I recall.

But I can't see anything in the paragraph you quote or in his other writings
on cryonet to indicate that he maintains the facile belief that all christian 
sects are given to this habit.

>Clearly, you have misinterpreted some of the 
>basic tenets of Christianity (which I would be glad to explain in the 
>future) 

Please, don't explain them on cryonet. There's not a reader of cryonet who
does not have ready access to a bible, and the ability to decipher it
for themselves. I can assure you, from reading Thomas's writing here for
a period of years, that he is knowledgeable of the pertinent details of
both christianity and cryonics. It would be better, I think, if you
respected the subject of this forum and intelligence of the other
participants here, and next time trembled your lid a little bit before 
flipping it.

>As Christians, we should not be inclined to reject cryogenic 
>technology; however, rest assured that as responsible citizens, we 
>will not support technology that is used disparingly.  Christians 
>should not be afraid to bring cryogenic technology closer, but it had 
>better work before we allow the general population to use it.  

Happily, cryonics works extremely well. It's resuscitation that has not
yet been accomplished. Since frozen bodies will keep for thousands of
years without spoilage, cryonicists are signing up to be frozen on the
chance that a future technology will resuscitate them.  So cryonicists
require neither the approval of christians nor the existence of a
working resuscitation technology in order to obtain this chance (slim
though it may be) of surviving what 20th century medicine cannot treat.

It is important that any christian with an interest in cryonics
recognise that such resuscitation is not equivalent to anything holy or
mystical, but, if it works, represents nothing more than a medical
technology analogous to, though vastly more complex than, CPR. Once this
recognition is made, then I certainly agree with you that there is
nothing that should suggest to a christian that cryonics is an unacceptable 
practice within the context of mainstream beliefs.

--

| mailto:       |                Accept Everything              |

| http://www.zip.com.au/~pete/ |                Reject Nothing                 |


Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=6329