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Comment by bawolff | Hacker News Reader

Immortality is literally the carrot that religion holds in front of its followers.

That's "opiate of the masses" claim, but rather its removal of suffering and imbuing life with permanent meaning and purpose which isn't lost at the point of death (theosis).

What is the point and purpose of life, beyond avoiding suffering and seeking pleasure? Even the ancient pursuit of honor and memory is rather ephemeral and lame.

> imbuing life with permanent meaning and purpose which isn't lost at the point of death (theosis)

That's generally how most people define imortality.

If you take that + remove suffering, it is one hell of a carrot.

> What is the point and purpose of life, beyond avoiding suffering and seeking pleasure? Even the ancient pursuit of honor and memory is rather ephemeral and lame.

That is something we all have to discover for ourselves. Many people find that through religion, and as long as they aren't hurting others i don't begrudge them of it, but there are lots of paths to finding existential meaning.

I’m talking about the physical life, not the spiritual one

Sounds like a distinction without a difference to me.

Why? They seem quite distinct to me

I mean, i have no idea about what religion you follow or what its views on the afterlife are, but generally speaking, having some sort of spiritual/soul afterlife usually means having the good parts of physical life without the bad parts.

Nobody wants immortality because they miss being constipated.

I think that the commenter is saying they're both unobtainable in today's terms.

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