X-Message-Number: 4397
Date: 13 May 95 20:19:09 EDT
From: Jim Davidson <>
Subject: Christian cryonicists

Bob Ettinger recently posted a note about a Christian who is having some
conflict with his wife and friends about his interest in cryonics.

While not a Christian myself, I've read their "Holy Bible" and would like to
offer some thoughts on the subject.  Recruiting in the Christian community in
America may not be the easiest thing, but when Christians come to cryonics
organizations wanting our product, we should be prepared to help them.

The Bible doesn't have any specific reference to freezing folks for later
restoration.  It does have several instances of individuals "brought back to
life."  These "miracles" are often used to identify especially holy people.
Jesus is said to have made the dead rise.

But the objective of cryonicists is not to be frozen, but, typically, to live a

long, long life.  In that regard, the Bible is replete with examples. The entire
book of Genesis can be reviewed by a life extension enthusiast with great joy.

Methuselah's 900+ life span is recorded here, and many other life spans of great
age.  If I recall correctly, Adam was said to have lived around 600 years.

Clearly, if these "early" humans listed in the Bible lived hundreds of years,

God can't have any problem with extended lifespans.  It isn't unGodly to want to
live hundreds of years.

The Bible is also notable in what it doesn't say.  It doesn't say that there is

a preferred or normal lifespan.  It doesn't say that there is a preferred method
for treating the remains of the dead.  Indeed, the early Christian church was

constantly adopting local customs (e.g, Winter Solstice celebrations, evergreens
in the house during such celebrations, not circumscising baby boys) in order to
gain acceptance for the "Gospel" of Jesus.  Had Paul or Peter's minions come

across an extremely northern tribe which froze its dead, you would probably have
seen such a ceremony discussed in an Epistle.  Where local customs did not
specifically contravene the Gospel, the early Christians were completely
indifferent.  Like good salesmen, they adopted the colors of their prospective
customers.

Preserving the bodies of the dead is considered appropriate for Christians
because their Bible tells them  that at the Second Coming the dead will rise to
face their Creator.  Thus, the tradition (which I find no reference to in the
Bible, though I welcome input on this matter) is that Christian's are buried
with their feet pointing East so they can rise up and face God who will
presumably appear from that direction.

The Bible is not clear on what constitutes death.  Like most folks from early
history, the authors of the various parts of the Bible weren't certain
themselves.  Suggesting that modern medical science is overly specific in what

constitutes death, and that modern medical standards aren't supported or refuted
by the Bible, is likely to go over well with fundamentalists.  (I think Saul
Kent makes this point in a recent post.)

What it is clear on is that there is something after death.  An "eternal life"
is the birthright of all humans.   Does God care if that eternal life is lived
on Earth or in heaven?  The Bible doesn't speak to the point.


The Bible talks about a "Tree of Life," the fruit of which gives eternal life to
the consumer.  Thus, in Genesis, it establishes that eternal life on Earth is
possible.  Having eaten from the "Tree of Knowledge," the original humans are
prevented from tasting this other fruit.  It is not clear that they need to eat
such fruit, since it later turns out that they have eternal life anyway.

I'm not saying that one can convince anyone who opposes cryonics on religious

grounds by using arguments from the Bible.  That isn't the issue, and I wouldn't
dream of wasting much time that way.  But we will find ourselves in a position

to help individuals who come from strongly Christian backgrounds and who want to
have their bodies frozen after death.  


If we can prepare them with arguments that help create doubt among their friends
and loved ones about the certitude of their anti-cryonics beliefs, we may
succeed in getting the already-inclined Christians signed up.  We can also be
prepared with these arguments (and other, better ones) when relatives of a

Christian suspension member try to prevent the wishes of the deceased from being
carried out.

Jim


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