So if there was some great cataclysmic event and you were the only person left on the planet, would there be any point living? What would you do once you had food, water and shelter sorted?
Sounds like the situation that Adam faced originally (albeit starting as on his own, not ending up as on his own), and while it was 'not good' for him to be alone, it wasn't so 'not good' that life has lost its raison d'etre.
If life is ultimately grounded in a relationship with God, and only secondarily grounded in our relationships with each other, then I think life would still have great meaning in such a situation for that survivor. You could still live a life of faith by the Spirit, and grow in one's knowledge of God in Christ.
You'd probably have survivor syndrome, battle with depression and the like, but life would be meaningful for the believer.
Mark - The difference for Adam was that he didn't know that he had a lack until God pointed it out to him. A lone survivor would (I know you've read "Nation").
I'm with Karen on the crying bit, and hope desperately (and forlornly) that I was wrong about being the only one left.
I have previously had a discussion about what would happen if most other people were wiped out somehow. How would we survive etc? But If it was just me I don't think I would survive very long at all. Not that I'm helpless but I would be so lonely it would make it very difficult to focus on things needed to survive long term. It would also depend on the type of event. What sort of resources are available? Would there be structures remaining and food sources available? Lots of alone time might be good but time might need to be devoted to survival type things.
And Nation kind of proves my point. Terry Pratchett's protaganists (as always, even when they are believers) are functionally atheists - Partchett always assumes the non-existence of the Christian God in his fiction. Imagine that story where the protaginist knew that in heaven was a heavenly Father who had loved them for an eternity before they were born, who made the world for them to live in, who gave up his Son to purchase them from death and judgement, and who has something unimaginable in store for them. Would that change the story? I think so.
Would it stil be a terrible test of faith with lots of pain and grief? Yes, utterly awful.
I'm just saying that I think a Christian could say, "I still have a life worth living even if I'm the last human," because they know that their life is hidden with Christ in God, whatever is going on on earth.
Well probably not if I'm being completely honest about it. But doesn't it say in the Westminster Shorter Catechism that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever? So if there was no one else but God, then you could still have enjoyment, but it would be of Him rather than of the things we enjoy now...
I doubt that moment would never come. After Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden they had to live by the sweat of their brows. In our society we've learned to live by the sweat of each others' brows on a global scale. After the cataclysm I would have to learn to grow crops, forage for bush tucker and hunt animals, all with tools and weapons I had made myself or scavenged from the remains of civilisation. Should I by some miracle manage to master these arts before I starved to death or poisoned myself, I would have to go on doing them every day until I died. At the end of a hard day digging, searching and hunting (if it was successful) I would fall asleep exhasted on a full belly. Would I dream pleasant dreams of departed family and friends, or nightmares of their cataclysmic death?
I'd hate it. Absolutely. And would probably consider ending it all.
I would have no identity because I find my identity in relation to both God and others. So without someone to encourage me and rebuke me and pick me up and enjoy life with me then I reckon I'd shrivel up.
The great commission, my raison d'etre, would be dead to me. The church would be dead. There would be no-one to serve and love. And I would not be served or loved by anyone else either. I would not be able to make a single contribution to the next generation of saints.
I just don't reckon any of us would cope. We can say now that God would be enough. And yes he would. But he never made us for this. Which is why I'm glad it'll never happen.
Write a treatise on life having missed the Rapture...
ReplyDeletePray? And cry probably since I'm fairly helpless without my husband.
ReplyDeleteAnd hope that Jesus will return sooner rather than later.
I'm thinking that the surf break at Noosa National Park is finally not going to be crowded. Awesome.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the situation that Adam faced originally (albeit starting as on his own, not ending up as on his own), and while it was 'not good' for him to be alone, it wasn't so 'not good' that life has lost its raison d'etre.
ReplyDeleteIf life is ultimately grounded in a relationship with God, and only secondarily grounded in our relationships with each other, then I think life would still have great meaning in such a situation for that survivor. You could still live a life of faith by the Spirit, and grow in one's knowledge of God in Christ.
You'd probably have survivor syndrome, battle with depression and the like, but life would be meaningful for the believer.
Mark - The difference for Adam was that he didn't know that he had a lack until God pointed it out to him. A lone survivor would (I know you've read "Nation").
ReplyDeleteI'm with Karen on the crying bit, and hope desperately (and forlornly) that I was wrong about being the only one left.
I have previously had a discussion about what would happen if most other people were wiped out somehow. How would we survive etc? But If it was just me I don't think I would survive very long at all. Not that I'm helpless but I would be so lonely it would make it very difficult to focus on things needed to survive long term. It would also depend on the type of event. What sort of resources are available? Would there be structures remaining and food sources available? Lots of alone time might be good but time might need to be devoted to survival type things.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. I don't think it would be fun.
ReplyDeleteAnd Nation kind of proves my point. Terry Pratchett's protaganists (as always, even when they are believers) are functionally atheists - Partchett always assumes the non-existence of the Christian God in his fiction. Imagine that story where the protaginist knew that in heaven was a heavenly Father who had loved them for an eternity before they were born, who made the world for them to live in, who gave up his Son to purchase them from death and judgement, and who has something unimaginable in store for them. Would that change the story? I think so.
Would it stil be a terrible test of faith with lots of pain and grief? Yes, utterly awful.
I'm just saying that I think a Christian could say, "I still have a life worth living even if I'm the last human," because they know that their life is hidden with Christ in God, whatever is going on on earth.
I imagine... once I had surviving sorted, I'd just be waiting to die.
ReplyDeleteSo would the things you find enjoyment in now bring any joy without other people?
ReplyDeleteWell probably not if I'm being completely honest about it.
ReplyDeleteBut doesn't it say in the Westminster Shorter Catechism that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever? So if there was no one else but God, then you could still have enjoyment, but it would be of Him rather than of the things we enjoy now...
"once you had food, water and shelter sorted"
ReplyDeleteI doubt that moment would never come. After Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden they had to live by the sweat of their brows. In our society we've learned to live by the sweat of each others' brows on a global scale. After the cataclysm I would have to learn to grow crops, forage for bush tucker and hunt animals, all with tools and weapons I had made myself or scavenged from the remains of civilisation. Should I by some miracle manage to master these arts before I starved to death or poisoned myself, I would have to go on doing them every day until I died. At the end of a hard day digging, searching and hunting (if it was successful) I would fall asleep exhasted on a full belly. Would I dream pleasant dreams of departed family and friends, or nightmares of their cataclysmic death?
I'd hate it. Absolutely. And would probably consider ending it all.
ReplyDeleteI would have no identity because I find my identity in relation to both God and others. So without someone to encourage me and rebuke me and pick me up and enjoy life with me then I reckon I'd shrivel up.
The great commission, my raison d'etre, would be dead to me. The church would be dead. There would be no-one to serve and love. And I would not be served or loved by anyone else either. I would not be able to make a single contribution to the next generation of saints.
I just don't reckon any of us would cope. We can say now that God would be enough. And yes he would. But he never made us for this. Which is why I'm glad it'll never happen.
I'd spend my life searching for someone else.
ReplyDeleteEven if you *knew* that the search was futile?
ReplyDeleteyes, probably.
ReplyDelete