What do you believe about eternity?

I have a dear friend who says he doesn’t believe in eternity. He believes that when you die, that’s it. Game over. As a believing Christian, I imagine things differently. What do you believe?

Wait! This blog is about legacy. What am I doing by starting with eternity?

Great point. Remember our shared notion of legacy. Legacy is what people think, say, and do because of your influence. If you don’t care what another person thinks, does, or says about any important issue, skip this post and find a better use for your next three minutes.

There are diverse views on eternity, and none of us can prove any of them.

There is a rich tapestry of beliefs about eternity. There’s my friend’s view that there is no life beyond the one we’re living now. People who believe in the Abrahamic religions believe that there’s an afterlife with some form of Heaven and hell and that God makes a judgment about where you’ll go based on how you’ve lived. Others believe in some kind of reincarnation.

No matter what you or I believe, neither of us can prove that what we believe is true. We take it on faith, but that doesn’t mean our idea of eternity doesn’t matter.

The question of eternity has the potential to transform our present life.

Believing in eternity, whether it includes divine judgment or karma, will influence how you live. The idea of eternity encourages us to reflect on our actions and motivations. Ideally, those reflections will lead us to live more ethically and purposefully.

People approach this differently. Many wish or hope that God grades on a curve. They figure that if there is Divine judgment, they’ll be OK if their good deeds outweigh the bad. Some folks apply Pascal’s Wager. Essentially, it says that if you live a good life and Divine judgment exists in eternity, you’ll be OK, but if it doesn’t exist, you haven’t lost anything.

Perfection is unattainable.

I’m wrong about many things, but I’m sure no mere mortal can lead a perfect life. If you doubt me, try to live perfectly for just a day.

We can’t be perfect, so we should pay attention to how we handle our shortcomings. Follow some simple guidelines. Most faith traditions have some version of” Treat others the way you want to be treated.” We call it The Golden Rule.

We do other things, too. Acknowledge mistakes, regret them, ask for forgiveness, and strive to improve. Concentrate on growth, self-reflection, and a commitment to living better.