This is the title of a chapter in a book by author Susan Cain. In this chapter she writes about a group of people that go by several labels – anti-death activists, radical life extension advocates, transhumanists, and super-longevity enthusiasts. She went to their 2nd annual conference in San Diego, which she referred to as “the Woodstock of radical life extension.
Susan refers to these individuals as “Immortalists,” who believe that we can and should live forever. One such technologist told her that we can add many extra years to our lifespan and eventually achieve “longevity escape velocity.” She went on to say, “After that, we’ll be able to add on another two or three hundred years, eventually, we might not have to die at all.”
Now I’m all for living heathy lives for as long as we can, but do I believe that we will “not have to die at all?” No. There is this little thing called “sin” that permeates our existence. And the scriptures are clear that “the wages of sin is death,” Romans 6:23. Now I don’t imagine that these “Imortalists” have taken this factor into account. As a matter of fact, it sounds as though they believe that combining all of their scientific and activists intellect, they can defeat death.
It reminds me of the account in Genesis 11 when they people came together and intended to build a tower into heaven in order to “make a name” for themselves. We know how that turned out. God confused their languages, which is why it was known as the tower of Babel. But here is the exciting news – the rest of Romans 6:23. “For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”