Thursday, April 03, 2008

Living to 150 years old is an OLD idea

A couple nights ago Barbara Walters had a special on the idea of living to 150 years. 
 
I didn't watch it. I have read much about it.  Frankly I read fast enough that investing an hour was wasting whatever time I have left on this earth.
 
I somehow suspect the well preserved Walters is very interested in this idea.  She turns 80 next year. 
 
I had a preacher I admired and still watch him on video tape on TV sometimes that towards the end of his life became convinced that death was conquered and we can live to 150.  He was about Ms Walters age then.
 
Now, I understand.  Turning 60 was a shock. 63 isn't much better. I'm guessing that I won't enjoy 80 either.  I worked hard outside physically yesterday.  Loading and unloading plants.  Boy do I feel it today.
 
My buddy Aleve had to step in.  I'll be all better. 
 
So, I know getting older is part of it all.  I also know that keeping going is critical.  Living well and living right is good too.  Look at the post below for evidence of that.
 
I'm going to start living right any day now. 
 
But, there seems to be a trigger that is pulled in many people who feel good, who even look good as they get close to the end of days.  They seem to not believe this whole thing is going to end.  That's the way it may be with Ms Walters and my Pastor Friend. 
 
Even though Pastor Les is still on TV from time to time via the eternal pulpit of video tape, They don't show his sermons on living to 150 year's being God's will.  Why, well because he died at age 83.
 
Of course theologically Les didn't die.  He just changed worlds. 
 
Let's face the facts I don't want to face and neither do most people as they get close to the end.  Increasing Average life spans is a myth.  Sure, because infant death is less, and medical care is better and many fatal diseases have been conquered people ON AVERAGE are living longer.
 
But for those who live a long time they are dying at about the same age as they did in King David's Time.  Old then was about 80.  
 
It may be there will be more 100 year olds.  There were a few back then.  Not many.  There are about 85,000 in the USA today.  Out of 300,000,000.   Not a huge percentage.  It was ever thus. There will be more and the AVERAGE life span will go up a little.  But, people will die at the age they always did for the most part.
 
God said in Genesis 6:3: And the Lord said, My spirit will not be in man for ever, for he is only flesh; so the days of his life will be a hundred and twenty years.
 
I read that to mean that even if you had perfect health care, perfect habits, perfect everything you hit tilt at some point.
 
The Bible talks about what long life meant 3000 years ago: Seventy years are given to us!   Some even live to eighty.  But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble;  soon they disappear, and we fly away.  Psalms 90:10 NLT
 
Not much is changed.  We get 70 pretty good years, maybe 80.  Anything beyond that is a gift and if they are good years a double gift. 
 
I want to live full and well.  BUT!  I remember seeing my Uncle in a Nursing home, a man with big hands, a man with power, a man who worked hard.  He lived well into his late 80s.  Then he survived into his late 90s.  The last time I saw him before he died he was curled up in a fetal position.  It's the position he existed in the last few years of his life.
 
I suspect the scientists can keep some of our tissue alive in the future in a test tube to 150 years.  That is about the same idea as the end of life maintinance that happens in some nursing homes.
 
I want life, I want all my 80 years.  I want them well and full. 
 
It has always been ever thus.  That's what Barbara Walters wants.  I hope she knows Jesus, she will never have to die.  Her hope in a 150 year life span is just a daydream.
 
In Heaven according to folks who have been there and come back, She'll look GOOD.
 
There's a evangelistic outreach idea who's time may have come.

2 comments:

Ben Abba said...

I watched the show Tuesday night and I enjoyed it. However I was a littel disappointed that they did not talk about anyone who had already lived past 150 years. I have researched people who had lived 150 years or more, such as Li Ching Yun, who died in 1933 at the age of 256 years. And of course, there were many people in the Bible who surviced much more than 150 years.

As I was researching these supercentenarians, I came across a few of these people that are still alive today that have surpassed 150 years. Of these incredible people, my focus is now on a living, breathing immortal whom I fully believe is nearly 2,800 years old.

My intentions was to find out how these amazing people survive for so many years. I fully believed that if we could model the lifestyle of these supercentenarians, we too could live a much longer and healthier life style. I have summarized what I have found on my main blog:
www.Ben-Abba.com which I intent to publish starting with my first book: “Secrets of an Immortal - An Eyewitness Account of 2,800 Years of History”.

Blessings!

Unknown said...

Hey Northern Gleaner,

I just wanted to drop by and say thanks for posting the link the ChristianFAQed review.

Yeah, I think alot of people don't understand the whole average age thing. Considering how many still borns and other complications at birth caused so many deaths back then it is a wonder at how the average age wasn't in the 20's.

I believe quality of life is important as you mentioned too. My grandfather died last year and I always remember him working in his yard, going fishing, anything at all to be doing something. His last year of his life he lay in bed all the time, rarely getting up at all. It was torture for him. I couldn't imagine him living like that for decades more.

Personally, I'm ready to go back whenever. Heaven seems much greater than what we live in today. I wouldn't be disappointed in the slightest if Jesus came back tomorrow to take us home.

We are aliens in a foreign land, my friend. I don't think going home could happen soon enough for me.

God bless!