Sooner or later it should be possible to find a cure not only against a particular disease, but against the true destiny - against death. In sum, the remedy for immortality should exist. Today men are also searching for this curative agent. Current medical science strives, not to exclude death itself, but to eliminate, however, as many as possible causes of the decline ever, to provide a still better life and longer. From the homily of Pope Benedict XVI, April 3, 2010 Theme of the month: a much longer life and the Catholic religion
far as religions are men they die of old age or accident. Nobody believes in Zeus, Jupiter, Amon or feathered serpent. But this does not prove that all existing religions will disappear or that men still die of old age. The past illuminates the future, it does not lock.
If some think that scientific advances are against religion, in fact it may be the reverse. If times were marked by the refusal to admit the possibility that the earth rotates, now Pope himself can sometimes be rather a precursor. Is that we are witnessing a turning point.
Many, if not all religions promise an afterlife. Here are two millennia announcement that the Catholic religion, for men and women, the return of all life in the future. While many concepts such as devil, hell wither, belief in life after death is generally present among Christians.
But that said the Catholic religion on a much longer life before death. Is this desirable?
According to the Bible, Adam and Eve could not initially grow old, only after having tasted the fruit of the tree of knowledge they were achieved. Also in the Bible, before the flood, men lived much longer and reached what we still call the ages "biblical" or "canonical. Methuselah would have attained the age of 969 years.
the occasion of the feast of Easter, the pope spoke about a much longer life. So a priori quite surprising, he believes that man will find eventually a cure against aging. This is probably explained by the fact that the leader of the Catholic Church is especially recommended by knowledgeable scientists. But he goes on to write that if that happens Humanity grow old in an extraordinary proportion, there would be more room for youth. The ability of innovation would die and life would be interminable, no paradise, but rather a conviction.
It could be initially responded to the Pope as the world's population has never been as old as today in the history of mankind. And its innovative power has never been stronger. And that even a pope 83 years (Benedict XVI) has further capacity for innovation! Some might even accuse the Catholic authorities to fear that Catholicism that promises resurrection after death loses its appeal if we can live a very long time before death.
But beyond these arguments, more pragmatically, it may be recalled that to date regarding the progress medical reluctance appeared in the Christian world in the early progress and as they were developed. But they disappeared once the technical progress made. It was so for example analgesics and dissections.
Nothing in the Catholic religion forbids the extension of life and therefore there is no limit. On the contrary, the fact to help others live better is considered desirable and the Bible repeatedly describes lives much longer than the current.
It is therefore possible to consider the statements of Pope adapt to changing health and technology to come as the Catholic religion has adapted in the past. The pope's homily of April 3, 2010 is the first step of awareness of these developments.
The good news this month
States of the European Union join forces to research on aging
Researchers across Europe have meeting in Sweden on April 15 to develop a new pan-European strategy to fight against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
This is the first joint initiative to address the "challenges" can not be solved by a Member State acting alone. More information: http://www.euractiv.com/en/ science/eu-countries-join- forces-on-aging-research-news-448949 .
Methusalem Foundation has created a price: "Neworgan Prize". He challenged scientists to achieve, before 2020, transplantation of an organ (liver, kidney, heart ,...) created from the patient's own cells. More information: http://www.mfoundation.org .
Researchers across Europe have meeting in Sweden on April 15 to develop a new pan-European strategy to fight against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
This is the first joint initiative to address the "challenges" can not be solved by a Member State acting alone. More information: http://www.euractiv.com/en/
Methusalem Foundation has created a price: "Neworgan Prize". He challenged scientists to achieve, before 2020, transplantation of an organ (liver, kidney, heart ,...) created from the patient's own cells. More information: http://www.mfoundation.org .
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