[vhawk01]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Why is a multi-billion year-old being so selfish with such a cheap resource?

[/ QUOTE ]

the concept of an eternal afterlife, would be one reason as well as religions that believe in reincarnation.

[/ QUOTE ]

But 70 is so pedestrian a number (more like 40 for the vast majority of our species' existence). It could easily be much more, in keeping with our being "in his image", at little cost. Life apparently has little true value to this creature.

Of course there will be lots of blathering about "in his image" means this or that or the other but not the subject at hand. All this Holy Dissonance...only among believers would such a thing be considered an asset.

[/ QUOTE ]

if it was 200, then you'd be saying "Meh, 200 is such a small number it could easily be more at little cost." I don't really think its a persuasive argument.

And I don't think you will get much argument from theists that life on Earth is fairly trivial and unimportant. Thats usually part of the package.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you're ignoring that list at then end of the article, which is sort of the point. If 200 years were the max it would seem likely (not demanded, just likely) that we would be the ones experiencing it. Instead we're just in the middle of a happenstance pack.

And I thought life on earth was the deciding time for an outcome with countless trllions of years of fruition; you'd think we'd at least get an equal shot with the turtles.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, if the argument you are trying to make is "Well, the Bible makes it seem like we are special but the evidence sure isnt compelling in nature" I think you'd be better off pointing to the billions of years that the universe was ticking along before humans sprouted up. Its not that I think you are wrong, per se, its just that it isnt that compelling of an argument. Death is important for human beings, less so for trees, maybe. Or a thousand other trivial explanations for why we dont live the longest. Actually, a better question would be, why do animals and plants die at all? That makes no sense. They dont go to heaven. No purpose is served by it. Why do animals reproduce? Its stupid and wasteful. Why not just have X number and give us the ability to make more as needed? Old age for animals is dumb.