[extropy-chat] The Extropian wars

[kevinfreels at hotmail.com]

I just had a thought, but I doubt it was the first time it has been brought up here. 

When the first "uploads" become available and people are actually able to become immortal, and when cryo-preserved people canbe brought back, the religious establishment is going to go beserk.

I remember reading something many years ago where they were talking about how in the "future" everyone will be given a number and would not be able to conduct financial transactions without it. This would be implanted into the hand or the forehead. Many christians believe this is the proverbial "number of the beast"

Given the slow speed at which religion can change to reflect new scientific breakthroughs, I see that an impending singularity, approaching ever faster, would create a backlash from religious freaks throughout the world. They will see this promise of immortality in exchange for a binary existance the ultimate expression of satan's plan and the "number of the beast". All who take this number will be doomed to hell and the rest will be expecting and might possibly begin a process that leads to armageddon. 

This could become a polarizing force which would pit transhumans against christians. Families would break apart and ultimately, war would break out as fanatical christians take to destroying all machines capable of supporting uploads on the grounds that they are doing God's work.

Whew. A scary proposition! Could make for a decent work of fiction if I can find time to write it. 

Of course, I'm sure this has been discussed here, but it just recently came to my mind. Maybe before we start uploading, we had better find a way off this planet.



Kevin Freels
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