Punishment or Opportunity?

[Cynosure_Zen]

I was discussing the movie "The Green Mile" with a co-worker.
At the end of the film, Tom Hanks refers to his extended lifespan as "a punishment from God for killing one of his greatest miracles".
It was considered a punishment because the character was forced to live yet had to watch all his family and friends die around him.

Do you consider this a true punishment. as though it's a curse sent from an angry God?

Or do you see it as more of an opportunity to observe humanity and gain an appreciation for life and the time we do get with others?

And try not to turn this into a religious debate, please.

[ABDUR101]

...try not to turn it into a religious debate even though it's about God's decision of punishment? o_O

I think it was more-so a punishment, because he was made live quite a long existance without eternal youth. It's been a while since I saw it, but if I remember correctly, he did'nt exactly look, err, well he looked quite fragile and meak.

If he out-lived his family, and the mouse was still alive all those years and STILL going, how long would a human live in comparison?

I'd say definately a punishment, I'd take eternal life with eternal youth anyday, but eternal life is just hell embodied. O-o

[Twadz060]

Definitely punishment. It's kinda like the Greek myth when a man asked for eternal life from the gods, but Zeus didn't like him, so he gave him eternal life while growing older all the time. Just think of how bad life would be if you were so old you couldnt even move. Plus, did anyone think about how long John Coffee would have lived?