I recently watched an online video from http://www.researchchannel.org/program/displayevent.asp?rid=2333
that was discussing speculations on life in the year 3000.  This show is a little over a year old, but I found it in the site archives and it caught my interest.  There were a number of thought-provoking aspects to the dialogue, but what was of particular interst was the way in which some embraced terms like "heaven" to describe the future.  Heaven was, for example, redefined to describe an earthly environment where death had been destroyed by the technological advancements.  I am often intrigued by this affinity for historical theological terms (Christian, Buddhist, Greek Mythology) in describing technology.  So, why do you suppose so many seem quick to rely upon religious vocabulary to discuss technologies of the future...even (maybe even especially) among atheists and agnostics?  There are some obvious cultural answers to this, but something tells me that it goes beyond the metaphorical level.  Another aspect is likely the precident estblished by writers like Hubbard, Douglas, Zelanzy, Heinlien, etc.  But again, there seems to be more to this phenomenon.  Your thoughts?