Death.

[Atheist_Dave]

I have never been afraid of death, but today, I havn't been able to get it out of my mind. I thought I was fine with it, suddenly I'm not sleeping, not eating, and I've got this knot in my stomach. This isn't like me at all, Iv'e always been quick to criticize other people religious beliefs, but its times like this I wish I believed in something.

Does anybody else ever think about it? I feel its gotten more than just occasionally thinking about it, I'm obsessed. This is so old, but I am becoming so obsessed with death, that I'm forgetting to live. I don't even know what scares me so much, I don't think its my own death, its other people. Since most of my family died I have always kind of thought I will see them again, but in truth I know I will not, this is what gets me. Don't worry, Im not turning to christianity or anything, I've just realised why man needs religion though, we think too far ahead.

Help please....

 

[d.]

for my own sake, i've never been afraid of death; when life ends, death ends.

but i agree about other people dying. it's difficult, but i think everybody has to find their own way of dealing with it. i've had to accept that i can't do anything about it, and worrying about others will only lead to me going neurotic. it's part of life, and it's horrible, but there's really nothing that can change it.

easy to say, but hard to do. it's something you keep struggling with all your life i think.

one thing that almost always helps though is talking to people you trust about it.

 

[Bangbang]

I have thought about it alot lately because I have a cardiomyopathy and some other health problems. I am not afraid to die but I am afraid of suffering in pain or being short of breath. That sucks!!!!!

 

[Atheist_Dave]

The thing that keeps me going is, one day I will not miss them anymore, the day I die is the day I escape grief. I know I should just get over it, I was never scared of death before and I was fine, I guess it was repressed and only just come to the surface now.

I guess the flip side of what I said about religion is, religious people tend to make the whole purpose of their life, their death. That can't be healthy, but neither is the state I am in now.

Thanks for the advice, although I have never been able to talk to people about serious stuff, so that won't be happening.

 

[Squirt]

I don't even know what scares me so much, I don't think its my own death, its other people. Since most of my family died I have always kind of thought I will see them again, but in truth I know I will not, this is what gets me.

No, you don't know you won't. You just think you won't, like I think I will. One of us is going to end up being wrong. For both our sakes, I hope it's you.

Don't worry, Im not turning to christianity or anything, I've just realised why man needs religion though, we think too far ahead.

Oh darn! I was just going to start filling up the baptismal font. :biglaugh:

 

[Buttons*]

*hugs* I'm so sorry Dave.
I really, truly understand your situation. It's odd how something can consume our minds, and we used to never think anything of it. It's hard to reason yourself out of those things. *hugs*

 

[Ardhanariswar]

You have my sympathy.

I'm not afraid of death. But then again, there's some stuff about death I'm afraid of.

Like the pain. I'm such a wuss. Its horrid. I've heard that drowning is most peaceful. I wish to die healthy, in my sleep. But that is so rare. hm...

I'm also going to miss some people. Ever time I imagine life without my mother, I start to tear up. I'll miss my family, my friends. But death is of no concern to me. Its a part of life. It outlines its impermanence to life and how we must make the best of things and overcome it.

 

[Steve]

Im not afraid of Death because i truly believe in the ressurection of Christ and that my sin has been paid for. Although I am afraid of death for other people who reject Christ.

 

[turk179]

I'm not afraid of Death because i truly believe in the resurrection of Christ and that my sin has been paid for. Although I am afraid of death for other people who reject Christ.

Don't be afraid for us Steve, We will be just fine after death. For in our next life we will be able to learn from our mistakes.

I just thought about whether I would be afraid of death if I was an atheist. After thinking about this for a while I realized that as long as I didn't suffer I would not be afraid simply because after I was dead I would not miss the things that I could do while I was alive. Why? Because I'm dead. Truly this is the only thing that bothers my about death.

 

[Steve]

Don't be afraid for us Steve, We will be just fine after death. For in our next life we will be able to learn from our mistakes.

No i dont believe you will be just fine, thats the point, also i believe its this life where we are suppose to learn from our mistakes and realise that we need Gods forgivness and therefor truly value what Christ did for us.

I just thought about whether I would be afraid of death if I was an atheist. After thinking about this for a while I realized that as long as I didn't suffer I would not be afraid simply because after I was dead I would not miss the things that I could do while I was alive. Why? Because I'm dead. Truly this is the only thing that bothers my about death.

I think if i was an atheist death would hurt even more esspecially as a loved one died as you would never see them etc again, and death also would seem to make our tiny lives so meaningless if it were just the end.

 

[robtex]

Dave, Tawn, who is an atheist who posts here alot once put it loosely like this, He said that atheist see life as a "free ride" and that as precisious as it is we are incrediably fortune to be here on earth in the first place.

I would like to tell you that while won't ever see your dead relatives again but they
got a really lucky break when natural unprejudice evolution bore them and they got to live a life that most insects, plants and animals could never imagine. Not to mention all the ones who died in infancy, were born in provety countries, war torn countries, or sperms that didn't win at the natural selection game. Being a fellow atheist I can tell you how amazing precious life has been and will be because we both know it is a one shot deal and than gone for all eternity. While I feel for you hurt at your relatives death I rejoice knowing what a wonderful opportunity nature afford them and the greatness of life they must have experienced while alive. I have the same rejoicing feelings about your existance, my existance and everyone else living a happy life today. When you look at all the life forms on earth and see where you ended up you gotta be stoked about that turn out right?

 

[dawny0826]

The fear of death consumed me prior to becoming a Christian.

I think we all go through periods of our lives where we mull over our mortality.

I recently lost someone who I loved very much and her death caused me to visit that zone of thinking for a while. The past couple of weeks have been pretty heavy, actually.

I don't know how I'd make it without Christ...without my faith and the comfort that goes along with it.

 

[Buttercup]

Dave,

I can understand your preoccupation with the death of others. It's very difficult to imagine living without them. I have never had a member of my family die..believe it or not. I am very fortunate that way but I do know the inevitable is coming, especially with my parents. And I have started to worry myself a bit. I try to not dwell on it though. If you find yourself obsessing, force yourself do something different. Go for a walk, call up a friend, go shopping with your Mum. Distract yourself. Or, you could face it wide open and sit down with your Mum or other friend and talk about it. That could help you feel better as well. Death isn't something we talk about very freely, but perhaps we should.

I wish I could give you adivce that would wipe the worry from you completely. For me, when I became a Christian the fear of death dissappaited a great deal. I think most Christians because they are confident of their fate after death, consequently don't worry about it often. At least that's how it's been for me for many years. I can concentrate on other things.

I hope we can help you somehow on RF!

 

[Majikthise]

Uneasy feelings about death are just part of basic human nature. You can't avoid them no matter what belief system you follow.
It sounds like your bored and your mind is wandering , find something fun to do. Defeat depression by embracing your passion.
And for goodness sake, don't start imagining that fire and brimstone BS.:biglaugh:

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I've never thought much of death before, and while I'm not afraid of it, but latly, actually after I watched both Saws, and Final Destination 3, I can't help but thinking of the pain involved in some deaths.
But my only answer, live while we can, die when Death comes for us. It's the only thing for certain in life.

No i dont believe you will be just fine, thats the point, also i believe its this life where we are suppose to learn from our mistakes and realise that we need Gods forgivness and therefor truly value what Christ did for us.

Thanks for the concern, but I agree with Turk on this one. We continue to learn from our mistakes in our next life. Actually, I would be alittle upset if I didn't get to live another life on earth, only a much easier life than this one has been. And what of those who have had a life that is terrible? Shouldn't they have a chance to enjoy the beuty and wonder of the earth?

 

[Smoke]

I don't even know what scares me so much, I don't think its my own death, its other people. Since most of my family died I have always kind of thought I will see them again, but in truth I know I will not, this is what gets me.

I don't have any firm belief about what happens when we die. I definitely don't believe in the heaven and hell I learned about as a child, but I'm not firmly convinced that we entirely cease to exist, either. Like you, I have more trouble with the mortality of my loved ones than with my own. If I knew for certain that I'd never see my departed loved ones again, it would be very difficult for me.

I think I've experienced the presence of dead people. I've never seen any ghosts or visions, or heard any voices, just felt a strong impression of certain people. Sometimes they're people I never knew, like my partner's great-great-grandmother. Other times I feel a definite absence. Sometimes I have a powerful dream of a dead person, and I feel as if they've "come to me." But I never have a waking experience of seeing and talking with a dead person. Sometimes a presence that has seemed to be there before seems to go away in a way that seems permanent.

Is it all just a trick of the mind? Maybe, but then, I can't choose to experience one presence or exclude another. I have sought in vain to feel the presence of some people, and been surprised by seeming to feel the presence of other people I didn't seek.

I don't have a wholehearted belief in life after death. I recognize that I may just be kidding myself about my experiences. But it comforts me to have them.

I hope you find a way to be comforted about your departed loved ones, not in the way of people who say, "Well, Mama's with Jesus now," but in a way that's honest for you.

 

[Draka]

Personally, since I believe in reincarnation, I not only get to think of my loved ones as being in the spirit realm, but possibly seeing them again in person in future lifetimes. I don't worry about death, for I don't think it is anything to worry about. I view it as not an ending, but a beginning/birth of a new life anyway. So why dwell on it? It is something we all go through, and in my thought, something we all go through more than once anyway. It is part of the cycle of things. Do I miss the persons that have passed away? Of course. But my belief makes it easier to cope with, understand, and ease the grief.

No i dont believe you will be just fine, thats the point, also i believe its this life where we are suppose to learn from our mistakes and realise that we need Gods forgivness and therefor truly value what Christ did for us.

Do you really think it possible to learn all that needs to be learned or all that you are capable of learning in one lifetime? What about mistakes you made that you didn't even know you made? What about physical atonement? What about getting another chance to go around and make different decisions and perhaps better ones that made your life better and earned you more wisdom? Our belief in reincarnation is exactly that. So please don't worry about those of us who do not accept your Christ and instead believe in reincarnation. For when it comes down to it...if your belief is right you only get one time through to get it right and it may be a miserable time at that, with ours, we have many and more of a chance to have truly happy and blessed lifetimes that we have earned our way up to. Some of us prefer that thought to yours.

 

[Steve]

And for goodness sake, don't start imagining that fire and brimstone BS.

Yeah you wouldn't want to think that perhaps Jesus knew somthing you didnt.:areyoucra
Jesus was Crucified for you, he does love you and this life is not all there is.

 

[Scarlett Wampus]

The notion of the oblivion of death can be terrifying. I didn't think about death much until an illness sort of forced me to think about it. Then I was scared! I felt like there were so many things I hadn't thought about, hadn't resolved, and to die suddenly in my early twenties was so meaningless. It was the meaninglessness of it that concerned me. In a way I had been in search of meaning almost instinctually in everything I did and I felt like there was some ultimate meaning out there and my life had been like a story slowly leading to it. To be cut short before finding some ultimate meaning, or just having the opportunity to experience meaning in general had me in a panic. Its why I ended up turning to meditation. Without going into detail that eventually resolved my fears about oblivion and meaninglessness, yet now I afraid of the pain & suffering in life! Can't a brother get a break!

 

[Atheist_Dave]

Don't get me wrong, I am so happy to be here, I am aware of the amount of things that had to happen down the ages to make me here now, and its ridiculous. I do feel better about it now, knowing others have the same thoughts. As I said before, my own death does not scare me, I do not dwell on it, I hope it is what I think it is, none existance, Heaven or Hell would be so boring! (I would prefer hell, there has gotta be some interesting people there!!!)

On a brighter note, we do not live forever, we do not miss people forever, and we will not grieve forever.

Peace x