What do your beliefs say about death?

[Laika]

I've been wondering how far our emotional responses to death are in fact conditioned by our beliefs. The way we see death often greatly shapes how we behave in our own lives and how we value it or what we value about it. So I wanted to see if people have very different or very similar views on it and how you feel about it.

This maybe a little gloomy- but it will be interesting if someone says they are looking forward to dying and can share the wisdom we can hope is behind that view. It would certianly be more pleasant to look on the bright side about how we will fertilize the soil and bring forth new life but I find that hard to do that with a striaght face. Its just weird to associate death with flowers growing out of your eventual compost.

I'm under the impression that western cultures have a very negative view of death whereas other cultures are more positive. The taboos surronding death are not universal which is interesting. So if you have an example of a belief or culture that takes a more positive or laid back view of death you're very welcome to share.

Any thoughts? Make Your move against the reaper...

 

[Aštra’el]

Death is the greatest mercy of all.

 

[sun rise]

Death for the vast majority is when you drop the physical body, review the life you've just lived and get ready for the next one.

 

[bobhikes]

Its an unknown and will remain an unknown.

 

[Kuzcotopia]

When I die, I'm dead. It'll be like falling asleep, as my brain cells die from oxygen deprivation. There might be pain or not, depending on the cause.

I'm not afraid of death, though I certainly used to be in my teens and 20s. Looking back, I understand now that my Christian religion hyped the negativity of death so much, and told me over and over that without an eternity of existence, that existence was meaningless.

Like the god stuff they were selling, their views on death were also nonsense.

 

[George-ananda]

I have actually come to look at my body as a short/aging/decaying vehicle for which I ride around in and direct to learn lessons on the physical plane but that the body is not me. I am the consciousness in the body. I believe there is a glorious expansion of consciousness upon death, (for example, as reported in the Near Death Experience). I am actually looking forward to it, but also want to experience here first. (I actually believe in reincarnation and that we have gone through this process many times.)

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I've yet encounter any reasonable evidence or compelling arguments which would lead me to believe any aspect of our consciousness or memories continue to exist after the brain dies and its physical, neural structure breaks down, degenerates, and decays.

This being the case, I find that I have no fear of not existing, and try to hold and cultivate the awareness/perspective that only life's finiteness gives it value. I do, of course, like everyone else, fear the process of dying - particularly if it is painful and protracted. However, this is separate from the fear of being dead.

It seems to me that when people have a longing/desire/hope for some type of continued existence after death, that it ultimately prevents them from ever actually coming to terms with dying - which also prevents them from ever perceiving/accepting life as a finite period. I think people would make more of, and get more out of, life if they stopped focusing so much on wishing to live forever, and focused more on paying attention to the limited time they do have.

 

[suncowiam]

Depends on who's death we're talking about.

LOL J/K

 

[Kemosloby]

Death is like sitting outside of the game. Winning or losing its usually better than falling asleep on the sidelines.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I've been wondering how far our emotional responses to death are in fact conditioned by our beliefs. The way we see death often greatly shapes how we behave in our own lives and how we value it or what we value about it. So I wanted to see if people have very different or very similar views on it and how you feel about it.

This maybe a little gloomy- but it will be interesting if someone says they are looking forward to dying and can share the wisdom we can hope is behind that view. It would certianly be more pleasant to look on the bright side about how we will fertilize the soil and bring forth new life but I find that hard to do that with a striaght face. Its just weird to associate death with flowers growing out of your eventual compost.

I'm under the impression that western cultures have a very negative view of death whereas other cultures are more positive. The taboos surronding death are not universal which is interesting. So if you have an example of a belief or culture that takes a more positive or laid back view of death you're very welcome to share.

Any thoughts? Make Your move against the reaper...

Well, my intermediate family is a bit split on death. I was told we came from the water; so, I believe that is where we will go back to. Since this earth is mostly water, eventually, after we turn to ashes, we continue on as part of the earth. We are walking on thousands of people who have died. As for spirit, we believe spirits (souls of humans, I guess you can say) live after physical death and watch over loved ones. My grandmother had a priest exorcise her home because she thought spirits where in her home. I've seen a spirit. My mother has and so forth.

So, death is more of a transition of the physical state rather than a spiritual state. I likened to how The Buddha describes death as part of the law of cause and affect which doesn't cease after our passing. The laws exist regardless of our ability to sense it physically.

What I'm more concerned about is how I will die. How can I deal with the pain in a healthy manner. I've been through grief and that feeling I wouldn't wish on anyone. So, I think The Buddha had something of enlightenment: being comfortable with life/death, cause/effect, or however termed.

As for my own family beliefs, it's specifically about spirits protecting us. I just happen to like how The Buddha defines it as well. Gives it more concrete understanding of death and life

 

[Stevicus]

Any thoughts? Make Your move against the reaper...

This is how I hope I would face the Reaper:

 

[Katzpur]

For me, death is passing from one state of existence to another. I believe I existed prior to this mortal life and will continue to exist after it ends. (And no, I do not believe in reincarnation.) I believe that "the more we learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ, the more we realize that endings here in mortality are not endings at all. They are merely interruptions—temporary pauses that one day will seem small compared to the eternal joy awaiting the faithful." (Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

 

[illykitty]

I'm not looking forward to dying, I'd rather live for as long as I want and terminate when I wish to, because there's a lot I want to experience. But that won't be possible unless we manage to surpass biological limits, either with technology or reversing ageing.

However, I've come to terms I may never see this happen so I'm not really scared of dying. I'm a lot more scared of pain, since I can't handle it. I think my lack of fear is because death has a kind of poetic meaning to me and in a sense we live on. Since it's relevant, I'll quote from a post here.

I think that the ego-self dies but the body and energy gets recycled, used by other things so in a sense it's reincarnation like @Quintessence said. You also live on in people's memories. If you had an impact on their lives, maybe some of your wisdom, humour, charity or any other part of you becomes part of the people you knew. Maybe they pass on your traits to other people. And obviously if one had children, all of these apply but also things like genetics.

I don't know if this view is comforting for others at all, but for me it is. I also love to think of quotes of people like Carl Sagan, about how we are star stuff, it's amazing to think about. We are made of it, and so other things will be made of us, when we pass on. To me, it's really beautiful. And as for "me" not existing, the thought doesn't scare me, since before my birth, I don't remember existing. I don't get nervous about that, so why get nervous about non-existence (of my ego-self) after?

 

[LuisDantas]

In Buddhism death is a manifestation of impermanence. We have practices of contemplating it.

I think that helps in giving our moments of life the proper value.

 

[Electus de Lumine]

I've been wondering how far our emotional responses to death are in fact conditioned by our beliefs. The way we see death often greatly shapes how we behave in our own lives and how we value it or what we value about it. So I wanted to see if people have very different or very similar views on it and how you feel about it.

This maybe a little gloomy- but it will be interesting if someone says they are looking forward to dying and can share the wisdom we can hope is behind that view. It would certianly be more pleasant to look on the bright side about how we will fertilize the soil and bring forth new life but I find that hard to do that with a striaght face. Its just weird to associate death with flowers growing out of your eventual compost.

I'm under the impression that western cultures have a very negative view of death whereas other cultures are more positive. The taboos surronding death are not universal which is interesting. So if you have an example of a belief or culture that takes a more positive or laid back view of death you're very welcome to share.

Any thoughts? Make Your move against the reaper...

I think that only our bodies can die.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

It's just another part of the cycle of life, although a very sad one it's also very intimate: How the Ancient Greek Dealth with Death

It's very important to keep the memory of the deceased alive by honoring them with sacrifices in my religion. The body is also sacred and all care must be taken that no disrespect is brought to it since this may impede their peace in the afterlife.

 

[idav]

Any thoughts? Make Your move against the reaper...

In a multiverse scenario anything is possible and death is an illusion and life is the only reality.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Death -- and dying. Two quite different things. I can assure you that I (and most everyone I know) do not look forward to dying. It's far too often uncomfortable (I understate slightly).

But death? Well, I am perfectly sure that I -- after death -- will experience precisely what I experienced before life. What was I doing when the dinosaurs roamed, when Alexander conquered, when Anthony boffed Cleo, when Lincoln emancipated the slaves? Nothing. There was no me, no experience, no good, no bad, no nothing. And that, after I get finished with the dying part, will be what is like for me when Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock go flying about our galaxy.

I therefore -- I hope nobody is surprised -- keep myself focussed on what I am and have now. I won't have it forever, so it would be a foolish thing not to enjoy it while I do.

 

[Katzpur]

But death? Well, I am perfectly sure that I -- after death -- will experience precisely what I experienced before life. What was I doing when the dinosaurs roamed, when Alexander conquered, when Anthony boffed Cleo, when Lincoln emancipated the slaves? Nothing. There was no me, no experience, no good, no bad, no nothing.

Or maybe there was. Maybe you just don't remember it. (I just noticed that we're the same age. Actually, you're six months older, but that's probably the closest in age anybody on the forum is to me.)

 

[Vinayaka]

A transition, dropping off a physical body, and an astral body, only to pick up a new one to rebuild to work out more karma, so eventually these transitions cease, and we stay 'over there'. That too ends, eventually.