A question about death

[Yerda]

I think this kinda misses the fundamental question. The fact that your personality will cease to exist doesn't scare many people. Of course a person faced with a handgun will be afraid, it's a natural response. Just because they aren't afraid of death itself doesn't mean they aren't afraid of being killed

To me, that's much the same thing.

 

[Aasimar]

To me, that's much the same thing.

Okay, I guess I'll answer for myself then. I am not afraid of being dead, but I am afraid of being killed. Maybe that's a contradiction but it is the truth.

 

[kadzbiz]

Would you be afraid if someone threatened to kill you with a handgun?

I don't have a fear of death. I have had a loaded shotgun pointed in my face and the trigger pulled. It failed to discharge. At the time I couldn't have cared whether I lived or died, but today I'm happy to be alive, but don't fear death. I would feel sad for my family being without me if I died prematurely, but I feel death is the beginning of a new life, so almost relish the anticipation.

 

[TurkeyOnRye]

I have already looked death in the face once in my life. And even after years of meditation and practice, it was blissful and terrifying at the same time. My body was deteriorating, but my mind was in a place that surprised me. It was emotionally overwhelming for me. But the moment when I fully accepted my fate, all phenomena suddenly became so beautiful, vibrant, and precious.

Some have called it a miracle, but obviously I am here now and quite healthy. So my recovery has allowed me more time on this Earth to contemplate that moment in time when all I saw was love and beauty.

Death is by no means scary anymore. I certainly want to be here in order to finish raising my children, but if my number is up today or tomorrow or whenever, I'll have my arms open and my chin up.




Peace,
Mystic

This sounds an aweful lot like enlightenment. Do you believe that is so?

 

[Yerda]

I don't have a fear of death. I have had a loaded shotgun pointed in my face and the trigger pulled. It failed to discharge. At the time I couldn't have cared whether I lived or died, but today I'm happy to be alive, but don't fear death. I would feel sad for my family being without me if I died prematurely, but I feel death is the beginning of a new life, so almost relish the anticipation.

Fair enough. Very few people I know (myself included) have confronted potentially fatal situations without fear, which is why I tend to be a little sceptical when people assert that they are not afraid of death (or dying - which is unnecessarily precise as far as I can tell).

 

[WhiteSeal]

I don't see why you'd be afraid of death if you were an atheist. After all, nothing important happens. If anything atheism is a great encouragement to stay alive, since most people would agree it doesn't dictate much outside living.

 

[Somkid]

I don't fear death, not in the least. Death is the natural cycle of life, it is also necessary that I die so others may live and have the opportunities that I have had. In Buddhism death is the end of suffering and I believe that 100%.

 

[WhiteSeal]

I don't fear death, not in the least. Death is the natural cycle of life, it is also necessary that I die so others may live and have the opportunities that I have had. In Buddhism death is the end of suffering and I believe that 100%.

Directing this not at you but to everyone reading:
Hypothetically speaking, would you be more afraid of death if you knew there was a 50% chance of eternal damnation or a 100% chance of ceasing to exist?

Atheism definitely leans towards the latter, which is slightly less disturbing me to me than fire and brimstone.

 

[Somkid]

Directing this not at you but to everyone reading:
Hypothetically speaking, would you be more afraid of death if you knew there was a 50% chance of eternal damnation or a 100% chance of ceasing to exist?

Atheism definitely leans towards the latter, which is slightly less disturbing me to me than fire and brimstone.

If the God of Abraham was in charge most likely yes, I'd be pooping my pants. I mean fire and brimstone do not appeal to me nor does the Christian or Muslim idea of heaven. I would chose to cease to exist rather than be sentenced to either one of those places. I think I prefer the Native American concept of the after life.

 

[Fluffy]

I don't fear death because that won't delay it.

Fear of something is simply the desire for an alternative. However, if we don't like feeling afraid then why endure it instead of enjoying ourselves whilst we have that alternative? I can be afraid of death when I'm dead.

 

[WhiteSeal]

I don't fear death because that won't delay it.

Fear of something is simply the desire for an alternative. However, if we don't like feeling afraid then why endure it instead of enjoying ourselves whilst we have that alternative? I can be afraid of death when I'm dead.

If only we could treat everything that way, I'd never be afraid of another public speech or job interview.

People fear things that are going to happen in the future by default, most people don't fear death because they don't see it as something in the immediate future. We usually try to live in a manner that doesn't place death as a nearby possibility. Generally, we freak out when it's possible (most people in a traumatic near-death experience don't take it too lightly)

There was a good quote by someone whose name i don't recall: "Are you more afraid of death, or dieing?"
I try to be neither, but I'll probably still freak out if someone puts a gun to my head. I think the main reason for this is that the general perception of Death is that it sucks.

 

[Fluffy]

The things we do fear are not the result of rationality or reasoning because fear is not a rational or reasonable emotion.

I happen to be wired such that death is not something that causes me fear. I am wired such that other things do cause me fear.

However, it is still apparent to me that fear is irrational (I am just an irrational person like many others) and this realisation helps me to sustain my lack of fear towards things that I am not afraid of whilst lessening the fear towards things that I am.

I suppose the "because" in my post is a bit tenuous but this is the sense in which I meant it.

 

[Yerda]

The things we do fear are not the result of rationality or reasoning because fear is not a rational or reasonable emotion.

What do you mean, Fluffy?

 

[Fluffy]

Heya Jaiket,
Fear appears to be independent of our ability to reason. Lets say you are afraid of heights. I ask you why you are afraid of heights and you reply that it is because you might fall off and die. If I then show you research that suggests that the chance of your falling off and dying is very low, your fear will not go away. If I show you research that suggests that the chance of dying in a car accident is greater than falling from a great height, you won't develop a fear of crossing the road.

Additionally, the purpose of fear appears to be to get us to avoid something that may potentially cause us harm. However, it seems to me that if we were not afraid of the things that would cause us harm, we would not be as greatly harmed by those things.

For example, most people would be scared by the idea of being tortured. However, the person who is tortured and scared of being tortured will suffer more than the person who is tortured and not scared of being tortured.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

This sounds an aweful lot like enlightenment. Do you believe that is so?

Holy moly..........amazing that I totally missed this question.

I believe that I only have had a glimpse of the mind's true nature.




Peace,
Mystic

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

To me, that's much the same thing.

I see it slightly differently... kind of like that old joke "it's not the fifty-story fall that I'm scared of, it's the landing", except reversed.

Personally, I tend not to fear things that I don't have control over. In those cases, the only thing I can control is my own attitude; whatever happens, being miserable will make things worse than being relatively happy.

And as for death, I see it as inexorably linked with life: trying to get life without death is kinda like trying to have dinner in a restaurant without getting a bill at the end. It makes as much sense to me to be afraid of a restaurant bill as it would be to fear death.

Of course, there are particular things that I'd like to do before I die, but I think I approach these more with hope that I'll be able to do them than fear that I won't.

 

[prashantkochar1]

Some time back, I had many types of fear in my mind like fear from height, fear from insects, fear from darkness and many other... Then I got an opportunity to meet a true master "Anandmurti Gurumaa". I discussed with her about my fear. She suggested me to do "Yog Nidra" a method of meditation. From last few months, I am practicing it continuously. I am getting a lot of changes in me. Now it is very easy for me to go in a dark place.
Death is an eternal truth. It will come either I wish or not.

As anandmurti Gurumaa rightly puts it ... gurumaa.com/change-brings-newness-and-sensation.php

Nothing is permanent but the change. Everything else changes around us. The seasons, the weathers, day-night, months, weeks; everything changes. This change is a permanent happening. And this is wrong on our part to say that everything should remain as it is, and nothing should change. Because if this change doesn’t happen, then the growth will also not happen. The growth which has occurred in your body, in your mind has happened because of this continuous change.

 

[kai]

(this is obviously aimed at non theists)..................

Do you fear Death ? (I am presuming that you believe that there is nothing left of you after death than the memories of those still living of you).

It seems to me that the pain of dying could be the only thing you would have to fear.

So, do you fear Death? If so, why?

no , whats to fear? its just lights out

 

[Yerda]

Heya Jaiket,
Fear appears to be independent of our ability to reason. Lets say you are afraid of heights. I ask you why you are afraid of heights and you reply that it is because you might fall off and die. If I then show you research that suggests that the chance of your falling off and dying is very low, your fear will not go away. If I show you research that suggests that the chance of dying in a car accident is greater than falling from a great height, you won't develop a fear of crossing the road.

Additionally, the purpose of fear appears to be to get us to avoid something that may potentially cause us harm. However, it seems to me that if we were not afraid of the things that would cause us harm, we would not be as greatly harmed by those things.

For example, most people would be scared by the idea of being tortured. However, the person who is tortured and scared of being tortured will suffer more than the person who is tortured and not scared of being tortured.

OK. Good post.

 

[gnostic]

I don't fear being dead. I fear pain and suffering, not death. I'd prefer if death came swiftly, and with as little pain and suffering as possible.

Once you are dead, the suffering ends.

However, I don't give much thought about death or dying. What is the point on too much time dwelling on fear? Time can be better spent enjoying life.