Death Attitudes Survey

[conradxiong]

Hey Guys,

So I'm not too sure what happened to my last thread, but by the time I got around to posting a link to the actual survey it was gone, and hasn't been viewed since.

So here is the link - Survey provided by FreeOnlineSurveys.com

For those of you who didn't see the original post. I am interested in and doing research on the different reasons people are or are not afraid of death.

I am investigating whether there is a difference between religious and non-religious people, as well as differences between various religions. I'll also be looking at other factors such as age, gender etc.

I've saved the last thread, and might PM some of the respondents who had some really interesting things to say.

Please continue the discussion here and please help me out by taking a couple of minutes to fill out the anonymous questionnaire.

Why are you/aren't you afraid of dying?

How does religion play a role in your fear or lack of fear?

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

There is no possible reason to fear the inevitable.

Religious belief only gives faith in a possible set of outcomes.
Even for those Outcomes to have meaning, one must believe that the Ego survives death
I do not.

 

[McBell]

There is no possible reason to fear the inevitable.

I disagree.
In fact, I say that there are all manner of legitimate and reasonable reasons to fear death.

fear of not being able to watch their kids grow up, for example.

 

[SHANMAC]

I've never had a fear of death that I can recall. Since I became a beliver about 5 or so years ago, I certainly cannot say that my non-fear of death had anything to do with religion. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure I was too busy living life and having fun to worry about death. I know that I was not in any way, shape or form religious througout those years. I can tell you, however, that now my faith eliminates any fear of death.

 

[sandandfoam]

I think I carried an unconscious fear of death for a long time. I used go out of my way to place myself in dangerous situations - I think I did so because I was afraid to die.
Then I was very sick at the start of this year and probably lucky not to die. While sick I felt something (cue to mock...) but I am now much less afraid. I badly want to live. For a long time. But I don't think I'm afraid.

 

[MSizer]

I don't remember who was the first to say it, but I love the statement "I was dead for 13.6 billion years prior to my birth and I was fine with it then, so I see no reason to be afraid of it now."

 

[BruceDLimber]

Greetings!

To quote the Baha'i scriptures:

"O SON OF THE SUPREME!

"I have made death a messenger of joy to thee; why dost thou grieve?
I have made the light to shine upon thee; why dost thou veil thyself therefrom?"

--The Hidden Words, Part One, #32

Best!

Bruce

 

[Beaudreaux]

There is no possible reason to fear the inevitable.

I don't think that, by and large, people fear the fact that they will die someday. I think that people fear death when its reality becomes possible. When people are in life and death situations, almost all of them experience fear. They don't want to die.

 

[Storm]

Why are you/aren't you afraid of dying?

Well, I could give you a lengthy explanation of my thoughts on the afterlife, but I think the real reason is my history of suicidal ideation. When you've been driven to the point where death was a blessing to be sought, it's hard to go back to fearing it.

How does religion play a role in your fear or lack of fear?

Very little, I think. I believe in reincarnation, but I don't believe that what goes on will be me.

I don't remember who was the first to say it, but I love the statement "I was dead for 13.6 billion years prior to my birth and I was fine with it then, so I see no reason to be afraid of it now."

I like that.

I don't think that, by and large, people fear the fact that they will die someday. I think that people fear death when its reality becomes possible. When people are in life and death situations, almost all of them experience fear. They don't want to die.

Having a functioning survival instinct is not the same as being afraid of death. It's pure animal instinct. Neither is not being ready to die.

 

[themadhair]

Someone who nailed it 2,300 years ago:

Why should I fear death? If I am, death is not. If death is, I am not. Why should I fear that which cannot exist when I do?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I just don't find it something to be afraid of. But I do agree with Storm. When you seek death as a release, then it does seem less frightening.
As far as what my religious views play on my attitudes on death, it really doesn't. I believe that we do carry on after death, but our consciousness doesn't.

 

[Storm]

I believe that we do carry on after death, but our consciousness doesn't.

How does that work?

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

I disagree.
In fact, I say that there are all manner of legitimate and reasonable reasons to fear death.

fear of not being able to watch their kids grow up, for example.

That is not a fear, it would be a disappointment, certainly if we were alive to feel it.
Your threshold of fear, would have to be very low to fear a disappointment.

We would all prefer a happy life for eternity, if it were on offer.
However not everyone would prefer a long life with only suffering to a shorter one of Joy.
The end of life is an area full of Grey's rather than Blacks and Whites.
As I said previously, It is pointless to fear the inevitable

Very few of us will be privileged to have every thing sorted neat and tidily when our time comes.

Grieving is for those that are left behind not for the departed.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

I don't think that, by and large, people fear the fact that they will die someday. I think that people fear death when its reality becomes possible. When people are in life and death situations, almost all of them experience fear. They don't want to die.

Death is always possible, any day any moment, one no more likely than any other.
In Life or death situations there are far more pressing things to think about than death. They almost certainly feel fear, but not of death. What they are thinking about is how to stay alive.

People very rarely panic at the point of death.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

How does that work?

It's a question I've been pondering at for awhile. If reincarnation happens, then we are reborn, but our consciousness of our past lives is lost. If we are bound to the earth, and return as another life form, then it's the same concept. Or, we carry on through just feeding smaller organism, which in turns feeds larger organisms.

 

[Storm]

It's a question I've been pondering at for awhile. If reincarnation happens, then we are reborn, but our consciousness of our past lives is lost. If we are bound to the earth, and return as another life form, then it's the same concept. Or, we carry on through just feeding smaller organism, which in turns feeds larger organisms.

OK, so basically we're on the same page, only you're saying "consciousness" where I say "personality?"

 

[Beaudreaux]

Having a functioning survival instinct is not the same as being afraid of death. It's pure animal instinct. Neither is not being ready to die.

Tomato....tomahto. Maybe the cause of the fear is survival instinct, but it's still fear of death. Take 100 people off the street and take them one by one into a room where a gun is held to their head and they are told they are going to die and the VAST majority of them (if not all) will experience fear at the prospect of death.

 

[Storm]

Tomato....tomahto. Maybe the cause of the fear is survival instinct, but it's still fear of death. Take 100 people off the street and take them one by one into a room where a gun is held to their head and they are told they are going to die and the VAST majority of them (if not all) will experience fear at the prospect of death.

I don't agree, but I don't think a discussion would be fruitful, either.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Tomato....tomahto. Maybe the cause of the fear is survival instinct, but it's still fear of death. Take 100 people off the street and take them one by one into a room where a gun is held to their head and they are told they are going to die and the VAST majority of them (if not all) will experience fear at the prospect of death.

It is the fear of Dying, not being dead, that frightens people.
To fear dying is instinctive. To fear death has to be thought about.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

OK, so basically we're on the same page, only you're saying "consciousness" where I say "personality?"

Yeah, I think so.