Death,Why is it so Scary?

[Magdalene]

Why is death so scary to many? Are you afraid of dying? Why or why not?

Why die at all?
He that keeps my sayings shall never see death - John 8:51

 

[Psalm23]

because of hell and all that "fun" stuff lol. Christians (in short) say Worship Jesus aka the true god, Muslims and Jews say worship Allah/God but, their books are different. So who's right? Let's say i become a Muslim, do YOU think ill end up in hell?

My personal belief is that Jesus is the only way to heaven ( refer to John 14:6 )

I do understand where you are coming from. I have dealt with the fear of hell and this kind of fear is a horrible thing. During the time I was in high school, I constantly asked for Jesus to save me. I could not feel comfortable calling God “Father“. No matter how often I prayed, the fear was still there. I experienced panic attacks, depression and feelings of deep hopelessness. I thought God might turn me away and reject me. It was during this time, I would feel slight hope in John 6:37 and I would look at from time to time.

Nowadays I feel more confident and secure in God’s love. Sometimes I still doubt but I hope in Him.

 

[Earthtank]

I could not feel comfortable calling God “Father“

So while I of not feel comfortable calling God "father" nor Jesus God, what do I do? I am more inclined to believe Jesus was a Prophet and not God himself.

 

[Psalm23]

So while I of not feel comfortable calling God "father" nor Jesus God, what do I do? I am more inclined to believe Jesus was a Prophet and not God himself.

You can look into questions you may have and seek truth. I often like to do google searches if I have questions. You can ask the questions you have and find the answers and ask others as well. Also there are library books that deal with questions of religion. Hope this helps

 

[Psalm23]

So while I of not feel comfortable calling God "father" nor Jesus God, what do I do? I am more inclined to believe Jesus was a Prophet and not God himself.

For myself if I had questions about who God was or anything else I would probably ask God and seek answers. Hope this helps. Wish you the best.

 

[leroy]

Why is death so scary to many? Are you afraid of dying? Why or why not?

Before I became a father, death was not a big deal for me, but now that I have a 1yo daughter I guess I am afraid of her growing without a father

 

[YoursTrue]

You know... I know you don't mean any disrespect, but that kind of mindset has always left a bad taste in my mouth. When folks like to take people and put them in categories according to their preconcieved notions about what they think those people are like, it never actually reflects how the person is or what they think or how they feel.

You see, I used to think that this life was a stepping stone to something better. I believed that all the hardships I faced in this life would magically go away when I died; that all the time I squandered, all the opportunities I missed, and all the neglect of myself that I endured for the sake of others who'd use me for my selflessness was ok because when I died I would finally be able to be happy in heaven. I never really respected the life I had, because I believed god had something better in store for me than the life I lived.

Only in realising my mortality have I found that life is truly, truly precious. Every breath I take is one less breath I have before I die forever. I've learned that time is a precious thing never to be wasted. I've learned that opportunities are gone forever if you don't strike when the iron is hot. I've also learned that by strengthening yourself, it puts you in a better position to help people in a more healthy and meaingful way.

You assume I fear death. In truth, I've learned how to love life.

And truly I understand what you're saying here. However, and it's a big however, and I speak as Paul did about himself in my case -- unless God Himself reaches you, it will not be understood about life and death, the purpose of life, and who God really is.

 

[YoursTrue]

because of hell and all that "fun" stuff lol. Christians (in short) say Worship Jesus aka the true god, Muslims and Jews say worship Allah/God but, their books are different. So who's right? Let's say i become a Muslim, do YOU think ill end up in hell?

You know, here's something Jesus said that I was thinking about: He said in prayer to his Father in heaven, "This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ." Now if Jesus spoke of the "only true God," doesn't that imply that he knew there were others called God or gods? Again -- John 17:3 - "This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ." So Jesus knew there were others called God. (or gods.)

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Sleep in death is not annihilation or extinction in death. The Bible never teaches that we become non existent in death.
Sleep in death actually suggests that we are still there, just in a different state to our normal waking state.

Right, the dead are resurrected ( awakened ) from death's deep sleep.
However, those who prove to be wicked will be 'destroyed forever' - Psalms 92:7; Psalms 104:35; Proverbs 2:21-22.
This includes wicked sinner Satan will be ' destroyed ' by Jesus - Hebrews 2:14 B.
We need to ' repent ' if we don't want to ' perish ' ( be destroyed ) 2 Peter 3:9

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Why die at all?
He that keeps my sayings shall never see death - John 8:51

Never see 'eternal death ' aka destruction - Psalms 92:7; Psalms 104:35; Jeremiah 51:39; Jeremiah 51:57.

If we could stop sinning we would Not die, so why we die at all is because we are sinners.
Death is the total price tag that sin pays - Romans 6:23,7
Because we can't resurrect oneself or another we need someone who can resurrect us. Jesus can and will - Revelation 1:18

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Before I became a father, death was not a big deal for me, but now that I have a 1yo daughter I guess I am afraid of her growing without a father

I was very young when my father died, before he died he told me if I love God He will take care of me.
I knew to love God one needs to learn and keep God's commands.
The God of the Bible is Not only Creator and God but also: Heavenly Father.
I have found when I listen to God He is like a caring and loving Father throughout my life.
When I default to His training, His teachings, things work out.

 

[Earthtank]

He said in prayer to his Father in heaven

Doesn't this mean that Jesus wasn't God since he prayed? Why does God need to pray?

 

[URAVIP2ME]

So while I of not feel comfortable calling God "father" nor Jesus God, what do I do? I am more inclined to believe Jesus was a Prophet and not God himself.

Jesus taught that he is the Son of God when he answered as to who he is at John 10:36.
So, Jesus never said he was God.
No man can see God and live. People saw Jesus and lived.
Dead Jesus did Not resurrect himself.
The resurrected by God and ascended-to-heaven Jesus still thinks he has a God over him according to Revelation 3:12.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Doesn't this mean that Jesus wasn't God since he prayed? Why does God need to pray?

Jesus said to whom we should worship at John 4:23-24
Jesus directed prayer to: Our Father who is in Heaven......

 

[Earthtank]

Jesus said to whom we should worship at John 4:23-24
Jesus directed prayer to: Our Father who is in Heaven......

So are you saying Jesus was/is NOT God? If yes, then what was he?

 

[URAVIP2ME]

So are you saying Jesus was/is NOT God? If yes, then what was he?

According to gospel writer John, pre-human heavenly Jesus is the beginning of the creation by God - see Revelation 3:14 B
So, before any angels were created, pre-human heavenly Jesus was God's first heavenly creation - Colossians 1:15 B (God's Son)

 

[Deeje]

Some ─ elephants and chimps (maybe dolphins) are mentioned in the literature ─ appear to understand the concept of death, and have particular behaviors when particular deaths occur.

Yes, they can comprehend when some part of their herd or troop dies, but it is after the death has occurred that they react to it. They have no concept of it before it happens, or that it will happen to them. That requires imagination, which I believe is a purely human trait. Fight or flight is instinctive, even in us. Protection and feeding of the young is also instinctive. Not a lot of human behavior is instinctive though.....we are designed to be taught....our young are born helpless and we need to take care of them way longer than most animals species. As they grow, they learn and are designed to go on learning with an amazing brain capacity that can accommodate many lifetimes of memory storage.

Chimps also invade the territories of other chimps and kill the males, which suggests planning and purpose action. But for the rest, as long as they flee or are effective in a fight, the abstract concept may not matter.

There are many behaviors in the animal kingdom that reveal a planned preservation of DNA. Lions I believe, if they fight and kill the alpha male, will kill his cubs and replace them with his own. This would keep the gene pool fresh and the animals from becoming too interbred.
I know some birds will entice a female to eject a former mates sperm so that his own progeny will replace his. Some animals and birds will mate for life, others are not fussy who they mate with. ...(dogs for example) Pheromones just flick a switch and anyone will do.

Without overstating it, dogs I've known show that at certain times of day they expect things to happen, like someone's return (more subtle than just getting fed).

This though is a learned behavior. They have body clocks like we do, and if the hunger strikes at the same time each day...or if the master or mistress returns at the same time each day, there is an expectation created.....which is a learned behavior.

Or their evolution, since the ones that didn't, didn't survive as well.
You should have a good look at evolution ─ it's a remarkably good explainer of a lot of things about living critters. Whereas "God did it" explains nothing till someone shows us how God did it.And the answer here may well be. by evolution.

When I see the intricacy of design in nature and contemplate the likelihood of that happening by chance and the zeros are just too numerous...I will opt for Intelligent Design, not a series of fortunate flukes.

Take this guy..

This octopus mimics other marine creatures as part of its defense mechanism.....do you think that this could happen by chance? Looks like clever programming to me....

Mutual protection behaviors are found in most gregarious animals, like the simultaneous swerves of schools of fish, or flocks of birds. Meerkats are noted for it, birds and some animals have particular cries to warn of predators, and so on.

All explained by instinct.....not by these creatures consciously doing this because they think its a good idea.....
Instinct is wisdom programmed into the DNA....it requires no learning at all because it is 'installed' at birth.

Interesting topic.

 

[blü 2]

Yes, they can comprehend when some part of their herd or troop dies, but it is after the death has occurred that they react to it.

I don't think we can assert that with any confidence. Elephants, chimps and dolphins are each noted for their intelligence. It's by no means improbable that their death-avoiding behaviors are coupled with awareness of death, just as their mourning behaviors are.

This though is a learned behavior. They have body clocks like we do, and if the hunger strikes at the same time each day...or if the master or mistress returns at the same time each day, there is an expectation created.....which is a learned behavior.

Is it learnt behavior in any sense different to human learnt behavior about when someone or something is due to arrive?

When I see the intricacy of design in nature and contemplate the likelihood of that happening by chance and the zeros are just too numerous...I will opt for Intelligent Design, not a series of fortunate flukes.

Whoever told you it was all chance misinformed you. Evolution is part chance and part process. For example, it's not chance that a more intelligent member of species X has a better chance of surviving and breeding than less intelligent members, hence that the group has a chance to become collectively smarter.

Or consider this ─

... human beings [have] four times the brain size of a chimpanzee. 20% of a human’s metabolic energy [goes] into feeding the brain. Humans [are] ridiculously smarter than any other species. [...] Ending up with that gigantic outsized brain must have taken some sort of runaway evolutionary process, something that would push and push without limits.
[...]
Harry had once read a famous book called Chimpanzee Politics [by Frans de Waal]. The book had described how an adult chimpanzee named Luit had confronted the aging alpha, Yeroen, with the help of a young, recently matured chimpanzee named Nikkie. Nikkie had not intervened directly in the fights between Luit and Yeroen, but had prevented Yeroen’s other supporters in the tribe from coming to his aid, distracting them whenever a confrontation developed between Luit and Yeroen. And in time Luit had won, and become the new alpha, with Nikkie as the second most powerful ...
... though it hadn’t taken very long after that for Nikkie to form an alliance with the defeated Yeroen, overthrow Luit, and become the new new alpha.

It really made you appreciate what millions of years of hominids trying to outwit each other – an evolutionary arms race without limit – had led to in the way of increased mental capacity.

’Cause, y’know, a human would have totally seen that one coming.

[Eliezer Yudkowsky]
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[SigurdReginson]

And truly I understand what you're saying here. However, and it's a big however, and I speak as Paul did about himself in my case -- unless God Himself reaches you, it will not be understood about life and death, the purpose of life, and who God really is.

Well, god literally reached out to Paul when he was on the road to Damascus. Have you had a road to damascus experience too, then?

 

[YoursTrue]

Well, god literally reached out to Paul when he was on the road to Damascus. Have you had a road to damascus experience too, then?

Not like Paul's. Suffice it to say for now that I declared for a long time that I did not believe in God. But thanks for reminding me as to how it came about that I changed my mind.