Does Death Ever Bother You?

[Gjallarhorn]

Religion and spirituality is mainly based on death.

I don't see how that's relevant to my statement.

 

[Cephus]

I accept death as a natural part of life. Everyone dies. Everything dies. The universe will eventually go away. This is not optional, it's not something we can change, it is what it is. I accept reality as it comes, not as I wish it was.

So no, death doesn't bother me, I'm not afraid of it and while it's not comfortable when it comes for someone or something I know, I don't get upset and whine that it's not fair. Life isn't fair. Accepting that is a part of the general maturation process.

 

[desideraht]

Yes. Tremendously.
To the point of severe phobia and insomnia as a result.

I often worry deeply about My mortality, and the fact that this is My only existence, and upon Death will be the end of My existence. It makes Me incredibly sad that all of My memories, feelings, thoughts and loved ones will be gone forever. It makes Me incredibly sad that no matter what I accomplish in life, My personality and consciousness will forever cease. It scares Me, what it "feels like"—or rather, doesn't feel like—to be dead. For time to cease. For experience to be no more. It scares the living bejesus out of Me.

Rationalising it doesn't seem to help much, either, such as, "Do you remember how it was like before you were born? That wasn't so bad!" and stuff like that. No. When I black out and can't remember s***, that s*** freaks Me out. I am not okay with it. Know that I am not the only one going through this and that I'm not being singled out just makes Me feel bad for everyone else, too.

I'm going to address it with a therapst. My issue too is that phobias are irrational fears... but the fear of Death is perfectly rational, given it is the permanent destruction of one's personality and consciousness, and could happen at any moment. I know it is rational to enjoy life and not worry about death, but if just comes up at times and then My head is spinning and I'm losing My balls over it. This is why I think I might need a little professional help...

 

[Chalant]

Yes. Tremendously.
To the point of severe phobia and insomnia as a result.

I often worry deeply about My mortality, and the fact that this is My only existence, and upon Death will be the end of My existence. It makes Me incredibly sad that all of My memories, feelings, thoughts and loved ones will be gone forever. It makes Me incredibly sad that no matter what I accomplish in life, My personality and consciousness will forever cease. It scares Me, what it "feels like"—or rather, doesn't feel like—to be dead. For time to cease. For experience to be no more. It scares the living bejesus out of Me.

Rationalising it doesn't seem to help much, either, such as, "Do you remember how it was like before you were born? That wasn't so bad!" and stuff like that. No. When I black out and can't remember s***, that s*** freaks Me out. I am not okay with it. Know that I am not the only one going through this and that I'm not being singled out just makes Me feel bad for everyone else, too.

I'm going to address it with a therapst. My issue too is that phobias are irrational fears... but the fear of Death is perfectly rational, given it is the permanent destruction of one's personality and consciousness, and could happen at any moment. I know it is rational to enjoy life and not worry about death, but if just comes up at times and then My head is spinning and I'm losing My balls over it. This is why I think I might need a little professional help...

This is kinda how I fell, but I dont lose sleep over it. I tried turning to religion for comfort, but it wasnt reassuring in the least.

 

[Arkjoww]

The idea of death isn't something I would like to comprehend. Personally, I believe in reincarnation, so I feel like this isn't my first life or last life I have had on this Earth. But knowing that at some point THIS life will come to an end is rather upsetting to think about.

I think everyone fears death to an extent. I know I certainly do. But I try not to let it bother me now.

 

[psychoslice]

No, not after being raped when young, nearly murdered, and shot and then surviving cancer, I think when death comes it will be like a big holiday, I sort of look forward to it, but I still enjoy life though, and without believing in a god or afterlife, i feel very contented.

 

[Copernicus]

I think that the thought of death affects people in very different ways, regardless of their beliefs about life after death. Survival is a prime directive of all living beings, but it is the suffering that immediately precedes death that bothers me more. I know, at least intellectually, that death will just be unconsciousness, which has happened to me periodically throughout life. When we sleep, we are more or less conscious, but we tend to think of sleep in terms of those states of minimal awareness. My real fear is the thought of the pain to my spouse, because I fully expect to die before her, and we have no close friends or relatives who could comfort her. That is probably a greater fear than my fear of personal suffering. I cannot reasonably expect to live more than another 20 years, and I'll be lucky if that. She will probably live another three decades.

 

[InformedIgnorance]

Death doesn't bother me, in main because I don't spend much of my time contemplating my death, that said whether it bothered me or not, it is a fact that all things (good or bad) are subject to the forces of nature, including change and for humans this means death, that is something I accept. Perhaps in the future we might circumvent this through biological rejuvination of some variety or perhaps through construction of some artificial edifice to house our minds, personally I find the later more intriguing and perhaps more useful, that said either is merely a possibility and one that may not be available any time soon, therefore I accept that the reality is that I will one day die. I do not fear this at the moment, perhaps that will not always be the case, but for now it does not bother me.

 

[FearGod]

Aye, it's not the concept of death, but the process that's worrying.

i agree with you,it will be great if it will be as easy as sleeping forever.

But still the annoying part of death the fact that we will leave peopl whom we love in this world and specially to think how they will feel after we gone away.

i think the one who is alive will suffer for missing the one whose gone,like parents,children and all loved ones.

i can add that many of us have dreams and death will be the barrier of achieving it.

Wishing you all a happy long life,Amen

 

[LuisDantas]

Religion and spirituality is mainly based on death.

It is?

I thought it was based on purpose, ethics and values.

 

[Aquitaine]

i agree with you,it will be great if it will be as easy as sleeping forever.

But still the annoying part of death the fact that we will leave peopl whom we love in this world and specially to think how they will feel after we gone away.

i think the one who is alive will suffer for missing the one whose gone,like parents,children and all loved ones.

i can add that many of us have dreams and death will be the barrier of achieving it.

Wishing you all a happy long life,Amen

Aye, it's unfortunate that the living may indeed suffer more than the dead, and that with each death there are plenty of others who will be left behind in sadness and grief.

Still, if it's any consolation; they too will die in time, as will all of humanity. So given enough time, there will be no-one left to grieve - and no-one alive to suffer.

Indeed, let us hope as many people as possible can lead happy and fulfilling lives. :yes:

 

[Ouroboros]

As, an atheist does death ever bother or worry you at all?

Nope.

It did for a while after I lost my belief, but I've come to peace with it. Not saying that it saddens me that we have to leave this world at some point, but with my newfound view of naturalistic pantheism (still atheism, but consider all life and existence as divine), it doesn't bother me. My atoms, energy, etc will go on, but in other forms. I never was. I never will be. I was for just a short while.

---

One time, I fell off my bike into the traffic. A car stopped 1 feet from my head. My son who saw it freaked out and couldn't continue the bike ride. The even didn't bother me. I could have continued.

Another time I had an anaphylactic shock to some hot spices I ate at a Tai restaurant. Usually, I can eat fairly spicy, but my throat totally clamped up. I couldn't breath. My first thought was "I'm going to die." But not in a scary way. I felt very calm and accepted that I couldn't breathe. A minute later the throat opened up again and I could take a calm and controlled breath of fresh air. It felt good.

What scares me more is to lose sight or hearing. It's important to me to enjoy music and paint/draw/read.

 

[Knowledge Gourmet]

 

[Knight of Albion]

Does the caterpillar fear becoming a butterfly?

Death is the great liberation of the spirit.

 

[Knight of Albion]

The great disincarnate spirit teacher Silver Birch famously said...
"When I come to your world I am like a bird that is imprisoned within a cage and when I leave it I am like a bird joyfully released to wing its way through boundless space. What you call death is the opening of the cage and the release of the bird from its prison."

And when your time is up, if you can leave the earth a better place than you found it, then you will fly free with honour.

 

[Whiterain]

Death.

Only remorse in leaving my body, my vessel, imperfect but I do love it, my body. Not exactly a vanity I
feel, but a loving adoration of my physical being. It is an amazing composition, I do not often try to sour it,
even though I indulge in alcohol I restrain from souring it with bad substance. It is a construct to be marveled at,
most can be. Yet I feel an energy, a potential for transcendence and that I embrace. A power that resides in me,
an emotion may remain after my body decays.

Many religious teachings go on about transcending the physical body. Immortality can be
accomplished in the mortal flesh, yet the soul is a powerful composition as well.

 

[Chalant]

The fear of death is one of the main reasons why religion is still dominant today. I think it lost its practical use about 7000 years ago, when it kept societies together. Only Judaism doesnt have a concept of an afterlife as far as i know, quite surprisingly.

 

[lunakilo]

As, an atheist does death ever bother or worry you at all?

A few nights ago I dreamed my husband died.
I felt so alone. It was a horrible feeling.

I have on occasion had similar dreams about my children.

So I guess death does bother me, but mostly the death of other people.
My own death is not something that bothers me a lot.
I hope i lies many years in the future and comes to me without much pain, but that is as far as my worrying goes.

When death does take me, the result will be that I will be dead and so won't be able to worry

 

[Ben Dhyan]

As, an atheist does death ever bother or worry you at all?

I'm not an atheist per se, but fwiw, death itself does not worry me but the dying process does. A few years back when I approached death's door as a result of a case of gall bladder stone infection resulting in advanced blood poisoning, the physical body's pain was just unbearable,..and the passing of each minute seemed to be like eternity,..and which state I endured for many days.

Since then, as an aging senior well aware that the sands of time falling through the hour glass of my life are running out, I often ponder ways to leave this world in a manner that is less uncomfortable than being driven out by pain resulting from the slow breakdown of biological function.

For now, the process I use is meditation on death, accepting that its both inevitable and natural, with the idea that my instinct to fight for life till the bitter end will become mellowed and allow for an easier and happier exit.

 

[The Bullfrog]

I do not mean to intrude within this DIR but considering that I have the same perception of death as an atheist I can easily say that I do not feel bothered by it. I embrace it actually because when I finally die I can be at peace from this hellish existence of earth. Unlike Christians who assert that one lives a life on earth and is judged to heaven or hell; I assert that one is born in hell and dies to live in heaven.

Nonexistence is truly a marvelous thing if you ask me. When I die I will do so smiling knowing that nobody will remember and that I shan't be bothered none more by the insipid rats called humans

You must find some greater value in life over death or else you would end it now instead of delaying it. So what is it in life that gives it enough value that you choose it over death?