I'll be 70 soon. Am I scared of dying, no. Everybody does sooner or later, I have had a full life. That said, I do not know when I'll die, it could be in the next couple of seconds or 30 years from now. Somehow not knowing when I think is a big thing. Now if I was on death row with a hanging scheduled to take place the next day or week, that may be different. Perhaps knowing the date and time makes a huge difference, could be for me. I am not sure. There are a lot of things that happen, different situations that one will say they will do this or do that if they occur. But I think one never knows how one will react until that situation presents itself head on.
But most of us are far more afraid of losing life, than we are of the process. The vast majority of newly diagnosed cancer patients say their greatest fear is dying, not chemotherapy and pain etc. The fear of life ending overwhelms all thoughts of process.
It'd hurt for seconds or minutes. Why does this even factor into the equation? I have trouble understanding this, I must say. And I've experienced the most profound pain the human body can tolerate which doesn't actually kill you ... three times.
I wouldn't make a blanket statement about Christians. It depends on one's faith. Of course a Christian feels the same angst just like any other person........ but from a logical perspective a Christian is most likely to embrace God in his moment of death. As a matter of fact, some non-believers look to God in their moment of death. We know of non-Christians who'd made deathbed conversions. Why do some have deathbed conversions? From non-believer to becoming a believer? Calling on God, and holding Him to His promise? I haven't heard of a Christian who converted to atheism in his moment of death! How many call on God in the face of disaster? When they're running away from danger? Overcome by extreme fear? A lot of ...."Oh God!" ......"Oh God!" From a logical point of view, who is most likely to fear death? The Christian who believes he's not alone in this passage, and that death is just the step to an eternal life with Christ.....or the atheist who believes he's about to be snuffed out of existence? When one accepts the inevitable end......how many atheists I wonder had moments of doubt about their belief that there's nothing after death? All the what if? What if there's an after life and there is indeed Judgement Day to come? What if eternal damnation is true? A dying Christian is most likely to be strongest in his belief at that moment of death. What choice does he have? You think the moment of death for a Christian, is the time to contemplate an afterlife? Of course, it's only natural to cling to faith....that's what I think. Believing that death is just the passage to eternal life, and that Christ is with him as he goes "through the valley of death".........is what psychologists would say, also a "mechanism" that helps him to face the unknown. So yes, a Christian is most likely to be strong in faith when he faces death.
We've got varying pain levels. It's the anticipation of pain, is what's the "painful" part I think. It's psychological. If you don't know death is coming, of course you don't think of pain. It's like waiting for your turn at the dentist chair - some adults need to gassed on the dentist chair - or as a child waits in line for his vaccination (and he imagines about the needle).
God understands what a person goes through as he lays dying......and He gave the reassurance that the dying CHRISTIAN, will not be alone. Psalm 23 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Nah... I welcome it. I am not even old yet. Although I think I have always had a welcoming approach to death.
Interesting the TWO ways of phrasing it... 1. "Are you afraid of dying?" or 2. "Are you afraid of being dead?"
I don't mean to be a party pooper, but you're entirely wrong. Ask anyone who spends a lot of time around the dying. There is NO difference, either for the dying believer or their believing loved ones. And many will attest to the fact that believers are often more upset by death. There is no peaceful calm and acceptance (which morphine doesn't supply), there is distress, fear, horror, pain, resistance, denial, etc etc etc. And I'm sorry to have to tell you, but a lifetime of faith can collapse in seconds in the face of immanent death. I don't mean they stop believing, I mean they suddenly acknowledge that death is probably permanent. To realise that at the VERY LAST MINUTE is something we as non-believers don't have to endure. We know it all along. It's terrible to see people 'lose their faith' in that way .. it can be most traumatic. I've personally seen this happen quite a few times. Some to the point of the bereaved needing sedation to prevent them from clawing the dying/dead person back into the world. Awful. The point is, religious faith appears to provide zero comfort, at the time it's clearly most needed. Doesn't matter what the faith is, either. It's a universal failure. And it can in some cases, make the whole experience worse. - - - Updated - - - Well he's doing a seriously crappy job of it, because I see the complete opposite, and I see a lot of death. - - - Updated - - - I still don't get it. When compared to LOSING YOUR LIFE, what's a bit of searing pain?
It's the same mechanism as crying out for your mommy .. which interestingly, some still do in adulthood in a crisis. It's what we overhear others say in a panic, so it's enculturated. If there was anything meaningful to it (beyond enculturated panic speak), and specific to your idea of god, we'd be bleating "Yahweh of The Jews" or something.
When I was younger the idea of not existing before birth and not existing after death were as unfathomable to me as infinity is beyond human understanding. I do not anticipate the day I die, but if I live the life I want to live and do good, and leave a positive mark on this world for my children to enjoy I will be satisfied to find out what is on the other side.
Don't they describe orgasm as, "little death?" http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=la petite mort https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_petite_mort
Why? Are you suicidal, or believe that death is a relief or exoneration for wrongs of your living body, or do you think have control over death?
I'm not really scared of dying, because I know I won't exist and won't care once it happens. But I am concerned with suffering, and then being embarrassed by my death. Like if I died masturbating or something. But all that embarrassment doesn't exist past your death. How could it? What is embarrassment if it is? A "moral" indicator? I am embarrassed for far less reasons, like for not paying someone $0.50 for a bookmark they made me in 5th grade. Is that equivolent? Or is it just triage? Idea's we use to make ourselves conform to some norm to which we can't truly know it's origins?
How can I ask the dead? Sorry to burst your bubbles.....but I've seen and talked to people who are dying. One lady friend who's on her deathbed (cancer) and I, even joked about dying......that's how peaceful she was about her coming death. I told her, "don't forget to put in a good word for me when you get there." And she laughed.....and said, "don't worry, I won't forget." She was dead a couple of days later. A really old gentleman at our church had been praying for death - so when it finally came, the Pastor was giving thanks and praise, with a big grin on his face! Well, I've heard of deathbed conversions to Christianity, many times......but I've never heard of a deathbed conversion to atheism. Well, that is not a collapse of faith. To be assailed by doubts from time to time, is common. You don't have to be dying to have those moments. Of course, speaking as a Christian, I see that as an attempt by Satan to undermine one's faith. You have to understand that Christians deal with the supernatural. It is a supernatural warfare that we fight. That's why prayer is important. When one humbly submits to God and ask God for assistance against Satan, He answers. Faith helps millions in places like Africa and the middle east.....where living is dangerous. Conversions are exploding in those places. There are secretly converted muslims to Christianity. Obviously, they find comfort in Christ. Many die as martyrs. Yes, we have millions of modern day martyrs. It is known that when living gets tough, more turn to faith. That's a fact. Because you're not really seeing. You only think you do. You're blind to it. Because I'm NOT LOSING MY LIFE. By dying, I'm actually going to gain life. Since it's not about losing my life.....therefore, death itself, is not the concern. It's just the unknown process of dying (not death) - the dying part that you go through - the anticipation of the unknown - that's the concern for a lot of us. Dying is like stepping through a door to get to the other side. It's about how it is going to be like going through that door, that's the concern. I'm not arguing the fact that like you, a lot of people are not bothered or concerned by that. My husband says he doesn't think about it. But a lot of people wonder about it, too.
Not really... Although suicide is one of my preferred ways to die. Especially if with age life becomes unbearable.
"Are you scared of dying?" I support death with dignity as I fear a long suffering death, I do not fear the actually dying
I fear death. I don't like the idea of dying painfully, but actual death is what I fear. I see it as an endless nothingness; no more pizza, no more college football televised in HD, no more anything. I will not go through this thread but likely somebody stated that there is nothing to be afraid of since the nothingness I imagine after death would be the same nothingness before birth. I have heard that philosophy several times. Those who say that simply do not understand the problem. I would fear the period before my birth except that due to the specific dynamics concerning the passing of time, I'm not going in the direction of my birth. Even if I were, the period before birth results in birth, which temporary solves the "nothingness" condition. Additionally, no matter what happens after I expire, I probably will not fear death once I am dead. The problem comes from being alive and therefore being cognizant of my existence.
1) It's great that you (right NOW) think that some god will come to comfort you when you're dying, or when your loved ones are dying, but I can assure you that if your god does do such things, there is zero sign of it. When I say I've seen a lot of death, I'm talking about in a professional capacity, not "I've lost a few elderly friends and relatives". I also work closely with palliative care specialists who spend their days seeing us out of the world. I can't stress enough that there is NO DIFFERENCE between believers and non-believers at this stressful time, and in fact bereaved believers sometimes suffer MORE than non-believers. The whole event seems to shock some of them quite profoundly. 2) All these deathbed conversions, are the same in India? How about in Iraq? Again, it's sweet that you think it's all about Jesus, but you are hopefully smart enough to know that those scared enough to seek the comfort of childhood will seek the specific comfort of their specific childhood. 3) Yes, I do SEE. I'm the person who has to crash tackle the religious loved ones who refuse to sign DNR's, or who need sedation to prevent them losing their minds. Do you know what a DNR is? It's permission to allow the dying to die with a little dignity, instead of pointlessly prolonging their agony. It's permission given by relatives to stop trying, in other words. Many of your 'comforted Christians, who believe the loved one is about to go live in glory with Jesus' refuse to sign them. Not because of some philosophical opposition to the quasi-deliberate ending of life, but simply because they can't bear to let the person go. That's utterly human, of course, but you it demonstrates just how little comfort any of your fine ideas about eternal life etc really provide. Its abundantly clear to me that none of you actually believe it, and this is the reason. 4) See 3). I don't believe for one second that any you really believe you're going to live forever. I've never yet seen anyone genuinely happy to know that dear old dad (who's had plenty of life at 98 and really doesn't need to be kept in painland any longer) is about to join the Lord. Not once. I've not even seen mild comfort. It's EXACTLY the same distress experienced as those who know there is nothing beyond. EXACTLY ... if not sometimes more.
Yes I agree, I believe faith is a comfort for those who remain behind, more so than the one dying. There are exceptions though, my mother was deeply faithful and embraced her approaching death as she did her life, with dignity and grace.
I fear not living more than I fear dying. I want to fit as many experiences I can into my life before I die, so much I still want to do. There was a very brief moment in my life when I wanted to die, it was after my miscarriage and strangely it was after the grief, a period of numbness where the rest of your life appears like a dark cavern. Fortunately it didn't take me long to snap out of it, I do however have more sympathy with people who suffer from depression and contemplate suicide.
Perhaps the reason why you see "no difference" between believers and non-believers, is the simple fact that a person who's come to accept that he's dying.....will simply just submit to dying! But how do you know there is NO COMFORT for the believer? How would you know how they feel? You're assuming there's none by their attitude of ACCEPTANCE. When a person had reached the stage of acceptance - they will be RESIGNED to it. Whether they're believers, or not. I can say that it's only the religion of Christianity that PROMISES SALVATION and ETERNAL LIFE! So yes, based on that, deathbed conversions will be to Christianity. Your statement is proof that you don't see! You think you do, but you don't understand....let alone, see! I cannot answer for the motives of these people in prolonging the agony of dying loved ones, but I can say that Christians believe only God can take away a life. Thus, Christians pray for the sick and the dying. If God wills for a dying person to suddenly recover......he will! We've read about sudden recovery that baffled doctors. How many times have we heard doctors say, "It's a miracle?" I don't care whether you believe me or not. But I know what God had promised His disciples, and I trust in Him. Of course it's painful to lose a loved one.....you'll miss them. That's why we cry when our loved ones die. Having said that, grieving Christians are comforted in the knowledge that their loved ones are not dead - but merely "sleeping" - until the time of the Second Coming. Christians who are strong in faith do not have problems with depression, either. I don't believe your last statement. For one thing, "distress" can be a sign of dying. My sick father who was in his late 90's suddenly sat up, and was frantically looking for something on his bed. My brother came and asked him what he's doing. My brother said my father sounded agitated when he answered, "my rosary. I can't find my rosary." There was urgency in my dad's voice, so my brother helped asap....and found the rosary under the blanket. (They're Catholics). My father laid down holding the rosary. My brother said that he could see him silently mouthing prayers. My brother told him about calling the doctor.....my father said nothing, but a tear rolled down the side of his eye. He closed his eyes, and died. My brother said he wish he'd die like that!
But that doesn't answer my question. You claim in times of duress people are calling out to God "Oh God" or "Oh my God"....seeking God to help them. So why do people call out to God....when they experience orgasm? After the first time, I think they figure out they're not going to die during sex. - - - Updated - - - So depression is purely "spiritual"....there is no bio-chemical cause for depression?
