Death: why is it feared?

Mallagio · 22-03-2015 12:43am

wretcheddomain wrote: »

The last two lines you wrote were akin to the type of nonsense spouted by those engaging in drunk poetry - meaningless waffle passing itself off as intellectual sophistication.

I voiced my opinion on this, at which I'm entitled to do ffs. Borderline bullying by you and your tone in this thread is dreadful throughout, imo.

Look up the word opinion and please note that yours won't always be correct in everything you voice/write.

joe swanson · 22-03-2015 12:47am

We've all experienced being dead in a manner os speaking. Before we were born, we didn't exist for millions and millions of years. It will be the same when we have died. That doesn't scare me.

What does scare me is dying, and how unknown it is. The process of dying is unpredictable and we don't know when, how, why etc.

King George VI · 22-03-2015 12:55am

I fear death. No doubt about it. Not because I'm afraid of not existing, but because I don't want my family to have to go through that. I don't want any of my loved ones to be the one to find my body. Likewise I don't want at all to find a loved one, or anyone for that matter, dead. That's too scary. Dead bodies scare me to death. (hiyoooooo)

I heard a strange quote. There's 5 people in my family. I don't know what's more scary: that one of us has to go to 4 funerals or that one of us won't get to go to any.

aidan24326 · 22-03-2015 12:55am

BeerWolf wrote: »

I'm not afraid of death, rather more I'm curious about it.

What happens to your consciousness, that voice inside your head? You didn't exist before you were born, your consciousness came into being after... where does that consciousness go when you die?

It's very very likely that what you perceive as consciousness will simply cease to exist once you're dead. There's no good reason to suppose otherwise.

Captain Chaos · 22-03-2015 12:59am

Consciousness is simply a state of being intelligent enough for your brain to develop a sense of one's self and become self aware. It goes when you go. There is nothing magical about it.

newmug · 22-03-2015 12:59am

wretcheddomain wrote: »

Christian experience Jesus.

Atheist experience nothing.

Muslim experience Allah.

Buddhist experience Nirvana.

Mormons experience Joseph Smith.

The food for thought is that they've all had an experience. The content of that experience would, in my view, rule out any religious answer whatsoever.

Moreover, an individual having an experience does in no way verify the truth of any supernatural explanation. If supernatural is defined as beyond the natural, how could they possibly experience something 'supernatural' with their limited 'natural' faculties?

Ah now, atheist's don't experience nothing. Read that link above, they meet their dead relatives and feel loved, or tortured, whichever their life choices sum up to. Nobody is claiming here that this is the supernatural. It may be the last neurons firing, giving you the sensation of eternity, just like other chemicals influence your feelings (ever had beer goggles?). Either way, these people claim that something does indeed happen in your dying moments, and I for one hope that I have a savage trip!

djflawless · 22-03-2015 1:03am

It isn't so much feared, just misunderstood imo

22-03-2015 1:08am

Captain Chaos wrote: »

Consciousness is simply a state of being intelligent enough for your brain to develop a sense of one's self and become self aware. It goes when you go. There is nothing magical about it.

Just because you won't be afraid of death after you die, doesn't mean fear of death is less valid in life.

I fear death. I've seen two relatives die. I fear its pain (cowardly?) loud, shallow breathing, and the anxiety of onlookers.

More than anything I fear being absent from life, not going about the world. Yes, I'd like to delay that and survive. I expect we all have the primal urge to survive, of which 'fear' of not surviving is merely the same concept rephrased.

lulu1 · 22-03-2015 1:15am

Excuse the pun but i would die if I had to go and leave my teenage daughter and son to look after themselves. I really believe that we will meet our loved ones when we die and that we will have another life after this, but in saying that I want to hold on to my living family and my current life for another while.

Into The Blue · 22-03-2015 2:15am

wretcheddomain wrote: »

The last two lines you wrote were akin to the type of nonsense spouted by those engaging in drunk poetry - meaningless waffle passing itself off as intellectual sophistication.

Were you ironing when you wrote this!?!?

bb1234567 · 22-03-2015 2:17am

newmug wrote: »

Not really. The term "NDE" means that you were actually, clinically, dead, and then revived. And the fact that these people from different religions, and none, all say there's something after your meaty vehicle expires, is definitely food for thought. These people cant all be lying.

Lying and believing something that may not be true are different things.

bb1234567 · 22-03-2015 2:18am

Captain Chaos wrote: »

Consciousness is simply a state of being intelligent enough for your brain to develop a sense of one's self and become self aware. It goes when you go. There is nothing magical about it.

I think its very magical and quite amazing

Canis Lupus · 22-03-2015 2:46am

newmug wrote: »

Not really. The term "NDE" means that you were actually, clinically, dead, and then revived. And the fact that these people from different religions, and none, all say there's something after your meaty vehicle expires, is definitely food for thought. These people cant all be lying.

Not really, we just all have brains which unsurprisingly probably all react the same kind of way when we're on the way out.

Kermit.de.frog · 22-03-2015 6:22am

I don't think anyone dies peacefully. I think that is something doctors and nurses say to placate people.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 22-03-2015 6:33am

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

I don't think anyone dies peacefully. I think that is something doctors and nurses say to placate people.

According to Hospice nurses's forums some people become aware of unseen presences in the room and express negative thoughts and expressions of genuine fear.

Others also become aware of unseen presences in the room but are much more at peace and accepting that their time is drawing to a close.

Kermit.de.frog · 22-03-2015 6:36am

Yeah but bit hard to be accepting when you are having a heart attack or a stroke or the "end" events when you are at the end of your physical capabilities.

Dieing peacefully in sleep is not true sad to say. Many want to believe it but it's just not true.

Wereghost · 22-03-2015 11:05am

"Pain" is the closer approximation, so I voted that way. But really, it has probably got much more to do with instinct than thought. Each of us comes from a long line of ancestors who weren't too keen on dying.

fedor.2. · 22-03-2015 12:14pm

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

According to Hospice nurses's forums some people become aware of unseen presences in the room and express negative thoughts and expressions of genuine fear.

Others also become aware of unseen presences in the room but are much more at peace and accepting that their time is drawing to a close.

I could've done without reading that. I do find it funny though, when some people, are adamant that there is nothing after death, they may be in for a shock.

YFlyer · 22-03-2015 12:27pm

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

According to Hospice nurses's forums some people become aware of unseen presences in the room and express negative thoughts and expressions of genuine fear.

Others also become aware of unseen presences in the room but are much more at peace and accepting that their time is drawing to a close.

Probably depends on the type of life they had. Not too late to change folks.

timetogo · 22-03-2015 1:02pm

YFlyer wrote: »

Probably depends on the type of life they had. Not too late to change folks.

Or could be peoples brains shutting down and acting a bit randomly.

CramCycle · 22-03-2015 3:12pm

In regards NDEs the brain has not yet died, just your heart and lungs have stopped. You are still alive in terms of brain function for a very short time. Hence CPR is focused on blood and oxygen supply, to keep the brain alive and functioning.

IMO no more than a dream, as your mind slowly shuts down

Idjit · 22-03-2015 3:43pm

I don't fear death for myself.

Whenever I think about death the only thing that frightens me is the upset it might cause my family. And that I'll die before reaching a point of being able to pay my parents back for everything they've done for me.

Galwayguy35 · 22-03-2015 3:59pm

I fear death more than anything.

shruikan2553 · 22-03-2015 4:35pm

It's the missing everything that will happen in the future I dont like. Not knowing if we manage to colonise other planets or what kind of technology will exist.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 22-03-2015 4:41pm

Having experienced the death of many family and friends, I have seen mostly peaceful deaths. Being in my 70s I'm probably closer to it then most here but I don't fear death. I have a strong faith and that helps. I'm not keen on the process but I don't fear it.

Saipanne · 22-03-2015 4:43pm

YFlyer wrote: »

In the absolute or transcendence there is no time.

Fact. :rolleyes:

Timberrrrrrrr · 22-03-2015 4:44pm

fedor.2. wrote: »

I could've done without reading that. I do find it funny though, when some people, are adamant that there is nothing after death, they may be in for a shock.

On the other hand there are people who insist there is something after death who may also be in for a shock, although if there is nothing after death i suppose they won't be in for a shock because they won't be aware there is nothing. My head hurts now

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 22-03-2015 5:08pm

Timberrrrrrrr wrote: »

On the other hand there are people who insist there is something after death who may also be in for a shock, although if there is nothing after death i suppose they won't be in for a shock because they won't be aware there is nothing. My head hurts now

Blaise Pascal said -Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing.

Saipanne · 22-03-2015 5:11pm

Memphis Tender Pebble wrote: »

Blaise Pascal said -Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing.

An idiotic wager. See why.

Christopher Hitchens: Pascal's wager = religious hucksterism:

https://youtu.be/X94YffpUryo

DoozerT6 · 22-03-2015 5:12pm

Well, as already stated in the thread, I really don't know or care what happens after death, but it's HOW I will die that gives me pause. Will I die 'peacefully', painlessly, in my sleep or after a short illness? Will I die slowly, in agony, after an accident or protracted terminal illness? What if nobody finds me if I am suddenly ill or injured and incapacitated, and I die slowly, alone and in pain, knowing that nobody is coming to help me? Or will I drown? Be caught in a fire? Die due to war? Be kidnapped and tortured to death? These things happen to people around the world every single day. While I certainly don't think that these things could never happen to me, I don't really dwell on it at the same time, otherwise nobody would leave the house for fear of dying horribly.

Unless you know the time, place and method of your death, there's not a damn thing you can do about it. So just live your life, and when your time is up, it's up. And when it's over, then....it's all over. If you believe in heaven/an afterlife, let that give you some comfort. If you don't, well then...at least the pain is over.

Death: why is it feared?

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