Are you afraid to die?

[Man in Black]

I kind of think most everyone is afraid to die. How afraid is another story, but I believe most of us have some fear of the unknown aspect of death.

Myself - I used to be really afraid of dying when I was younger, especially at the ages before highschool I guess. I've never thought much about the pain involved, the permanent aspect of it always worried me more.

These past few years, as I've spent so much time at hospitals and with doctors, I've actually come to fear death a lot less. I'm not really sure why. Maybe because I'm just getting older. I know that when I pray sometimes - I find myself asking God to let me live long enough to see certain things in my son's lifetime. If I had some terminal disease and only had a limited amount of time I might be a bit more scared of death... I don't know.

How do you guys feel about death? Do you think about it often, never or just once and a while?

[zenobia]

I'm not affraid to die, I guess. I rarely think about that in fact.

I speak about it, I makes jokes about it, I try to see it in a natural way. One thing is for sure, I do concern with what will happen to my family, how will they feel

When I was younger I thought death would be like floating in space or something.
I guess I'm only curious - like almost everyone - to see what happens next, when we cross to the other side. Are we really going to heaven to meet God an become one of his angels? Are gonna fall into a void? Are we gonna travel around the world in spirit? Become ghosts? Are we gonna be driven by Charon to an underworld?

Whatever happens, that doesnt worrie me. I think we all should live in peace with ourselves and the world, have our hearts clean from negative feelings and let it come naturally.

[Man in Black]

That's a great attitude to have Z. That's what I'm learning to see now - making the most out of the time we have is the best way to go with it.

[blackcat]

I am not afraid to die. I used to be when I was younger but since I have come to know God I am not afraid anymore. I know this sounds a bit strange but I believe that God has good things in store for me on earth and in heaven. I used to worry alot about what my purpose for being here was and I have since realized that I am on the right path now.

I get to hang out with you good people everyday so that has to be a good thing.

[Moonshadow]

I'm not so much afraid of dying and what comes afterwards; kind of along the same lines as Cat, I have faith in what awaits on the "other side".

I'm much more worried about dying before I do everything I want to in this life. I don't want to go before I find the one I'm willing to spend my life with, before I have children and watch them grow up. *shrugs* I just want to be able to live before I die.

[Jason]

Interesting thoughts everyone!

To be honest, I don't think I'm afraid to die. I sure do want to live a full and happy life, no doubt. I want to experience more in life. I want to accomplish goals, raise a family. Basically everything anybody desires. But the physical act of death itself doesn't scare me. It did for a while when I was younger. Especially when the thought of God not even existing came into play. I blame my 8th grade science teacher!!!

I want to be the best man I can be. To be the best future father I can be. To provide for my family. To be successful.

[lynne]

Because of my religion (LDS aka Mormon) I've never really been afraid to die. It's sad when someone I know dies, but I see it more like the person moves somewhere else and forgot to pack their body. That came out a bit belittling. Didn't mean it to sound like that. I'll use an example. When my father-in-law died, I took on an attitude that he didn't die. He just moved to heaven, and when I move there, I'll see him again.

I used to have dreams of the end of the world as we know it that scared me more than the thought of dying. The only thing that really scares me about dying is not knowing if I'll die in my sleep of old age, if I'll die violently like in an earthquake or a shooting or something. I don't like pain and don't want to die in pain. But I know that once I do die, it'll be a grand reunion with my family that went on before, as well as pets I've had. And I feel I'll finally be able to meet my Dad's Dad, who died when my brother was a baby. (I'm the youngest of 4, he's 2nd in line in the family).

I honestly don't know what I would think about death without my religion and what I grew up being taught in church about it. And what I learned is a huge comfort to me.

[Man in Black]

Sept 22, 2008 1:23:26 GMT -5 Jason said:

Especially when the thought of God not even existing came into play. I blame my 8th grade science teacher!!!

Lol, just remember Jason an 8th grade teacher is really only an expert at... well 8th grade. And science is wonderful (in fact one of my very favorite subjects) but they can tell us we evolved from this, evolved from that... and while it may be true all the way down to the very cosmic dust that is at the base of all that is... science can't and never will be able to explain where the dust came from... without God.

[Fish]

I'm not afraid of dying. The only thing I really have any issue with is how I die. I hope that the means to my end will be as "user friendly" as possible. I'm all about the quick and relatively painless. I don't want to die by anything like fire or drowning.

I don't really know what to make of the notion of an after-life. I was born and raised as a Lutheran. As a teen I was very involved in the church. I even came real close to going into the ministry, myself.

As I grew older, however, my mind became more scientific. I became a person whose beliefs are more fact based than faith based. I like rock solid proof.

I believe in a "higher power," but I see that higher power through cosmological eyes. I see it not only as the driving energy force, but as the very essence of all that is. Everything in this universe is tied to it and descendant of it. We're made of the stars. We are energy. Our bodies are only the vessels in which that energy force (or soul, if you will) dwells.

They say that energy never dissipates so the question is where does our life energy go when our bodies are no longer capable of carrying it. Whatever your own beliefs are on that matter, I'd like to think that everybody goes to their own version of the after-life be that the Christian heaven, enlightenment from the Buddhist Samsara or the Vikings Valhalla.

My personal version of heaven involves a large scenic lake that's chock full of game fish and I'm the only one with a boat and a fishing pole.