Fiach

Aye Debbie, I personally fear dying. I fear it because I fear my final end. It is part of living. I look at it as a non-existence no different than my non-existence 9 months before I was born.

The Christian almost universally fears death. Why? It is either because they have subconscious doubts about their god and the afterlife (many of them I suspect.) Or they are just demonstrating their inherited genetically programmed self-preservation mode that made evolution possible. They may be proving the evolution that they so oppose.

It is rather interesting that Muslim fundamentalists are so willing to kill themselves in order to kill infidels. It suggests that their beliefs are much more embedded than those of Christians, enough to overcome their evolutionary programme of preservation.

Fiach

Magus55

Wrong, most Christians don't fear death. Maybe the process of it because it can be painful, but not death itself. Afterall, if we are wrong so what - with no knowledge or awareness after death, nothing to be worried about.

There have been polls on christian boards about it and very few actually fear death itself, only the process and the aftermath to family and friends.

So your claim that Christians fear it is false.

orac

Here's a challenge for you:

1) Go to a christian funeral
2) Count the happy laughing cheerful people
3) Explain why you got the number '0'

You say christians don't fear death? You say that they believe in heaven?

Very few christians actually act like death is anything other than the tragic loss of a loved one. They're "sure" their loved ones are in heaven, but for some reason they keep crying about it.

I guess the "aftermath" of knowing that someone you love is in heaven is just too upsetting for most people.

Debbie T

I stopped fearing it when I had a moment when I thought I was going to die and I remember how well my brain took over and handled the whole ordeal. It was like being out of my body watching the whole thing (not saying that was actually what happened) detached from it. I felt an inner calm and peace and no fear. I believe that when death really is at my door it will be a peaceful passing and no fear.

I don't really want to die, but I don't fear it anymore.

I am not sure why but it is an interesting question. I wonder if any studies have been done on this?

Debbie T

I have observed this fear in Christians that I know so no I am not saying something false, there are many Christians who fear death. Perhaps there is a denial about it. But I have to wonder why this need to believe in this myth beyond thinking you are going to live for an eternity. And why do so many people who deconvert from Christianity have to get past the fear that has been engrained in them? Perhaps it is hard to recognize when someone is in the mindset.

I can tell you from my own personal experience that I had a lot of fear when I was a Christian, I have little to fear now that I am not.

Fiach

I have been a practicing Neurologist for many years. In that time I was often involved in managing pain and neurological complications of terminal patients. I tended to form close bonds with these people. Bond close enough that I came to tears on a large number of them when they expired.

My experience was about half Christian, and half-unbelievers. To be honest, I never saw any difference in the way they handled an expected immanent death. Many expressed their dreading the loss of consciousness for eternity (the unbelievers) but were strangely satisfied that they had a good life and lived it as much as possible. Christians also have some who accepted death, and looked forward to a hearafter. But there was a group that really challenged me. Evenly divided into Christians and Atheists/Agnostics, they dreaded death. They begged to have one more experimental chemotherapy trial for brain gliomas, or a study agent to reverse ALS, or metastatic cancer protocols. They wanted to try every possible even long shot trial.

Why? I called a chaplain to work with the Christians, and he had little success. He would not discuss with me the details of any discussion of an after life, but patients themselves said that he focused on Heaven. But they were clearly anxious that it was not going to be that way. I think that they went along with religion all of their lives. But when the real terminal event faced them, their doubts surfaced.

So it is not a simple statement that all Christians fear death. Many of them do, and it seems to reflect deeper suppressed doubts about the afterlife. Those perfectly assured of Heaven were about 1/3. It may be higher in America where religious fervour is so powerful and pervasive.

Fiach

lpetrich

As I say, where are those whose last words are

"See you in Heaven"

?

phillip millar

Hello Biff,

It may well indeed! And I think anyone who claims to believe in a sovereign God should accept it. (Perhaps not so easy for some 'fundamentalists' in this region).

Best Regards
Phillip Millar

Fiach

Oh it is a rhetorical question?

Fiach

Biff the unclean

Well Phillip I wouldn't suggest holding my breath while waiting for God, or his fan club, to do any of these things.