RoxyRedhead is offline RoxyRedhead Post #1  December 5,2009, 11:00am

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Got together with a fun group of friends for dinner drinks and deep conversation and the topic of death came up (I did say we were fun loving didn't i?).

This is a real mixed bag of friends from the Christmas Eve/Easter service only religious, to the born again, to a couple of non preachy fundies, to a westernized muslim, a Jew, several atheists a couple of Gaian and a smattering of other religions.

Our commonality is a love of whisky and good challenging conversation.

As the conversation progressed, well lubricated by the 'water of life' and some excellent food, the fundie couple started about how this season has 'always been about Jesus and his love for the world'.

Which someone else corrected to pagan rituals at the time of the solstice and the whole conversation went on from there-amazingly nicely conducted with no anger or stupid statements.

Finally, one of the very religious women asked what those of us who weren't religions how we could bear the thought of death..that even though she knows she will go to her lord, she still fears death and how empty we must feel.

General consensus was that none of the atheists/agnostics really had any fear of death. Don't know if you'd call it resigned but mostly we were just enjoying the life we had on earth and not stressing about an afterlife, except for the muslim man who was a fairly negative view of his religions version of the afterlife (he is married to a western woman who is not religious.

I wonder, generally, do those of us who don't hold out for afterlife hopes tend to be fairly happy with life as it is?

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Spider is offline Spider Post #2  December 5,2009, 11:37am
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I have to admit I'm saddened by the prospect of no longer existing. I'd like to be able to watch history unfold for a longer time, though I shudder to contemplate immortality (how dreadful and eventually how boring that would be!).

But it is what it is. I'll live my life and try to do so in a way that leaves behind good memories and a legacy of goodwill. That's the best we can do, and it will suffice.

I'm grateful to be able to live without the uncertainty of whether I've earned a stint in heaven or hell. That must preoccupy a lot of folks.
 
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Sassafras54 is online now Sassafras54 — Advice Official Moderator Post #3  December 5,2009, 12:08pm
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Well there's the theory that heaven and hell were created by religionists both to scare people into the church, and to make people with unbearable lives be good little citizens and just bear it, in hope of eventual paradise.

I regret that I won't see what happens, after I die ... the world and people are so interesting! so much promise! And I hope that people who love me will get over my death ok. And that whatever pets I have will find good homes.

I like the concept that I will deconstruct into my elements and bits of me will form new things and beings. And that air I've breathed out will keep circulating for quite awhile. Etc.

Don't know whether I'd be happier if I believed in a personal afterlife. Among people I know, though, including me, I'd say the atheists are happier in general. Maybe unhappier people gravitate to religion? -- hope of future afterlife happiness?
 
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Comedian is offline Comedian Post #4  December 5,2009, 1:18pm
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I find the idea of oblivion disappointing, but not frightening.

I think christians are afraid that they may have slipped up and will wind up in hell.

The more fervent they are, the more afraid they are.

Why would you need to proclaim that you are saved, unless you were worried that you weren't.
 
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DennisWisconsin is offline DennisWisconsin Post #5  December 6,2009, 7:22am
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I don't see any point in fearing something that is inevitable. It is another journey; albeit, a very short one.

If I were to fear something, it would be the inability to take care of myself in latter years.
Last edited by DennisWisconsin; December 6,2009 at 7:25am.
 
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Sassafras54 is online now Sassafras54 — Advice Official Moderator Post #6  December 6,2009, 10:54am
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There is no point in taking care of yourself in your latter years.
 
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DennisWisconsin is offline DennisWisconsin Post #7  December 6,2009, 12:22pm
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Sassafras54 wrote :
There is no point in taking care of yourself in your latter years.
I don't understand what you mean... perhaps if you use a metaphor or similie?
 
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Comedian is offline Comedian Post #8  December 6,2009, 12:24pm
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Sassafras54 wrote :
There is no point in taking care of yourself in your latter years.
When you check with old people, they report that they are not afraid of death, but instead, dying. Out-living ones peers and family. Out-living your ability to take care of yourself. Out-living all the things that make life joyful.
 
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ming_on_mongo is offline ming_on_mongo Post #9  December 6,2009, 12:35pm
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DennisWisconsin wrote :
I don't understand what you mean... perhaps if you use a metaphor or similie?
Lookout, he's out of control..... quick, stop him before he kills again...!!!
 
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WeDesignOurLives is offline WeDesignOurLives Post #10  December 6,2009, 12:53pm
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RoxyRedhead wrote :
one of the very religious women asked what those of us who weren't religions how we could bear the thought of death..that even though she knows she will go to her lord, she still fears death and how empty we must feel.
Well I think people fear death because they don't even accept that there is such a thing... they fear being alive in a place not on earth with unknown circumstances... they have no idea what 'to not exist' means.

I don't fear death any more than I fear sleep...I won't be conscious of it so there won't even be the possibility of fear in any form.

It's like a getting a shot...suppose that need is giant but somehow (perhaps magically) completely painless... do you act calmly given that knowledge? Nope...because it's not in your nomenclature of normal existence.

Fear death?... Well what about just before death? Why doesn't that person fear being very old? (Because it's in the realm of familiar... so I'm saying people don't fear death, they actually fear uncertainty (and judgement).

As for happiness I do think religious people (who practice it) are generally happier. I also think they're more generally naive too so you take the good with the bad.
 
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