NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC:I also post as Ilham

I am just reminded of my mortality and I am scared of death in a sense.
While I acknowledge that it is totally natural,such a fear of the unknown,and is a natural fear for many,I am scared mainly because I do not know what lies beyond.

These is scientific evidence for and against an afterlife and souls/spirits.
The tendency though is for humans to believe what we want to believe,something that happens very often.

I once came up with a theory,that because energy can neither be created nor destroyed,our minds,being an energy state,as I theorise,our consciousness,would therefore simply transform states,like a solid becoming a liquid.Similarly,as I exist within 3-4 dimensions,maybe I am some pale reflection of a multidimensional entity,an 'overself' if you will.

to quit my blubbering,I am just scared.An 18 year old teen,scared of death,even in the prime of his youth.Ironic.(in case nobody understands,I am the 18 year old teen)Scared of death,scared of the unknown.

Fool, scared of death, and yet death is the only thing all living things will ultimately ever aspire to. In the meantime, we may have our differences, but we all die. Yet you fear death? Do not fear it.

Fear leads to anger.
Anger leads to hate.
Hate leads to suffering.

Despite Sephiroth's somewhat flippant response, I know what you mean. I am a professional soldier, and have been for some time. Death is something you live with, pun intended.

The fear of it is always there. Fear of death. Fear of the pain of dying. Fear of the death of those you come to know and love. Strange as that may sound. Although death is, in all bitter honesty, the only constant, it is the one fear that nigh on all rational beings share.

You don't ever really get over it. You just get more used to living with the knowledge that it will one day claim you. All we can hope is that the manner of death's arrival will be as pleasant as possible, and his influence painless as far as it can be.

We will all face death one day. It's a shame if it's a fear.

Despite Sephiroth's somewhat flippant response, I know what you mean. I am a professional soldier, and have been for some time. Death is something you live with, pun intended.

The fear of it is always there. Fear of death. Fear of the pain of dying. Fear of the death of those you come to know and love. Strange as that may sound. Although death is, in all bitter honesty, the only constant, it is the one fear that nigh on all rational beings share.

You don't ever really get over it. You just get more used to living with the knowledge that it will one day claim you. All we can hope is that the manner of death's arrival will be as pleasant as possible, and his influence painless as far as it can be.

That's basically what I said.

It makes absolutely no difference whether you are scared of death or not.

I guess.I have what you might call a 'spiritual' experience,but I am unsure about it.

I am also part of an organisation called SPI(Singapore Paranormal Investigators) whose website is http://www.spi.com.sg/ where we investigate paranormal activities in my country.

I personally have had experiences that bordered on 'paranormal',but I am unsure of it,as it may have been a psychological condition,or some form of mass hysteria,or my minds way of coping with something.I truly do not know.

It makes absolutely no difference whether you are scared of death or not.

Untrue. If death is the great equaliser, then the only difference is in the living. How one addresses death reflects on how one lives life.

It makes absolutely no difference whether you are scared of death or not.

Untrue. If death is the great equaliser, then the only difference is in the living. How one addresses death reflects on how one lives life.

I think what he means is it matters not whether you fear death, it will happen to you.

It makes absolutely no difference whether you are scared of death or not.

Untrue. If death is the great equaliser, then the only difference is in the living. How one addresses death reflects on how one lives life.

My point was that death will call, irrespective of the reception you are planning to give.

These is scientific evidence for and against an afterlife and souls/spirits.

Sorry to bring bad news, there is no scientific evidence of any thing after death, only faith and hope that maybe there is.

Of course it makes no difference.It claims all of us.I am just saying that I have a fear of death.

Is it nullity,non-existence or simply something else unexpected altogether?

Of course it makes no difference.It claims all of us.I am just saying that I have a fear of death.

Is it nullity,non-existence or simply something else unexpected altogether?

Ask a corpse :P

well, if how i die reflects how i lived, what if i die by a guy knifing me and taking my wallet while i lay there dying? would that just translate into: he was a hopeless, helpless man in his lifetime.?

Do not fear death, for it is inevitable. Instead, concentrate on making your life as enjoyable as possible.

It makes absolutely no difference whether you are scared of death or not.

Untrue. If death is the great equaliser, then the only difference is in the living. How one addresses death reflects on how one lives life.

Indeed, i would agree with that.

Death is inevitable and we don't know when it will come or in what form - all we can do is to concentrate on how we live.

For me, that means trying to live in the here and now, to savour every moment, to get all the enjoyment i can out of each day. And that doesn't mean doing great fantastic things...it's enjoying the sunshine on my face, watching the birds in the garden, going on my favourite walk in the woods regularly and seeing how things change from week to week...

...kinda sounds a bit wimpish but i'm enjoying it :D

i've never feared death, myself, so i don't know that i can empathize. of course, until two years ago the doctors were telling me i wouldn't live past 25; i was mysteriously ill and the doctors were having no success treating my condition. it was not until they finally uncovered my obscure disorder that they were able to treat me successfully, and grant me as indefinite a lifespan as most people have. death has been more a part of my life than for most people, and i've probably spent more time unconsciously preparing for it.

i don't believe my consciousness will survive the death of my physical body, and i don't believe in souls or afterlifes of any sort, yet i don't view death as frightening or wrong. i enjoy my time on the Earth, and am glad that i have the chance to experience life, but i don't see any reason to fear death...after all, there is no reason to believe it is unpleasent to be dead.

i got what few people ever have: i got to have my lifespan trippled suddenly, and i have to admit that it felt wonderful to know that i would have more time to do all the things i want with my life. i guess that's the closest i get to fearing death, in that i was always a little worried i wouldn't get to experience the most important things of life before i had to go.

it's perfectly sensible to fear death, since you are biologically programmed to feel that way and it's pretty hard to argue with your brain chemistry. but you can try to use your rational mind to overcome some of those feelings, or at least to come to terms with them and make yourself more a peace with your own mortality.

These is scientific evidence for and against an afterlife and souls/spirits.

Sorry to bring bad news, there is no scientific evidence of any thing after death, only faith and hope that maybe there is.

There is in fact scientific evidence for life after death.

Unfortunately, it is referred to as "maggots".

Hi I am from Athens, Greece and i d like to share with u the philosophy that some guys over here founded couple of thousand years before...

First we must alla acknowledge that the way we learned to think was founded in the ancient years. That means that thew western religious philosophy, the life after death etc had a common start 3000 years ago. In the middle ages, Aristotle was thought to be the great philosopher, the man who knew everything.

What Aristotle said was simple... Matter and energy are undistructable and flawless... The universe in undistructable and eternal. Everything is consumed and changed to a different but equal state. That central idea was the first thing that generated the idea of life after death. But ironically all those who taught that our souls are undistructable even after are deaths, forgot to mention that maybe our soul changes state... That means that the matter that makes us a being will not dissapear after death but it will remain (the particles, the energy) and maybe will give life to something else...

Its sure though that we, our "ego", our consience, ourselves as we experience them, will stop to exist... Its hard to undertand what that means... if someone tells you to think of nothing then propably we all think of something black and void. WRONG! That black IS something... We cant think of nothing cos there is always something that EXISTS in our thought. So how things will be for me for you for anyone after our deaths? Well it will be like things were when Aristotle said all this... Where were we 2500 years ago? What were we doing when the ancients talked, walked and died... Nowhere. We were nothing.. we had no consiousness and thus no existence. Thats what we ll be the minute after our death. An absolute nothing. Our existence we ll no longer mean anything to us, to our ego cos that "ego" will stop to exist as soon as our brain dies...

These is scientific evidence for and against an afterlife and souls/spirits.

Sorry to bring bad news, there is no scientific evidence of any thing after death, only faith and hope that maybe there is.

There is in fact scientific evidence for life after death.

Unfortunately, it is referred to as "maggots".

:D Well, you can take that one step further can't you?

If energy truely cannot be created or destroyed then were have all been here since time began and will always be here...in terms of the energy which is locked up in the molecules of our bodies.

The only difference about our bodies is that consciousness comes as part of the package :D

These is scientific evidence for and against an afterlife and souls/spirits.

Sorry to bring bad news, there is no scientific evidence of any thing after death, only faith and hope that maybe there is.

There is in fact scientific evidence for life after death.

Unfortunately, it is referred to as "maggots".

:D Well, you can take that one step further can't you?

If energy truely cannot be created or destroyed then were have all been here since time began and will always be here...in terms of the energy which is locked up in the molecules of our bodies.

The only difference about our bodies is that consciousness comes as part of the package :D

A rather vital (pun intended) difference, though, if only subjectively.

I'm gonna go focus my chi

Firstly, I sometimes fear death, I fear growing old and passing away and not being able to 'experience' any more.

I think this is perfectly natural, we all at some point will fear death.

However, I think as you get older you come to accept it and eventually when it is upon you you may welcome it, if only to see what happens. I believe that during the process of passing away your body releases chemicals which give a feeling of Euphoria - obviously this is not the case if death is not natural.

It's alright to be afraid of it, people who say it's foolish to be afraid are just deluding themselves with false bravado - it's a perfectly natural feeling and I know exactly what you mean.

These is scientific evidence for and against an afterlife and souls/spirits.

Sorry to bring bad news, there is no scientific evidence of any thing after death, only faith and hope that maybe there is.

There is in fact scientific evidence for life after death.

Unfortunately, it is referred to as "maggots".

:D Well, you can take that one step further can't you?

If energy truely cannot be created or destroyed then were have all been here since time began and will always be here...in terms of the energy which is locked up in the molecules of our bodies.

The only difference about our bodies is that consciousness comes as part of the package :D

A rather vital (pun intended) difference, though, if only subjectively.

heheheh! Nice pun :D

Well, i prefer to think of myself as dissipating into energy rather than becoming part of a maggot...i know they do a good job but...even so...i can't really take to the wriggling little critters

OOC:I also post as Ilham

I am just reminded of my mortality and I am scared of death in a sense.
While I acknowledge that it is totally natural,such a fear of the unknown,and is a natural fear for many,I am scared mainly because I do not know what lies beyond.

These is scientific evidence for and against an afterlife and souls/spirits.
The tendency though is for humans to believe what we want to believe,something that happens very often.

I once came up with a theory,that because energy can neither be created nor destroyed,our minds,being an energy state,as I theorise,our consciousness,would therefore simply transform states,like a solid becoming a liquid.Similarly,as I exist within 3-4 dimensions,maybe I am some pale reflection of a multidimensional entity,an 'overself' if you will.

to quit my blubbering,I am just scared.An 18 year old teen,scared of death,even in the prime of his youth.Ironic.(in case nobody understands,I am the 18 year old teen)Scared of death,scared of the unknown.

yeah i know what you mean, i've been thinking about this type of thing but whenever i try to communicate it i come across (probably quite rightly) as whiny teen although i passed out of my teenage years a few years ago.

for anyone who isnt scared of death (and likes science fiction books) i recommend the nights dawn trilogy by peter f. hamilton. the first book being "the reality dysfunction", weird scientific concepts abound but it does make very interesting reading about death and what could be the afterlife.

These is scientific evidence for and against an afterlife and souls/spirits.


Evidence for? Can I see your sceintific evidence for souls and spirits, please?

Yeah, I used to fear death when I was younger. However, since then I have gotten a new outlook.

Let's start with my near death experience. I was in a car. In fact, I was driving the car. The car went into the ditch, hit a tree AND rolled over. The car, if there is an afterlife, must be enjoying it, because there's no way it will ever work again; yet I am alive. However, that incident only made me realize that death is not something to fear, it is only something you have to accept as part of life. If you let the fear of death get you down, then you aren't well off at all.

Let me explain: Death is expected. There are no two way's around it. Therefore, rather than consume yourself with death, you should learn, as I have, to accept it as part of life. It should give you comfort to know that one day, you can expect to die: It's the only thing you can truly depend on. So, don't dwell on death; focus on life.

As for the afterlife--I have though about it for some time. I don't belong to any particular religion. I also don't believe or disbelieve any particular religion, although, I have a strong dislike for Christianity, and especially Catholisism. I don't know what the afterlife holds for me, or anyone else for that matter. This is also another one of those thing's I don't dwell on, and it's for his reason: You don't know what is going to be there when you get there, but you will get there for sure. Now, if you ask "what if there is no afterlife", to that I say, It is, no afterlife is infact an afterlife, simply because it occurs after one lives. It may not be the most pleasant thing to think about, but it's true.

Now, me personally, I hope there is no afterlife, because no simply cease to exist would be alot nicer than an eternity in hell!!!

Also, about your theory of no energy being created or destroyed: That is the Law of Conservation of Energy. One thing I like about the Buddhist religion, is that they use this law to prove reincartation--A spirit is a form of energy, and if It can't be created or destroyed, it has nothing to do but find a new body; be born again. This has a certain appeal to it.

Um, if I think of more later, I'll spew it...

I have, probably a little foolishly, no fear of death. This most likely comes from the point that I am most likely not old enough to think about mortality too much (only 17), as well as also having cheated death numerous times.

After a fact, these close calls with death leave me with a huge adrenaline rush and I have come to enjoy them. Its freaked my parents out numerous times but I love it. Flying blatently in the face of all reason and taking risks just for the hell of it gives me my kicks.

In regards to the afterlife, I don't really think there is one. I more or less a believer in oblivion after life and yet that doesn't deter me either. Oblivion just sounds more entertaining, or at the very least, cheaper, than what I run around doing now.

I can understand your fear of death, most people experience it. I can't really offer any advice though because I've had no experience with a fear of death. There is an excellent quote from Cowboy Bebop concerning death, it reads along the lines of this (paraphrasing):

"We must not fear death. Death is like a gentle guardian of our souls. If we show weakness or fear, death jumps and drags us down. But, if we show no fear, death cradles and comforts us. Taking us sweetly along."

I think fear of death is normal. Some people say that the age at which you recognise the inevitability of death is the point at which you start taking things seriously.
I have come to understand the view that the journey is more important than the arrival.

Go listen to Dark Side of the Moon... while high.

You'll still die, but you won't care cause you'll be stoned!

im not scared of death cause I believe in an afterlife--im scared of the ACT of death and of suffering more then anything--Im also scared that after I die that I wont know the way to the afterlife--I assume you just follow the light?

These is scientific evidence for and against an afterlife and souls/spirits.

Sorry to bring bad news, there is no scientific evidence of any thing after death, only faith and hope that maybe there is.that guy speak to the dead on TV everyday--theres even one that speaks to our dead pets--so theres more to suggest that something of us carries on then not. If death was final then nothing in existence would mean anything

MKULTRA, they're actors, they have scripts, they 'choose' pre-selected 'audience members' with their own scripts. Its kinda like a psychic asking for your credit card number ;)

I prefer a fatalistic apporach:
If something happens, it happens. It was always going to happen, theres not much you can do short of going into the past and screwing with history, which usualy turns out badly.

that guy speak to the dead on TV everyday--theres even one that speaks to our dead pets--so theres more to suggest that something of us carries on then not. If death was final then nothing in existence would mean anything

nothing in existence means anything.

im not afraid of my own death. i am sometimes worried about the pain associated with certain kinds of death and i am sometiems worried about not getting everything "done".

im scared witless over the death of others. it has come quite clear to me that the death of loved ones in my life would utterly devastate me. i try to keep it out of my head but there are times when i wake up in the night in a blind panic over it.

death sucks.

no wonder we believe in an afterlife, the constant loss of those we love and will never see again could drive us mad.

MKULTRA, they're actors, they have scripts, they 'choose' pre-selected 'audience members' with their own scripts. Its kinda like a psychic asking for your credit card number ;)

I prefer a fatalistic apporach:
If something happens, it happens. It was always going to happen, theres not much you can do short of going into the past and screwing with history, which usualy turns out badly.I believe in fatality too but I think we get to die again and again until we get it right

that guy speak to the dead on TV everyday--theres even one that speaks to our dead pets--so theres more to suggest that something of us carries on then not. If death was final then nothing in existence would mean anything

nothing in existence means anything.

im not afraid of my own death. i am sometimes worried about the pain associated with certain kinds of death and i am sometiems worried about not getting everything "done".

im scared witless over the death of others. it has come quite clear to me that the death of loved ones in my life would utterly devastate me. i try to keep it out of my head but there are times when i wake up in the night in a blind panic over it.

death sucks.

no wonder we believe in an afterlife, the constant loss of those we love and will never see again could drive us mad.but you make it sound like wishful thinking but its not--there IS an afterlife otherwise how would you explain ghosts and the dead coming back to visit us?

they dont
its all strange psychological phenomenon brought about by our brain structure

this is what it means to be a stone cold athiest. i dont believe in the supernatural at all

So what? I'm scared of Jellyfish... I mean... What the hell are they?
I promise you that question is harder than any "Afterlife" question.

The great Greek Classical philosopher, Epicurus said that because the meaning of life was sensation and pleasure, death was meaningless as it was simply an end to sensation. If you choose not to believ in an afterlife and instead concentrate on complete pleasure and happiness in this life then death really isnt so bad, because in the end it really does not matter at all, simply an end. But in order to believe this you have to get busy and find happiness and pleasure

http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/~jeff/earthgifs/world.gif

If you're afraid of death no words of comfort or philosophy can ease it.
I'm reminded of what Woody Allen said once:

'I'm not frightened of dying, I just don't want to be there when it happens'.

Now that's what I call philiosophy.

Try looking at it this way. If, when you die, you open your eyes and find yourself in an afterlife, fine, that's good, you needn't have worried.
But if when you die, you enter oblivion, fine also, you needn't have worried.
By oblivion I mean something like when you're in a deep sleep. You are aware of nothing, not even your own existance. You can't experience pain nor fear, you have ceased to exist.
I personally have my own weird belief. I believe that when we die, if we believe that we are just 'moving on' to another plain, then we will. If we die, sure that simple oblivion awaits us, it will.
All we can do is lead as good and honest life as possible, whether a King or a pauper. Life has many things to fear, death doesn't.

they dont
its all strange psychological phenomenon brought about by our brain structure

this is what it means to be a stone cold athiest. i dont believe in the supernatural at allwell to not believe something in the face of evidence is itself a form of superstition is it not?

That, Spherical Objects, is excellent philosophy.

So what? I'm scared of Jellyfish... I mean... What the hell are they?
I promise you that question is harder than any "Afterlife" question.jellyfish is a living glob that stings (except for the clear ones which are harmless unless swallowed)

http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/~jeff/earthgifs/world.gif

If you're afraid of death no words of comfort or philosophy can ease it.
I'm reminded of what Woody Allen said once:

'I'm not frightened of dying, I just don't want to be there when it happens'.

Now that's what I call philiosophy.

Try looking at it this way. If, when you die, you open your eyes and find yourself in an afterlife, fine, that's good, you needn't have worried.
But if when you die, you enter oblivion, fine also, you needn't have worried.
By oblivion I mean something like when you're in a deep sleep. You are aware of nothing, not even your own existance. You can't experience pain nor fear, you have ceased to exist.
I personally have my own weird belief. I believe that when we die, if we believe that we are just 'moving on' to another plain, then we will. If we die, sure that simple oblivion awaits us, it will.
All we can do is lead as good and honest life as possible, whether a King or a pauper. Life has many things to fear, death doesn't.this makes sense--energy never dies so death is just a transformation to a different energy field--its morbid for anyone to believe that we're not more then just our bodies and that we become worm food

oh thats because i see no evidence of ghosts or the dead visiting us that is in anyway convincing to me
ive known people who have had experiences that convinced them.

i do have superstitious feelings from time to time but i try to keep them to a minimum whenever if realize thats how im being

oh thats because i see no evidence of ghosts or the dead visiting us that is in anyway convincing to me
ive known people who have had experiences that convinced them.

i do have superstitious feelings from time to time but i try to keep them to a minimum whenever if realize thats how im beingyou should keep an open mind to the existence of any possibility--but to me to not believe that we go on is to believe in death because then death defines everything..choose Life instead

well i must ....
recently i was driving home down the windy 2 lane road, that leads to the windy 1.5 lane road across the rio grande, that leads to the 1 lane dirt road that goes one mile into nowhere to my house
at 11pm
listening to some freaky radio show talking about "shadow people"
with some woman talking about how her house is full of these shadows that her whole family sees from time to time

i was wicked creeped out. i had to force myself to get out of the car to unlock the gate

not that i believe in such things, but it was CREEPY

well i must ....
recently i was driving home down the windy 2 lane road, that leads to the windy 1.5 lane road across the rio grande, that leads to the 1 lane dirt road that goes one mile into nowhere to my house
at 11pm
listening to some freaky radio show talking about "shadow people"
with some woman talking about how her house is full of these shadows that her whole family sees from time to time

i was wicked creeped out. i had to force myself to get out of the car to unlock the gate

not that i believe in such things, but it was CREEPYthat IS creepy but as a spiritual form of an insurance policy youd be covering your ass alot better if you believed in everything

that IS creepy but as a spiritual form of an insurance policy youd be covering your ass alot better if you believed in everything

yeah too bad one cant will belief. you either believe or not and if you dont, going through the motions isnt gonna get you into heaven

Why fear death? Think, even if there is no afterlife, you simply cease to exist. Such a peaceful relaxed... inexistent state. No thoughts or worries, no existence. And if there is an afterlife, then you have something to look forward to. (As long as you don't go to hell)

that IS creepy but as a spiritual form of an insurance policy youd be covering your ass alot better if you believed in everything

yeah too bad one cant will belief. you either believe or not and if you dont, going through the motions isnt gonna get you into heavenits not as hard as you think--just suspend your sense of disbelief and think more with the untouched parts of your brain

that IS creepy but as a spiritual form of an insurance policy youd be covering your ass alot better if you believed in everything

yeah too bad one cant will belief. you either believe or not and if you dont, going through the motions isnt gonna get you into heaven
Yeah, I decided the other day that it's like being gay. i've tried for some time to pretend to believe in god...in an afterlife, etc...but I was faking. Since I accepted that I really couldn't believe without evidence (and furtherfore couldn't believe that evidence would be found- short of the apocalypse) I really feel much better about myself. People still constantly try to tell me I'm wrong and I need to change my sinful ways (of being a good person who doesn't believe) but I can't change something that's such an integral part of me, and I can't lie to everyone. And one of the most important things, I can't lie to god.
edit: not to bring the question of whether or not being gay is a choice in here...sorry about that...if you want to debate it, there are several other threads going on right now in which to do so!

Why fear death? Think, even if there is no afterlife, you simply cease to exist. Such a peaceful relaxed... inexistent state. No thoughts or worries, no existence. And if there is an afterlife, then you have something to look forward to. (As long as you don't go to hell)

Yeah, I'm quite looking forward to my death...and dying...
I'd like to plan my funeral out too......

I just hope my death is interesting. I want people to talk about it afterward. Making the medical journals would be nice. :wink:

I just hope my death is interesting. I want people to talk about it afterward. Making the medical journals would be nice. :wink:

That used to be my dream *reminices* :wink:

Don't fear what you can't change. It's not worth it.