Posted by yxibow on March 17, 2006, at 3:05:11
In reply to fear of death, posted by bassman on March 16, 2006, at 16:32:52
It's a very common fear. Its the only certainty in life, though when and how and why create the uncertainty.
For me, religion (I happen to be an agnostic Jewish individual) never covered it. So I still have a fairly strong fear of death. In fact, its probably the centre of all my fears, I would say probably starting around 8-12. Thats about the age when young adults start realizing that they're not immortal, though some teenagers forget this fact at times.
This is probably controversial so I wont go on too much -- I believe religion has a place to explain the things we can't explain, but I don't believe it should change our society for those who do not ascribe to it. But it provides a way for some to explain those things. For others, like me, agnostic (meaning I believe there possibly is a deity but I can't be sure), with a cant towards beliefs of pure science, its hard to imagine anything beyond the cold hard facts of it.
Then there's rationalities people have, often searching for control -- thinking that a car, one in control of it, is safer than a plane. I very much have that sense. And in these times its hard sometimes not to.
But a natural disaster could strike one's dwelling that they've become a shut-in to, because they don't venture into the outside world, believing, again, in these times that the world is any more dangerous than it always has been.
I don't know quite where I lie in that sense, but I know it is a deep seated feeling, and something of frequent psychotherapeutic talk.
One doesn't have to be old or young to have such a fear.
But if it can be summarized in one sentence, one that I think I have to continue to believe and maybe one that I hope puts some perspective, if not help -- we all have been dying, yet we all are as living at the same time.
poster:yxibow
thread:621025
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060315/msgs/621230.html