why do we humans fear death?

Question

If we believe in life after death then what is there to fear?

Answer 1

I strongly suspect that fear, just like any emotion, is an evolutionary adaptation.

Animals that feared death tended to avoid death long enough to reproduce.
For animals that invest a long time raising their offspring (like humans), the greater the fear of death, the more you avoid it, the longer you live, the better chances your offspring will grow up safely and have off-spring.

So those without fear of death did not reproduce as much, and over time were outcompeted for resources by those who feared it.

I think belief in life after death also evolved as an adaptation. People who believed in it were motivated to follow religious moral codes to get into heaven. By following religious moral codes, large groups of social animals (like humans) had a better chance of survival due to group cohesion against competing groups and predictable behavior to prevent infighting.

Answer 2

I do not fear death, I fear for those whom have died, are dying, and will die that don't believe in God or Jesus. I pray for your souls every night and day.

You see, the way I see it is that the people who don't believe in those things fear death more than people who do. I feel this is because they have no idea what lies in store for them after they have past on. Most people are pron to fearing the unknown and therefore fear death. It's very logical to fear the unknown for it causes discomfort to any and all persons involved. There are many stories on such situations, all the ones I've read are very good reads I might add. So not all Humans fear death, just majority of the non-believes and few believers.

Answer 3

In part we fear death because we fear the abyss of nothing, change & ego eradication. When we die some think this is to be the final be all of not be at all. Thinking about being nothing as something innately frightens us because it is impossible to understand what we cannot be. This concept use to frighten me, but now I feel if this possibility manifests I will not know the difference so there is no reason to fear. I also think this to be a nihilistic possibility which I feel cannot be right since it seems obvious life has purpose. People are overly attached to their identities. They think they know who they are, but in reality it is just an exterior. I am so in so, from such and such a place, who has such and such a job, and these and those family & friends. They are all just exteriors to who we really are. When this is all stripped away it is truly like a death into nothing. We will literally be like nothing we have ever conceived before. But yet, as God just is, we will simply be.

Answer 4

I think people fear death for many reasons. First, no one has survived the experience to describe it. Then we don't know when death will come or how it will come. Some fear not accomplishing all they want to do before they die so they fear death. Myself, I don't fear death because I've come to realize it is part of the process of life. I just hope when my time comes, it will be peaceful and gentle.

Answer 5

If we don't believe in life after death then what is there to fear?

Answer 6

Because we fear the unknown. And not everyone believes in life after death.

Answer 7

Please don't try to speak for humanity when you say we believe in life after death.
You can really only ask yourself why you fear death when you believe in life after death. The only answer is that you fear death because you are foolish. If you are foolish then there is good reason to doubt your beliefs.

Answer 8

The only death I fear is a painful death.

Answer 9

Everyone fears the unknown. If you're religious, you can find comfort in your faith. I personally believe in life after death, but it doesn't mean I'm still not scared. We all have a one way ticket. I just try to do the best I can while I'm here, even though I constantly screw up. I can only hope God forgives me.Remember, we're mere humans, and maybe we're not supposed to know all the answers.

Answer 10

I don't fear death because I know we all have to leave this world and go back to our real beautiful home (Heaven). I I don't fear death because I know that God my Dad and the rest of my family that passed on will be there to greet me when my time comes.