By fearing something we do nothing but give it power over us. Why do we let our fear of the beyond dictate our actions? I personally do not, but I have met many people who do...
"Let go the past, let go the future, and let go what is in between, transcending the things of time. With your mind free in every direction, you will not return to birth and aging"
- Buddha -
2006-09-30 06:34:27 · 18 answers · asked by Shinkirou Hasukage 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
stepjak: How can we do anything useful if we live a life of fear? What nobility is in an act if it i done to gain rewards in the afterlife?
2006-09-30 06:37:34 · update #1
Deltadiva: If it is innated, then why are there people who do not fear it? I am talking abou fearing death, you are talking about fearing the unlived life. Big difference...
2006-09-30 06:43:16 · update #2
Ray W: Prove it. What you say is one of the many attempts at explaination. I follow nothing blindly, when we close our mind to this world, then do we lose all hope of happiness...
2006-09-30 06:45:27 · update #3
Metazone: Exactly, fear is a self-defense mechanism of the ego...
2006-09-30 06:47:39 · update #4
Stepjack: Fear constrains us, it cuts out possibilities. What need have we for something that does that? There is a difference between fearing death and fearing the unlived life...
2006-09-30 07:12:19 · update #5
We may not think we have a fear of death but the reality is that fear of death is anything that we fear because it's all about the self. If we have ANY fear, then this IS fear of death -- some form of death of our self concept (fear of loss of loved ones, fear of someone talking about us, fear of someone hurting us, fear of not doing well at work or on a test, any anxiety about ANYTHING). The physical death of the body, because of the self-identification w/ it, is the ultimate fear because it represents the final end of what we think we are. And because we think we are this individual with this awareness and consciousness, when the body (and awareness, personality, individuality, consciousness) goes, we fear it because we're attached to this. Buddha's quote is valid but the only way it means anything is to have the direct realization of truth as he did; his concepts and teachings should be used for that and not made into a philosophy (which would be yet another system of thought that we humans use to create meaning here).
2006-09-30 06:43:22 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
First, that is a great passage by the way! Simple but profound. Now, a passage in the bible says, " the righteous will be as ferocious as a lion ". People who have true undying faith in God, know with their whole soul that we do not die. One of his prophets wrote " the resurrection of the consciousness is faith!" We are scared of the pain, scared we didn't accomplish what we were supposed to, but just breathe, and be good. We fear death because we were born that way, with the knowledge that there is infinite ways to die, and the uncertainty of when, but we only go to one place.
~ But I just want to slip off your q and comment on that passage, I think it means once you let all things go ( go to God )meaning losing the rage, the selfishness, and the material wants, we do not have to come back to earth. Some religions believe in past lives, I wonder. I wonder how many lives it takes for us to under- stand the blessing of freedom. "Free in every direction ".
2006-09-30 07:04:54 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
A person who is happy in life has nothing to fear. Very few of us are...
Its probably the fact that we don't know what awaits us after death that sparks fear in the minds of those who aren't at peace with themselves. Its easier to fear the unknown than to embrace it.
Besides, by instinct, a living organism's primary objective is survival.
2006-09-30 06:38:47 · answer #3 · answered by flash4484 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You don't have to fear death or the unknown. If you would put your trust in what the Lord Jesus Christ did on the cross for you then you can know what will happen to you after death. He died for your sins, He was buried and took your sins away and He rose again the third day for your justification. 2 Timothy 1: 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2006-09-30 06:41:48 · answer #4 · answered by Ray W 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
wow that's beautiful, and it makes a lot of sense actually
i think we fear death because we are afraid that it might be painful, like being shot, stabbed, cancer or aids.
and with many religions saying that this and that is going to happen in the afterlife, sounds all very scary.
but i am sure death isnt all that bad
they say that you should cry when someone is born, because he is born into this sad and cruel world, and u must rejoyce when someone dies, because he is relieved of all things sad and painful.
2006-09-30 06:40:35 · answer #5 · answered by livinia 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Death itself might be pretty painful.
Also the responsibility of needing to do something useful with our lives hangs over our heads.
RESPONSE EDIT: I can do plenty of useful things out of fear. It has nothing to do with being rewarded after death.
2006-09-30 06:36:04 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because its innated in us to fear death, then to think about leaving your love ones behind!
Well it seems to me like you already know the answer! I think everyone has a fear of death or have had the fear of death!
2006-09-30 06:37:17 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
People fear death because they don't know what will happen to them. Will they go to Heaven? Or not?
I myself have been scared of death, but I realized death is something that everyone experiences. Not just me or my family.
2006-09-30 06:39:57 · answer #8 · answered by sweettoothchatter7 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i think it as to do with your age...when i was young i was scard of death. but the older you get the less it afraid you are of it.im in my 50s and it dont brother me any more at all.dont get me wrong im not ready to go just yet but i know god has a purpuse for all of us.its his world we just are blessed to get to live in it for a very short while.by the time your my age so many of your loved ones have gone before you that you relize theres nothing to be afraid of.just live your life with pride and dignaty and dont for get to live ,love and laugh
2006-09-30 06:51:49 · answer #9 · answered by BLOODHOUND 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because people are afraid of the unknown. And as far as we know no one can tells us exactly like it is when we die.
2006-09-30 06:36:57 · answer #10 · answered by Jan G 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋