A serious question about death?

Question

When we die, our demise is, like it or not, largely insignificant, save for a few who were closest to us (except of course if you were a cultural figurehead).

The world will carry on after your death exactly as it did before without missing a beat; we aren't missed by the greater population and our passing is unlikely to be marked by anything more extensive than a small funeral.

My question is, how can we live life if we know this is how it ends? I have had a very good life and was lucky enough to have a truly great childhood with parents that loved me very much. I haven't contributed to the world much more than the odd work of charity and, of course, being environmentally sensitive.

So is the manner in which I die (or the circumstances surrounding it), actually irrelevant? If after say 70 years of love, dreams and accomplishment I am suddenly gone one day, whether it be as a fat old man in his sleep or in some bold act of heroism, has it really been for anything?

I guess what I am trying to get at is that should we never forget however significant our lives are to ourselves, they aren't to the world at large?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Because I don't care about what happens when I die or after it. That's how.

Answer 2

I find the fact that I have no belief system very liberating. I carry no weight or guilt about actions I make in this life. This is not to say I am amoral because quite the reverse is true; I am completely moral - from my very core outwards. I do not need a belief system to tell me a certain way of acting is good and a certain way is wrong because I was born with that knowledge. I am a mammal roaming this planet. I have a brain too big and complicated for day to day use and one day I will simply cease living and decay into the earth. I find this totally acceptable and actually quite a nice idea. The manner in which we die is irrelevant. The manner in which we live is largely irrelevant as long as we don't do much wrong.

Answer 3

The way I see it is that we came into this world alone and that's the way we shall leave it. Countless numbers of people lived their lives here long before we arrived and others will continue to exist after we've left it. The only certain thing about life is, that from the moment of birth we are moving towards death. What I'm trying to say is that life is a very personal journey; it's up to us to make what we can of it as we pass through, but that's all we're doing: passing through. Whilst we're here, our relationships with our fellow men and our families and the contributions we make, no matter how small, are what people will remember us by - at least (hopefully) for as long as the life span of those who were close to us. The manner of our death is immaterial; we may think about our own death at times as though it's something that will happen at some vague and distant time, when in reality it could happen during the day that's already dawned! Only God knows. (Even those talented enough to leave something creative behind, eg., works of art, books, films, etc., can only be remembered as actual people for the same time span as the average man. Thereafter, it will simply be their names and accomplishments that will be remembered). We should experience all that we can whilst we're here, so there's no room for regrets. You say you've had a very good life, so continue doing so - make each day count and don't dwell on the inevitable, as tomorrow will take care of itself, no matter what.

Answer 4

well the thing is that you have love this world so much that now you are not willing to leave it despite of the fact that a person should live in the world as a passrnger who came here for some unknown period and that the goal is yet to be reached which is the life after death.
no matter how long you live, how previleged you would have been, how much you loved ,how much you were loved by others ,it has to come to an end.but soul never dies and it aquires the eternal life .now this is upto the person who lived the life either withe good or bad deeds because deeds also donot die.we are left to reep the crop which we had seeded ourselves hence we must do some thing for the life after death so that we can have the contentment and fullfillment and death becomes some thing sought for

Answer 5

God cares about humans, he knows the exact amount of hair in our heads. So, if you try to obay his laws, do his will...you have the change of ressurection and life for ever in a paradise here on earth. It doesn't have to be like what you describe.

"IF AN able-bodied man dies can he live again?" (Job 14:14)

Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10 "The dead know nothing . . . There is no pursuit, no plan, no knowledge or intelligence, within the grave."

"The hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear [Jesus'] voice and come out." (John 5:28, 29)

"There is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous."—Acts 24:15.

Answer 6

I understand what you are saying. The cemeteries are full of people who thought the world just couldn't spin without them. And yet it does.

Has it really been for anything? I wish I knew. I'm sure I won't be missed, or even though of shortly after I'm gone. I guess the best that I'm hoping for, at least in this life, is that I didn't do too much damage while I was here.

Answer 7

Personally, making world changes is incredibly difficult and very rare without a lot of money, but you can have a great influence on many people in your life by everything you do and say. Words of wisdom often stick with people and influence their decision making, and therefore, the rest of their life. I have recently been ploting a ways to get rich so that I fix world problems, but in case that never happens, I'm here right now, sharing my beliefs, and hopefully making a postive impact on people. The ideas that I share with people they will in turn share with the people near to them and so on. I am changing the future history of the world right now.

Answer 8

I liked the reality of your question.
Life is without insignificance unless we find the truth.

The significance of your works, charity,etc - There is a God who created us, He has given us this earth to live in, and actually all our works are accountable.
Bible says, "God will reward each one according to the work each has done. " 1 Co 3:8

As sin is there in every human being and none are without fault and that God show justice to all, we cannot stand before God with fault/sin. So Jesus was sent to take away the sins by dying on the cross - a love which shows itself by sacrifice. So our sins are removed from God's sight when we believe and ask God to do so because Jesus has died dor us.

Jesus said -Whoever believes(in Jesus) and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Mr 16:16

When you really want to know the truth, ask God and He will guide you. You can also ask me any questions or for prayers. I feel God's presence and still God is working with my heart and turning it to be true. No one can find the purpose of their life, except when told by the one who created Him.

So SEEK and YOU will FIND.

Answer 9

This is a problem for atheists. Christians know that every little thing we do has eternal significance. And the thing is, people crave meaning and purpose in life for a reason, God put it there as a way for people to find him. As CS Lewis once said, for every craving people have, there is something to satisfy it. A duck wants to swim, well there's such a thing as water. We feel thirsty, well there's such a thing as water. If we find a desire for something that nothing in this world can satisfy, we can conclude that we were most likely made for another world. In atheism, all is pointless. With God, nothing is.

Answer 10

Life should not be about "getting through it" and the dying. Life should be to enrich others people lives, make life better for each other. You may think your role is insignificant, but you could've or could be making a really big difference in someones life just by being there for them. If you focus on dying, then sure, it's going to seem pointless... but if you focus on living? That's what you should be doing... then it's all worth it.

Answer 11

You are trying to capture the ultimate essence of life. Your problem can get clarified if you refer to Buddhism. According to Buddhism any thing in the world is not certain. Therefor it advices the individuals to live bliss full lives without committing any sin. It is believed that the person who live by Dhamma(Doctrine) will be protected by Dhamma. So try to live the life I explained, and read about Buddhism. Since so it is clear that you don't have to worry about how you will be remembered among the people, since doctrine always remembers you if you live according to the doctrine without committing any sort of a sin.