Do you ever worry about your own mortality? How does your belief system help you overcome your fear of death?

Question

This is something that has been on my mind recently, and I'm curious as to how differing beliefs help people to interpret the concept of death. After all, death is truly a mystery, no matter what we believe. I feel, also, that at a certain level there is a measure of fear about the unknown.

I'm not speaking of fear of a resultant afterlife, so please consider this before quoting what I already know the various religions believe happens after death. I'm speaking of the fear of loss of your present world, of all the things you currently know. The familiar, which is this life, is all that we have to base our experience on, so I feel there has to be an intrinsic vulnerability we face when we accept the idea that what is now, for all of its flaws, is precious to us and will one day be gone.

Taking this into consideration, do you feel that your belief system provides adequate preparation and comfort for the inevitable loss? Do you feel emotionally well prepared by your beliefs?

Answer 1

I am usually not concerned with my mortality. By my accounts, I figure that I should have been killed at least twice in my lifetime, so I figure that when my time comes that it will not be totally in my hands. What I do fear, is how my death will impact those around me. I fear for the hurt that it would cause my parents, children, and friends/loved ones (my wife would probably be happy though, just kidding LOL). But at times, when I engage in high risk activity (like whitewater kayaking, or motocross) if I am pushing the limit too hard, I do feel a sense of fear of death, and I then experience the desire to “continue living” or to “finish” or “hang on” to what I have. All in all, I believe that this life here is very short, and that there is an eternity that has been built into humanity, and it is a place where ultimate justice, and mercy can work it’s way out, no matter what our loses and shortcomings in our lifetimes, but I haven’t figured that one out completely, and I am still looking. In the meantime, I will continue to “scare myself alive” while I try to work it all out.

Answer 2

I was aware of my own mortality at an early age. I didn't grow up in the best environment, to put it nicely. I dont think I fear death, pain and disability would bother me more. I'm 47 and I have diabetes. What bothers me the most about that is the many complications of diabetes rather than death. I'm alone and will probably be for the rest of my life and I dont want to go blind, lose a limb or a kidney, or suffer nerve damage. I must stay as strong as I can, as long as I can. In the meantime, I enjoy life by being silly and helping others.

Answer 3

I wonder if the people who claim they have no fear of death whether religious or spiritual or not would feel if they were about to be hit by a bus going like freeway speed and they were (just hypothetical) standing there looking at it about a second from impact??? No fear. Yeah I'm sure their heart rate wouldn't increase by one point right? Because they know they wouldn't feel any pain since it would be instantaneous.

No one can say for sure about other people of course but....... A lot of people make all kinds of claims but when that moment comes down for them especially if they are aware that it'll be over a few seconds before it happens I bet what they actually do in a lot of cases will be a different story from what they boast of while they're in good health.

I feel well prepared for it myself and I think I'm going to heaven. But I still think it's a natural response to feel some fear especially if you know it's about to come for you. I don't know those are my thoughts. Exceptions I can think of is a person doing something heroic like dying for someone else in a battle in which case their mind is totally on something else, or maybe a mental case.

Any psychiatrist will tell you that having SOME fear is normal and people who don't have ANY fear have something wrong with them.

Answer 4

No I never worry about my morality - I am the One I am. That's it.
And fear of death?? why should anyone fear death?? It's just a part of life. No problem.

I do not have any 'belief-system' - I do not accept other people's system as my own.
Only my own experience counts.
And going out of body helps I think on the 'fear of death'.

Answer 5

As an atheist I don't fear death - although I love life, and the dying process without euthanasia worries me somewhat. That's a stupid cruelty driven by others' fears and fantasies. Above all I regret the sorrow I know my grandchildren and other loved ones will feel. On the other hand, my race will be run. No problems there. So the race is passed from generation to generation. That's life. And all my loved ones are well prepared to live it well. I learned very young that death is a friend always walking beside us. It impels us to use our life wisely. And after death - nothing, so what's to fear? That's my inheritance - and my legacy.

Answer 6

My dad died when I was 11. I know this colored my life some but for the first 20 years or so, I rarely thought of death. Once I had to deal directly with death, it started that niggling change in me. I don't fear being dead but I fear how I will die. I'd like the die peaceful with my mind on God. The fear I have after death is being unworthy to occupy even the smallest corner of God's realm. So along with my own impending sense of mortality, I also feel I am not good enough to go to heaven. That is the unknown that scares me.

Answer 7

Personally, I feel I have led a full, active, and for the most part good life. I have been raised Christian but am leaning more toward agnostic, and I am still comfortable with my mortality. With or without God, my satisfaction and happiness comes with the number of lives I have touched or made better, even through small acts, in this life. Sure, there are things that I still want to accomplish, but I have the knowledge that I have done the best I can to live as high moral standard as possible up to this point, and after I am gone, this world will mean nothing to me (with or without a God).

Answer 8

Death is a natural process that is inevitable. The fear of death is a natural instinct that is tied in with our consciousness, quite clearly we need to stay alive as long as possible to have a consciousness. This natural instinct is of the up most importance and should not be repressed. It helps to recognize the fear and accept it. Once that has been achieved this fear then moves from the consciousness to the subconscious and is then only used when necessity calls for it. Normally this transition is achieved during adolescence.

Death is natural part of life. Nothing lasts forever,not even the stars. The only thing you fear most is missing all the people you have loved.

Answer 9

Yes, and I think it's basic to all human beings. My dad recently died, and although he was a Christian and had no fear of the after-life, he worried and grieved leaving this life. He thought of the things our future held and knew he wouldn't be there to share it with us--things like the birth of his first great-grandchild who is due any day now--he desperately wanted to be here for that. Also all the little, everyday things he'd miss out on, like family get-togethers, Christmas celebrations, being around for mom when her time came someday, etc.
Yet he knew God would take care of his family, and that he would see us again one day. Though spiritually speaking, he was prepared, it was just hard to leave this familiar world behind in many ways.
So, as a Christian, I'd say that we are adequately--if not perfectly--prepared for death, but I also believe when it is our turn to face that moment, God will give us the grace and comfort we need to let go of this life, as He did for dad. He certainly does that as well for those of us who lose one we have loved and cherished. There is a great peace that comes in knowing that we are not separated from each other forever--but will be reunited once again for eternity.

Answer 10

Death, to me,is simply shedding this physical body, this husk, this shell. My spirit is immortal, and will be present with the Lord at the moment I shuffle off this planet.I've always found the words "belief system" to be woefully inadequate to describe the relationship I have with God.I have no fear of death; it's not a concept I need to interpret;it's a door between this life and the next. Are you worried about your own mortality?