I'm not afraid of death or dying. It's pointless to be since it happens to everyone.
It's not so much that I'm afraid of death, but rather the levels of pain that can be achieved with the physical body. Suffocating/drowning, heart failure, whatever kills. It sucks no matter how fearless the beholder is.
There was this guy who was extremely good at climbing mountains, without any safety harnesses even. He was considerably fearless. He was partaking in this sport where he would base jump along the end of a rope to perform a very large swing.
On his final jump the rope snapped, and as he fell his scream can be heard. He, was afraid.
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Things tend to get a little more interesting when death is right there. Atheists typically tend to be afraid of death, and they have a good excuse to be.
For me it goes beyond belief how In the end, we'll return home and everything will be A Okay.
It seems a true atheist would fear death less than many religious people. Can you be sure of where you're going if you actually believe in afterlife? There are so many variations on how to get to the good place, and even on whether it can be achieved. Who is truly certain their way is correct? And if a person can feel their belief is the exact true belief, then why would a firm atheist ever fear death itself (not referring to the dying process, and someone of any belief could fear the pain and duration)?
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It seems a true atheist would fear death less than many religious people.
I'm sure even they would rather carry on instead of getting obliterated. I get your point where you say it seems a true atheist would fear less. Less than a theist who thinks they are on the road to hell no doubt.
Can you be sure of where you're going if you actually believe in afterlife? There are so many variations on how to get to the good place, and even on whether it can be achieved.
The way to the good place, is always the same practices. When a religious group becomes radical, they turn away from the very eternal practices required to exist in a peaceful world. This is human error in the name of religion. As a prime example, Islam is divided cause Muslims do not regard bloodshed as the way, while others do.
In my experience the way to know where we're headed is to question it, and just watch. See I was born into Catholicism, went through all the stages to be one, before I fell away from that tree. In my case I never wandered off too far from my Catholic upbringing, but I did question everything I was programmed to believe, cause let's face it, blind faith is the way to the slaughter in this day and age.
The reason why I know the Bible to be correct in it's teachings, is because consequences are real. Ten commandments for example are guidelines that prevent calamity, and breaking them do ruin us. When I imagine a world where secrets cannot be hidden, and lies cannot be told, where agendas can be seen in advance, the Bible teaches us these ways of a higher consciousness, an ultimate consciousness will settle for nothing but the truth, while lies and other pettiness is nothing more than a gimmick. The Ten commandments is the way of ultimate consciousness. In the next life, we'll become all knowing and it comes with a lifestyle that is rich in ways we cannot convey in physical terms.
In many cases that I know of who attend church a lot, they don't see it that way unless they are told it is. As long as it sounds positive and justifies their faith. Few weeks ago I attended a first communion mass, and everything wrong with the typical mass as usual occurred. One thing I saw was after receiving the host, some people would go to a shrine I was standing next to, and they would kneel down and pray to it. THIS is against God's will, as was written....
“You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments."
"Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them."
Details aside, my NDE studies also indicate in various notes how Christ isn't too impressed with people kneeling down to fake idols that is suppose to represent him. It's silliness.
The point I'm trying to make is, it's easier to know where we're headed when we research it, and search for our own error. It's not just aspiring to evolve alone, but we must become it. I think this is why life presents us with challenges. Not just any challenge either, but the ones we so happen to need in order to work on our own making.
Who is truly certain their way is correct? And if a person can feel their belief is the exact true belief, then why would a firm atheist ever fear death itself (not referring to the dying process, and someone of any belief could fear the pain and duration)?
I jumped the gun, and responded to this first good question above.
To be certain doesn't entail the truth. I am however certain I know the way, and that's as good as it gets for any of us who are certain. We have our good and bad sides, and it matters for us to let go of bad habits that taint the soul before this ride is over. Some will look back and see what they didn't do when they easily could have. They supplied their growth as an ignorant sheeple, even if they blindly went in the right direction, so their soul might remain that way cause they never made that change in their own making.
The fear of death in the atheist's case, usually has to do with the process alone. After the event, they couldn't possibly have the capacity for anything including fear.