Why are Christians scared to die?

[Catholic_Lady]

I think fear of death is pretty instinctive. We may *know* we will be going on to the next life, but it still takes a tremendous amount of faith in order to not be afraid of something we are instinctively meant to be afraid of.

With that being said, there have been plenty of Saints who were not afraid of death and were martyrs.

I agree. Instinctive is the key word. We all want to avoid pain, and with death there will be pain no matter what. No one really knows exactly what will happen, no matter what anyone says or thinks. Some think nothing will happen and it will just be the end of thinking and consciousness. We are all humans, even Christians, Jews, Muslims, Atheists all have an idea or faith in what they think will happen, but who really knows, that's what makes it scary. The closer you are to death, the more real it becomes. Why would an atheist who believes nothing will happen be afraid to die? Even they would fear the unknown, or not being able to be in this existence.

How many people here have been close to being killed for example? I have. I worked at a fast food restaurant, and after closing one night, two guys broke in to rob the place, with one holding a gun to my head threatening to kill me repeatedly, while the other broke into the safe. I knew of near death experiences, but at that moment it all became real where I really thought this could be it, I actually might die, and I wasn't prepared for it.

That's crazy. What did that feel like? Some people say they feel very calm when they think they are about to die suddenly like that. I don't understand how.

[Chad32]

I think there was a song that goes "Lord I want to go to heaven, but I don't want to go today". People who enjoy this life are not going to want to leave it behind even if they think they're going to heaven. And of course most people are agnostic about their faith anyway. It's hard not to be.

This, maybe?

Yeah, I like Ol' Kenny.

[scoobysnack]

I agree. Instinctive is the key word. We all want to avoid pain, and with death there will be pain no matter what. No one really knows exactly what will happen, no matter what anyone says or thinks. Some think nothing will happen and it will just be the end of thinking and consciousness. We are all humans, even Christians, Jews, Muslims, Atheists all have an idea or faith in what they think will happen, but who really knows, that's what makes it scary. The closer you are to death, the more real it becomes. Why would an atheist who believes nothing will happen be afraid to die? Even they would fear the unknown, or not being able to be in this existence.

How many people here have been close to being killed for example? I have. I worked at a fast food restaurant, and after closing one night, two guys broke in to rob the place, with one holding a gun to my head threatening to kill me repeatedly, while the other broke into the safe. I knew of near death experiences, but at that moment it all became real where I really thought this could be it, I actually might die, and I wasn't prepared for it.

That's crazy. What did that feel like? Some people say they feel very calm when they think they are about to die suddenly like that. I don't understand how.

It was a strange experience to be sure, something that is traumatic and never leaves you. I've actually had guns pulled on me a few times, but this one was serious. I thought it was my friend knocking on the door so I opened the back door, and suddenly two guys wear balaclavas over their face burst in, one with a bat and the other with a gun. The guy with the bat threatened to bash my head in, and then went around breaking the security cameras, while the other guy held me at gun point. It didn't last long, but time seemed to slow down. It was surreal in that I had to actually come to the conclusion that what I waas experiencing, was actually happening, and then deal with the reality that was there. While I had the gun pointed at me I was up against the wall, afraid to move, and I looked him in the eyes, and then he put the barrel to my temple and told me not to move, and threatened to kill me a couple of times. I remember how hard the barrel felt against my head, and thinking oh my god, could I actually die in a Subway restaurant? I remember thinking about what I learned through near death experiences, and thinking I wasn't ready to die yet. Since I've learned from NDEs, I didn't feel like I had done enough in my life yet, and possibly end up in the void which I didn't want to go into, since I had looked into that when I had planned my suicide a few years earlier. I remember thinking what would my parents and brothers think. It was a freaky experience.

[Homeless Nutter]

I think fear of death is pretty instinctive. [...]

Yeah - disgust with faeces is "pretty instinctive" - and for good reasons, because we know, that eating sh*t - just like dying - is not likely to make our existence any better.

You can fool people into thinking, that sh*t is chocolate,  and you can force them to eat it, just as you can convince them, that after they die they will go to a "better place", but deep down - you all know it's bullsh*t (except the few crazies)... Which is why you're so hysterical about people, who refuse to call sh*t - chocolate, or death - everlasting life. Because you know they're right, but you're already scoffed down too much of it, so continuing with this hypocritical, pathetic charade is your only option to "save face" and people without excrement all over their faces make you look bad - so f*ck those kill-joys...

There are people who actually believe, that what the holy books say is true - we call them "crazy". They're the ones who diddle snakes, blow themselves up and otherwise happily risk their lives, convinced, that they'll live forever. The rest of religious people - you're just faking it, hoping that maybe one day your faith will become sincere, as long as nobody undermines it, by openly refusing to part-take in the consumption of the "chocolate log" and calling it what it is...

If you REALLY believed that sh*t was chocolate - you'd be happy, that some "dumb atheists" don't want to eat it - more delicious "chocolate" for you... If you REALLY believed that god and the afterlife are real - you wouldn't look around, before crossing the road. And you would laugh at people who reject religion just like smart people laugh at creationist idiots, or conspiracy nuts. But you don't "believe". You just "hope" - and that's a huge difference...

[Catholic_Lady]

HN, you're weird lol. You need to chill out.

[ignoramus]

HN, diplomacy isn't one of your specialties I'm guessing. He he.
But I'm still struggling to find a reason to disagree with you.

[Catholic_Lady]

HN, diplomacy isn't one of your specialties I'm guessing.   He he.
But I'm still struggling to find a reason to disagree with you.

So you agree with him that "deep down I know my beliefs are bull sh*t?"

[Catholic_Lady]

Some of you people are funny. You can't fathom anyone coming to a different conclusion/belief as yourself, so you assume they must be insane, or delusional, or that they "deep down know their beliefs are BS."

Sheesh.

[ignoramus]

HN, diplomacy isn't one of your specialties I'm guessing.   He he.
But I'm still struggling to find a reason to disagree with you.

So you agree with him that "deep down I know my beliefs are bull sh*t?"

On the conscious surface, no. I believe you are a genuine person.

He's talking more about what is really going on in the replitialian part of our brain.
We have no control over this. 100% instinct. It bypasses any/all indoctrination.

Don't believe me, intentionally walk towards a wall at a constant speed with your arms at your side until you hit it.
The lizard brain will keep you safe and alive.
The lizard brain knows that this is the only life you have.
4 billion years of evolution programmed in your DNA days so.

[Catholic_Lady]

So you agree with him that "deep down I know my beliefs are bull sh*t?"

On the conscious surface, no. I believe you are a genuine person.

He's talking more about what is really going on in the replitialian part of our brain.
We have no control over this. 100% instinct. It bypasses any/all indoctrination.

Don't believe me, intentionally walk towards a wall at a constant speed with your arms at your side until you hit it.
The lizard brain will keep you safe and alive.
The lizard brain knows that this is the only life you have.
4 billion years of evolution programmed in your DNA days so.

How can you claim that deep down in my subconscience I "know my beliefs are all BS?" 

Having a natural fear of the unknown and a will to survive doesn't conflict with religious beliefs at all.