I wonder if people who don't believe in God are more likely to

Compared to those in between.


Here is study from Oxford University, UK.

https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2017-03-24-study-who-least-afraid-death

She thinks it's because they are worried about going to hell.

But, what is a couple more years here. Eventually, they get to spend eternity in Hell!!

And they're the ones who wail the most when a loved one dies. I thought they would be happy that their friend/family member is "going to meet their king" yet they freak out much more than atheists.

Most of the atheists I know are not afraid of death.

She's absolutely the most afraid of death among all of my siblings and me. The rest of us are more accepting of the inevitable, and welcome it compared to a life of suffering.

I have heard it said by the religious that "Doubt and uncertainty are part of having faith."

Mmmm.

Others say, "There are no atheists in foxholes."

I don't believe that statement has any absolute truth.

By that, I mean, perhaps the atheists got out?

I always think of the 10 commandments…..were those God’s rules?? If ther IS a hell I really do not want to go.

I’m not afraid some deity is sending me to hell.

I lead a life that doesn’t need redemption.
I don’t steal or hurt people or animals intentionally.

I pay my taxes, I’m not a cheater, and
I don’t hate.

The only part of dying that worries me is
how painful it might be and who will take care of my dog when I’m gone.

I'm more afraid of my partner croaking before me. He has lovely saltwater tanks and always looks after the other fish, dog, and cat. He also tends the yard. I've tried to do these things, but my heart isn't into it. It'll be a zoo if he dies...

That’s verrrry scary indeed.

...i do envy believers as it may be easier for them to deal with the death of a loved one...

I'll be curious when I die. It will be Interesting to see what happens, if anything. It seems to me that death would only be scary if a person has done something really awful or has been a bad person. Of course, people like that probably don't feel any guilt about what they do, so they wouldn't be afraid.

That any organic mess will realign? unlikely

🤷🏼‍♀️

I’ll fight to stay alive, of course, dying is natural, nothing is permanent. I guess living on the edge of death kinda toughens you. Actually my biggest fear about dying is this pandemic. Don’t want to be all alone that’d bother my family to no end. I’ve faced death a number of times, military and lately health.
I’ve totally accepted my fate.

in my case. Probably because I don't believe in hell either...unless you want to count the hell we're living in now.

I don’t want to die, no one does, but in dying you make way for the young and the yet-to-be-born. Steve Jobs said shortly before he passed away that death is life’s way of renewing itself. It’s hard to argue with that.

I’m more afraid of being old and feeble and unable to take care of myself. I’ve always been an independent type and the thought of dependency scares me a lot more than the thought of my future death.

She does believe in God, but as an arbitary tyrant who must be obeyed and loved totally. She says she's 90% convinced she's going to hell.
Now this is someone who is a difficult person, but no big sinner. She doesn't do anything really wrong (complaining about my cooking when I brought her a casserole when she was sick is the worst of it).
But she's sure she doesn't love God enough to escape eternal damnatione.

She's Protestant, so "doing" isn't very important in her theology. All that really counts is how entirely you worship God. And in her mind, almost no one gives God the amount of worship he demands. MOST people are going to hell!

I told her that sounded like a counter-productive God, punishing the ones who love him most, but she just knew she was falling short.

That sort of person lives all the time in terror. But she's also scared to do anything (like vote against Trump) that she thinks God might interpret as being less faithful to him.

This is the sort of person who would get Covid and assume it was God's doing, and if he wanted her to die, well, that's all right with her. But...
most of these dead-enders go on and on about how "heaven has got another angel" and "God called him home." She would be more, "God wants me to be the torture target of demons. I guess i have to give into God's will."

No biggie.

The brain is dead, so no consciousness. The same condition before I existed.

Now, how I'm going to die, that does bother me. There are very few good ways.

My personal experience with dying people tells me that the more religious a person is the more likely they are to fear death. I've always been puzzled by this apparent contradicition. I would think they would be really eager to go meet their maker....?

I’m more of a “Well, I won’t hafta put up with y’alls shit anymore!” kinda guy.

There's no heaven or hell so why worry?

no. Not afraid to die. In fact, I'll welcome it. At least I won't have to work anymore! Hooray!

Why should I be afraid of my later nonexistence?

Who claim to be nobles or otherwise wealthy and important.

I think I was a slave in Center X. We all had to wear robes and massage feet until we fell over from exhaustion.

I died, but in my dream I was told...

Since I was a good woman and I followed all the rules, I would be reborn - white and affluent

which is where I am now. Must be true.

Maybe I didn’t massage those feet so well.

We humans, with all creatures, are not meant to go forever. Time takes a toll on us. I hate the thought of living an overextended life. The pain would have to be horrible.

There's plenty of science out there explaining what happens to a dead body. Mystery solved.

I would think less likely. I am absolutely not afraid of death. Dying, yes, but not death. That's just "the way it is".

The way I see it, it's simply like turning off a light. There is nothingness.

there is much comfort in knowing the universe is NOT out to kill you, it just doesn't care

I don't recall asking to be born, and no memory of being a zygote or a blastula or even a fetus. These decisions of state were made by other people.

I didn't fear being born. It just happened. Though I recall none of it, details were reported to me. I suppose being born is like being under anesthesia, since one recalls none of it.

I don't expect to recall dying.

I expect that dying is something like being a zygote without metabolism, or like being a rock. It's not likely to bother me any more than a rock seems bothered by being a rock.

It seems to me that the fun of dying is that you can't do it unless you've lived. I've lived, and while it all seems mysterious somehow, it is way beyond my ability to claim that I know all about why I lived. I suspect that "why" question is a stupid one anyway. It is enough to have done it.

It's more the reverse, in my experience.

-- Mal

What's to fear?

The Lounge, as I understand it, is for fun. I found this discussion really fun. I hope we have more.