[Shelly27966]

A Hindu co-worker and I were discussing the fear of death many Americans seem to have. She said Hindus and Buddhists generally don't fear death because of the belief that in life you either reach enlightenment or come back in another life to fulfill unresolved desires. I said I thought the fear of death many Americans express is a result of America's Judeo-Christian heritage, in which people have grown up being told that if you sin you will burn in hell (barring absolution of those sins). If you have a fear of death, is it because of your religion? If you don't fear death, why do you think this is?

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Name : Shelly27966, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Quaker, City : Pittsburgh, State : PA Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Rick29819]

It seems to me that fear of death is natural, a part of our survival instinct. Perhaps it could be overcome, but why? Western culture isolates death from everyday life. We are only rarely exposed to it. This may not be true in other cultures.

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[Cheryl]

I think death is a very misunderstood term. Most who think they fear it, I think, really are afraid of what they are going to miss when they are gone. It is very hard for some people to imagine that the life they are living will go on without them. I do not fear death because I have faith in God. So when i die, it simply means that whatever He had me here for is now complete, and I can go home to Him.

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Name : Cheryl, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 33, City : Porterville, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : client program cordinator, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[A.B.]

I must admit that my non-fear of death was initially supported by my parents' Buddhist views - which inevitably rubbed off onto me. Death, accordingly, is something of a gateway to another form of existence - and thus might be desired. However, I have since found the Buddhist preoccupation with reincarnation isn't compatible with my 'world view.' I do not want to live life according to the principles that dictate a 'good' reincarnation. Instead, I live according to my own sense of direction, my self-defined 'meaning of life.' Of course, this definition (in terms of religion only) contains elements of Buddhism, but it also contains snippets of Western religions. I do not fear death because my intrinsic 'meaning of life' provides no reason to (the reasons for this are too numerous for a short answer format), not just because of Eastern religious philosophy.

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[I.A.]

talib kweli said it best when he said in a rap, 'You're only scared to die when you're not living right.' I think a fear of death is definitely because of a religious belief, the whole heaven/hell deal. I'm not quite religious, but I don't fear death, either. I guess it's just a belief that you live each day to its fullest. Because I was raised in some not-so-great places in New York, you sort of learn not to fear death because you never know when 'you gotta go.'

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[Zipeezy]

It's not as if people of Hindu and Buddhist faiths do not fear death. All humans, regardless of faith, will fear death when challenged by it (that's how our instincts work). What your co-worker probably implied was that Hindus and Buddhists are more willing to accept fate - i.e. 'whatever has to happen will happen' - as it stares them in the face. So face it! Hindu and Buddhist philosophies take a more holistic view of life (and death), and more so in a time and space continuum context. Broadly speaking, to Hindus and some Buddhists, life is considered a cyclical process wherein the 'soul' of a human goes through a series of evolutionary cycles through its journey on earth. By journey ON EARTH I mean that the 'soul' could be John Doe in this lifetime and Jack Doe in its next lifetime. The idea of this 'recycling' is to ultimately unite the soul with the INFINITE PRINCIPLE or THE ABSOLUTE or GOD. This union takes place only after the soul has gone through its 'cleansing process' on earth. The debt of bad deeds done by the soul in one lifetime is carried forward and repaid in its next life, while good deeds are handsomely rewarded. Think of it as a learning experience for the soul, so that when it's free of all 'bad debt' and therefore its 'earthly obligations,' it is ready to liberate itself from the earthly binds of space and time in order to unite with the absolute, or God. This is what Hindus and Buddhists refer to as 'Moksha,' or freedom, or liberation. It's a profound philosophy that cannot be easily justified by our current standards of scientific thought/logic. It requires intuitive reasoning and the ability to see the big picture. Time also is a very critical element here. The concept is difficult to explain but is better understood by reading some books on 'Karma' and general ones on Hinduism and Buddhism.

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[Ladin]

I believe its a fear of the unknown. We can all agree that sooner or later we all will die, but who can say for sure what comes after death? Its like walking into a crowded room blindfolded.

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[Jai]

I think the fear of death is religious. People are not really as spiritual as they seem. I believe in the Bible, and it says that 'Man can only take one's body; I (God) own the soul.' Most people don't believe that, or they are afraid they have not accomplished what they feel they should have accomplished and need more time.

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[Stacey L.]

First, I want to correct something you said. 'Being told that if you sin you will burn in hell' is a strictly Christian belief, not a Judeo-Christian belief. Judaism focuses on doing good in life for the sake of doing good, not because of what will or will not happen when you die. With that said, I personally am afraid of death, simply because I enjoy life and do not want it to end, not because of any religious beliefs.

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Name : Stacey L., Gender : F, Age : 20, City : Durham, State : NH Country : United States, Occupation : student, 

[Burt-B]

I have found that American big-city culture encourages (thru the education process) people to be liberal and Athiestic. This additude is sold in the guise of 'Science'. While I came from a home that denigrated religion, I have overcome my indoctrination to get back to my Jewish roots. The folks I know who still believe that 'God is a fairy tale' are mostly afriad that there will be nothing when they die. They have even infected some nominally religious people with this idea of 'nothing' and they sometimes question whether God cares or if there will be an afterlife. The 'END' is a big deadline.

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[Peter Briant]

Hi Shelly Alot of people fear death, because they hear storied of a 'hell', and living forever in a fiery torment, because they are sinners. We all sin. Not one of us are perfect. So does that mean we all go to hell ? To find the answer, we should go to the bible. What was God's command to Adam and Eve in the first book of the bible? He said' Be fruitful , become many , fullfill the earth'. Did he mention death ? No. So death was not in his original plans.But he did say , in the day they eat from the tree, of the knowledge of good and bad', they would die.'For dust you are, and to dust you will return'. They did eat from that tree, and they did die. Imperfect Adam and Eve had off-spring, who were born imperfect.Because they themselves had become imperfect.In Ecclesiastes 9:5 and 10. It tells us specifically , when we die, we are conscious of nothing, see nothing , do nothing in sheol( Hebrew for common grave of mankind) So we arent in heaven having a great time. And we arent in a so called place called 'hell' suffering. The resurrection we hear soo much about , will happen on the earth.When God has direct rulership over the earth.Which is soon to happen Peter

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[Peter Briant]

Hi Cheryl.It's great that you have faith in the God of the bible. And you are right. Even though , we dont want to die. Death isnt exactly something we should fear.However, believing that we go 'home' to heaven , isnt a biblical ( a teaching from God) teaching. To say Heaven is 'home'. Seems to mean , we have been there. Remember in Eden? God told Adam and Eve, after they had eaten from the tree ? God said , for dust you are , and to dust you will return? (Gen 3:19) . God didnt say they had been in heaven , and he didnt say they were going there. He said they would return to dust. After all. The bible says at Psalm 37:11&29, that the meek will inherit the earth ( and the righteous)' and live forever upon it. Thats where the resurrection takes place. Resurrection means 'to stand again' We are on the earth. As stated earlier. We have never been to heaven. So , the resurrection , is on the earth. Peter

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[Matt Oglesby]

This is just in response to all those who keep referring to Buddhism as a religion - it is not. email me in a few days and I will have done my speech on why we shouldn't fear death by then so I should have more information under my belt.

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[Sharon]

As a child, I used to get sick thinking I would one day not exist anymore. But after studying the bible, I now no longer fear death. Because death was not in our original design, but was inherited through the sin of Adam and Eve, it is understandable that the thought of our non-existence is disturbing. God created us to live forever - if He didn't, the punishment of death to Adam and Eve for eating of the tree of knowledge (Gen 2:16, 17) wouldn't have held any weight. Eccl 9:5 tells us that the living are conscience that they will die, but the dead are conscious of nothing. Jesus likens death to a sleep (refer to John chapter 11). There is also the promise of a resurrection (Isa 26:19, Dan 12:2, John 5:29, Acts 24:15, Rev 20:12), so death to me is just a state of sleep and the promise of awaking in the Paradise that is the fulfillment of God's original purpose. (Gen 1:28, John 23:43, Rev 21:3, 4)

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[Michael20676]

1: I fear pain. 2: I fear, at times, non-existence. 3: I fear all the projects I'll leave unfinished when I die. (I'm very ambitious.)

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