OK, I don't get this. Why religious people are afraid of death? No, I'm not talking about suicide bombers, they obviously are not (that) afraid. And why they are so sad when somebody they know die? Even suicide bombers are upset when some of them are killed -- hey, if they are innocent they are sent to Heaven. And isn't that God's wish? Why be so upset?

Aren't they supposed to believe Heaven? Isn't that supposed to be much better than here? Why sorry then? Is that hypocrisy? They don't _really_ believe in Heaven, right?

I don't think it has to do with religion as more to do with the person him/herself and his look on life, since there are religions around where death is not feared, Buddhism is one, and many Pagan faiths likewise.

By nature though most people are afraid of death. Not so much as to what happens AFTER that, but the moment OF death. Fear of the unknown I think plays a large part in it. Also take into account that many people, even though following another faith, still DO have Christian roots from their upbringing and it is hard to get rid of the "you will burn in hell for (say) stealing a cookie" thing. I mean.. NO-ONE is without a sin, so.. obviously people would fear death, just from having that little remnant in the back of their heads.

Besides.. you don't even have to be raised Christian and have that fear in you.. watch a movie like Constantine and many many more.. people just are afraid of what they don't know. Death is such a case.


If there is a heaven and you will talk to them again.. interesting question. In MY opinion there is no other place, just another plane. Umm.. look at it as another dimension. It would explain why I can see those who have passed on (not all, thank goodness no ), so that is what -I- believe in.


As for the crying and be sad about it.. I don't know if I can talk to the people again that I once loved, but let's suppose I could, then I would still be sad. I mean.. I have lost a mother, and this lifetime is LONG. I cannot ask anything anymore, she didn't see my marriage, nor my divorce, she wasn't there to talk to when I needed it in this lifetime. THAT is what makes me sad, or rather, made me sad when she died. She wouldn't be there for us anymore.

I realize that that is a very selfish reason to cry, but why else would you cry when someone you love suddenly isn't there anymore? The existence of a possible afterlife for me doesn't influence my feelings in this case, and I think that is the case with many of the believers in heaven.

As a previously religious person who left her faith?

I was never afraid of what came after. The Christian church I belonged to didn't teach hell, and I've never feared God.

Dying, yes. I don't want to die in pain. I don't like seeing the ones I love suffer. and like Eadwine, I'm not crying for the person who's died. I"m crying because I don't get to share the rest of life with those who've died that I loved.

I assume my question was prompted by a kind of jealousy, people who believe in God and afterlife expect to see again the persons who died in Heaven, while non-believers such as me don't have such hopes therefore I'd assume the pain of losing someone should/would be less for religious persons (since it's just a longer departure, it's not *forever*), however from what I've noticed many religious persons mourn after people who died like they don't *really* believe in Heaven, so that's why I thought I detected some hypocrisy.

It is something that I can’t understand myself. I have come to the conclusion that these people are actually NOT as religious as they let themselves appear to be. They go through the motions of said religion but this is more of an ‘arse covering’ measure, it doesn’t sate the questions that rise over life and death.

Religion based fanatics have the belief so strongly, for the most part, that they do not fear death at all. Your example of bombers shows these people quite clearly, but there are other forms of fanatics, and even when they are ‘upset over death’ it is more at the loss of life in this existance then the ‘what happens after’ factor. They often do blow it off as ‘gods will’ and move on with their lives.


Personally, I am not afraid. I have no deity and do not want one, though I do have strong belief that something comes after. Because I have already looked my own death in the face, and still do now and then, I have actually embraced it and do look forward to the day I die. As I view it as ‘the cat in a box’ situation where I will find out the truth. zit does bother me some that I might be wrong, but at that moment I think it would cease to matter. Besides, I have belief in belief itself, and feel I am right so strong.

I do find it a little bothersome that I can’t really grieve over death with such an outlook…

I may sit here and wonder what my soul has been through, might even think it has never experienced death itself and quarry on what it might very well be. But I do know one thing for sure, I will not move on to a celestial or infernal plane after I die. I keep wondering why people would even bother, as I see both are death to the soul…

It is off topic but think about it. Choose between a existence where you have no challenges and an existence where you have no victory over challenges. One leaves you in an existence of misery and the other leaves you in an existence where your soul will cease to grow.

"It is off topic but think about it. Choose between a existence where you have no challenges and an existence where you have no victory over challenges. One leaves you in an existence of misery and the other leaves you in an existence where your soul will cease to grow."


I'd say.. start a new topic on it and expand a little

I'm an atheist and I'm a little afraid of death. Mostly because I have so much I want to do in life and don't want to die without doing them. Also, I think fear of the unknown is natural, and death is the ultimate unknown.

Speaking for myself,
I'm a religious person.
I'm not afraid of death but yes the way to die can be a bit scary, I think that's only human.
Why we are sad when someone dies, even though we believe in life after death, well, that is because we stay behind and we will miss the person who died.
It leaves an empty spot in our own lives at present and this can be hard.