I feel the same way as what 2+2=5 said. I grew up in that cult as a kid, being told the same thing. If I had only known that was a lie, then I would have taken better care of my health and body when I was younger. I am just so happy that I did not pass that lie on to my own children, and as a result they don't do some of the things that I did when I was their age.
Do You Fear Death?
by Cold Steel 50 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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frankiespeakin
I feel since we are all going to die eventually why should I spend time fearing the inevitable, I just hope I die in my sleep or it happens peacefully, I'm all through with religion and their bullshit about what happens after death so I face it with no hopes based on wishful thinking of living again.
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talesin
I don't fear death itself ... a car accident or something instantaneous would be nice, though. I don't want to suffer for a long time before I expire.
xo
tal
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Jomavrick
I fear not living an absolute full life before I get planted, I think I am ahead of that game though, everything from here on out is icing on the cake.
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frankiespeakin
Fear of death for the most part is a natural inherited trait passed on to us by the mechanism of evolution's survival of the fittest, as a person without this fear will most likely not get to pass on his DNA before he dies because he had no fear of death which put him in harms way. So some fear is healthy, and too much fear of it paralizing.
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talesin
That makes sense, frankiespeaking, as it was impossible for me to 'pass on my DNA', perhaps lack of a fear of death is then a more natural state for a person like myself.
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Cold Steel
Not once did any of these men say "I am now ready to die;" most laughed when I asked them, "Do you remember when you said you wanted to die by the time you hit 50 years old and you said to me, "Kill Me, If I Ever Hit 60!" Every one of these men is rich, has kids and grandchildren and very happy, the group wish they could become 30 again and live another 50-100 years or until they get bored. Since most of them are very educated and have scientic minds, I will never believe they could get bored even if they lived to be 500 years old. They are always studying, learning, researching, two great botanist, one of the group is going back to school to teach. From your response to Lois, you must be no older then 35.
I’ve never seen the X-Files episode you mentioned...leastways I can’t recall.
No, I’m not 35-ish. In fact, in five days I’m going to be 60 YEARS OLD ! (I just don’t act it.)
I believe in life after death and I greatly look forward to the transition. I had a bicycle accident back in 2001 and have suffered chronic pain in my ribs ever since. Even narcotics don’t stop all the pain. Fortunately, I just had surgery, so I may be getting some significant pain relief; however, I see your point. I was at a doctor’s office some years ago (I worked at NIH), and I recall that an elderly woman was waiting to be seen. She had a physical therapist with her and she was just sobbing, tears going down both cheeks. I heard the young therapist whispering to her, but couldn’t hear what he was saying. But I could hear her. She kept choking back the tears and saying, “I don’t want to die...I don’t want to die!” I remember thinking, “Lady, if you knew what the other side was like, you’d be ready to go now.”
We’re all born with the will to survive, and to fear death. I believe God placed that in us as a necessary survival mechanism. I’ve read dozens of near death experiences, by people of all backgrounds, ages and religious beliefs (even atheists), and I see in many of them a comforting consistency. But here’s the rub. I personally believe that mankind has virtually unlimited opportunities to progress in the eternities. If you had the ability to channel great power and glory, to have no restrictions on learning, of comprehending many different things at the same time, of being able to travel anyplace in the Universe under your own power, of participating in the creation process and being able to see your loved ones any time you wish.
Paul puts it well when he declared that “ we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory.” This stumps most Christians because they believe that the Bible reveals everything that was taught by Jesus and the prophets. But Paul calls it “hidden” wisdom—wisdom that was ordained by God “before the world, unto our glory.” To me, this indicates that God knew that man would fall, and that man’s ability for spiritual growth is virtually limitless. But Adam and Eve didn’t have that ability. They had to fall and comprehend good from evil—to fall and then be redeemed. While the naked couple were innocents, they didn’t have spiritual or intellectual potential. Their bodies, while immortal, were incapable of housing great power and glory. As Paul said:
Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit.... Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. ... But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor. 2:9-14)
Since the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses claim this discernment, they should be able to fill in the blanks of what await us; however, they seem as confounded as anyone about the afterlife. Everything they teach are interpretations of biblical scripture. What Paul is talking about, though, are mysteries not recorded in the Bible, but given to the apostles by revelation. These mysteries are hidden and must be revealed by the Spirit of God.
But Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that most of them will be part of an “earthly class” of being, being resurrected physically and essentially restored to the type of immortal bodies that Adam and Eve had. Based on the pictures in The Watchtower and Awake!, it seems that those on the earth will be trapped in everlasting routines of doing the same types of things they do now, or would like to do. I see them playing musical instruments, painting landscapes, having family reunions, hiking, biking, gathering in groups or playing with lions, all leisurely pastimes. Is this all there is? I don’t see them building great cities, starships, traveling through great portals to distant places. And this is just during the Millennium. After the Millennium, then what? How does life change?
Then there’s the heavenly class. As spirits, they do what? Rule with Jehovah and mingle with angels? Who do they rule? A perfect society needs no laws, no rulers, no courts and no police. People will have no need to steal, to be dishonest or to enter into dispute.
The things I hear from Jehovah's Witnesses, however, makes me wonder if there’s really anything to look forward to from their point of view, and this is the basis of my question.
Even if one views death as a sleep, and resurrection as a recreation, one must, I hope, expect more than just an Adamic body with no glory and no power and no ability to become like God.
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return of parakeet
Thanks for the sermon, Brother Steel.
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cofty
How much do I hate being preached at with Mormon cult bullshit? Go on have a guess...
I don't fear death, I do hate the thought of all the things that will happen and all the new things that will be discovered after I'm gone. Its like being sent to your room for eternity.
Billions of years of non-existence before I was born wasn't anything to worry about and neither will the eternity after my consciousness ceases to exist. We are our brains, when it stops functioning we are gone. We are star-stuff, a temporary collection of electrons doing their thing. We were here - we are the lucky ones.
I hope I die peacefully in my sleep like my grandad; not screaming in terror like his passengers :)
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DATA-DOG
No. I read too many Tarzan books as a kid. I am a bit of a fatalist as a result. Death could come for me in an infinite number of ways everyday. It is out of my hands. I fear not really living more than death. Also, I get sad thinking about someone missing me.
Also, I hope I go out like Captain Kirk.