Do You Fear Death?

think41self

I am very interested to know how all of you feel about the subject of death and the future. Do you fear death? What do you think are the possibilities for the future?

Of course I know no one "knows" what the future will bring, just want to have a stimulating discussion, and find out how others have felt about these questions since leaving the borg. I know many have taken different paths, some have embraced other faiths, some are deists, atheists, agnostics, etc...

Speaking for myself, I think I feared death as a JW, but now I don't. Even tho when I was a JW, I truly believed in the paradise earth and the resurrection...honestly, I never felt very confident in my "good standing" in Jehovah's eyes, so the reality of it was that I was quite often afraid of an untimely death, because I wasn't going to be in good enough shape to get resurrected. Did any of you feel that way?

The simplest thing could make me feel unworthy. Did I not go out in service enough that month. Was I irregular at the meetings. Did I fool around with my boyfriend and thus be deserving of death? These were the thoughts I had when I was a witness, and frankly, I had an unhealthy fear of dying.

Now, I am happy to say, without those ridiculous guilt and fear techniques that my mind was once controlled by, I am not afraid of whatever the future might bring! If there is a heaven, if aliens are going to take us to the home planet, if we will exist in another dimension...whatever. We don't know, and we won't know until it happens, so why worry about it, right? Now I find I am much freer to really enjoy life without fearing death. And yet JW's would have you believe that the opposite is true, that without that faith in a resurrection, you have nothing. Well, my experience was that the belief that "maybe in the day of God's wrath, you "might" be saved", was no comfort at all, but in reality, a strong cause of guilt and fear.

Just curious to know your thoughts and feelings on the subject

think41self

slipnslidemaster

Interesting question. I actually feel that leaving has helped me make peace with God about death. If there's something more out there it's really up to him not me. Since I can't do anything about it, I'm not really afraid of death right now.

Of course, I am still young and that may have something to do with it also.

My name is Slipnslideius Masterus: commander of the armies of the North, general of the Felix legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius...

think41self

Good point Slipnslide...

No point in having "control issues" over something you have no control over, right? There is a peace of mind that comes with that.

P.S. About your name...do you want us to fear you as the leader of an army...or think of you as that kid's toy that you roll out on the lawn, water down, and slipnslide all over?

safe4kids

Hey Think,
Great question. I have to agree with your statements...as a JW, I was ALWAYS worried about dying. I never felt good enought, worthy enough. Never felt that I could do enough to get in Jehovah's good graces. I even remember times that I thought, gee I hope I die right now because I feel pretty good about myself. If I don't die until tomorrow, I might screw things up too bad to have any hope. Pretty depressing huh? But now that I'm out, I don't worry about it so much anymore. Who knows what's out there? I don't. So why worry?

Gopher

Think41,

I think it is natural to be curious, wary about the unknown realm. Inside of us, we all naturally want to live forever (at least speaking for myself). The fact that we don't do so now is distressing.

However, the idea of being controlled by any group as to "what" to do to mitigate that fear, and the teaching that we are all at the mercy of their God whose rage flares up easily, only seems to increase fear.

My greatest fear is that I won't live up to my fullest potential right now, in the life that I am able to control to some extent. I want to do something meaningful, to have made a difference.

As far as the future goes, like Slipmaster says, it's really up to God. There's a certain peace in just leaving the future to Him.

Gopher

Lindy

I feel more free from the fear of death now than ever before. I feel cheated on life mostly, since I spent most of my life as a raised in the faith JW and now there is so little left in comparison. I know that at first when I "drifted away," I was much more afraid than now. Bad thunderstorms and tornado warnings would make me think of Armeggedon and I would fear being destoyed, because like you, and most every JW out there, you are taught to believe you will never be good enough to survive the Big A. So therefore, you feared death. As time goes on I very rarely even think those thoughts of before when a bad storm approaches. We had some wicked lightening last night and the only thought I had was to turn off the computers!
It is nice to have that freedom back, freedom from fear. I still puzzle over death and why we need to die, or do we really die? There are so many thoughts out there that it would be difficult to ever find the facts if there really are any. So after being burnt by the JWs all my life and after investigating religion as a whole and finding everything lacking up to now, I figure if God wants to destroy me over that, so be it. But if he is the God of righteousness and love, he can read my heart and know exactly where I am at, and take care of the mess.

As Always,
Lindy (Antique)

think41self

Safe4kids,

Scary thought about wishing you could die now, while you feel worthy!

Isn't that like what we used to say to ourselves about worldly relatives,"I hope they die before Armageddon comes, so they'll have a chance at resurrection"?

No wonder we all needed therapy when we left, talk about having skewed perceptions!

think41self...who is still skewed, but in other ways

think41self

Gopher, I'm with you. I just want to make the most of the life I have and make a meaningful contribution to mankind...even if it is by raising my children to be healthy, well adjusted adults! That's good enough for me.

Lindy,

I know where you're coming from. for awhile I was angry that the borg, in essence, stole my youth. Now I am over that, and just determined to enjoy and make the most of life now.

As far as not knowing the future, I take comfort in the fact that I look around at the earth, the intelligent and thoughtful design, the seeming concern for the comfort and delight of humans, and I hope that this "creator", whoever they are, shows that same thought and concern for us afterwards. That's good enough for now.

think41self

Introspection

We all know as JWs there was much emphasis on fear as a motivating factor. It seems to me that the goal of any spiritual teaching is to point to a larger sense of self, or atleast something beyond the self whereas the JWs for example focuses on preservation of the self or ego if you like.

This isn't even necessarily a religious thing. A scientist may look upon the universe with a sense of wonder and awe. The point is it's just not our personal survival, most people have loved ones they care about too. In that sense, living forever for personal salvation can be a selfish thing, factor the shunning thing into it and I think it paints a fairly clear picture of the ugliness of that type of thinking..

Introspection

One other thought. The whole "wait for armageddon" thing puts your life on hold. What about living NOW? Likewise fear of death takes your attention from living now.

Do You Fear Death?

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