Death

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- khan0987866
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OP - March 15, 2015, 01:56 PM

Death is one of the often discussed things by Muslims and followers of different religions. What is your view of death, do you fear it and do you think if there is an afterlife or not ?

By God what you say astonishes us!
You are talking about a work which recounts ancient myths, and which at the same time is full of contradictions and does not contain any useful information or explanation.
Then you say: "Produce something like it"‽
- lua
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Reply #1 - March 15, 2015, 02:40 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOXR2q8regE

In all honesty, though, I used to be uncomfortable and anxious about death, and in my teenage years I had a huge existential crisis that lasted for about a year. But after that, there's nothing. No anxiety, even when I sit down and think about it as deeply as I used to.

It's almost kind of normalizing and reassuring to think about death. If I ever get too caught up in life and start taking things too seriously or getting too stressed, remembering that I have an expiration date that may or may not be imminent is a good way to put things in perspective. It reminds me that this problem that I might have is going to end one way or another, and at the same time remind me that I better not squander my remaining hours/years/days. It went from being a source of anxiety to being almost something calming, but it took that existential crisis first.

As for an afterlife, I've found no evidence to suggest there would be one, and an abundance to suggest there is not. Believing the side with no evidence in anything else in my life, schooling or career would be a huge and foolish mistake. I don't see why, besides wishful thinking, this would be any different.

Also, this is a nice thread about it: http://www.councilofexmuslims.com/index.php?topic=23043.0
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Reply #2 - March 15, 2015, 05:19 PM

Quote
It's almost kind of normalizing and reassuring to think about death. If I ever get too caught up in life and start taking things too seriously or getting too stressed, remembering that I have an expiration date that may or may not be imminent is a good way to put things in perspective. It reminds me that this problem that I might have is going to end one way or another, and at the same time remind me that I better not squander my remaining hours/years/days. It went from being a source of anxiety to being almost something calming, but it took that existential crisis first.

lua that's a great way of looking at death without a religious perspective. It's something I've been struggling with during my long journey away from any form of monotheistic belief, that death becomes very daunting and depressing again
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Reply #3 - March 16, 2015, 04:26 AM

This is one awesome Pakistani Professor talking about the matter -

http://eacpe.org/portfolio/how-much-should-you-fear-death-english/

By God what you say astonishes us!
You are talking about a work which recounts ancient myths, and which at the same time is full of contradictions and does not contain any useful information or explanation.
Then you say: "Produce something like it"‽
- lua
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Reply #4 - March 16, 2015, 04:35 AM

Quote from: jrg on March 15, 2015, 05:19 PM
lua that's a great way of looking at death without a religious perspective. It's something I've been struggling with during my long journey away from any form of monotheistic belief, that death becomes very daunting and depressing again

Oh, thank you! I hope you're doing better nowadays?
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Reply #5 - March 16, 2015, 10:42 AM

Quote from: khan0987866 on March 15, 2015, 01:56 PM
Death is one of the often discussed things by Muslims and followers of different religions. What is your view of death, do you fear it and do you think if there is an afterlife or not ?

I imagine it as falling asleep and not waking up. As long as I'm not alone when it happens or in severe pain I'm not afraid of it. On the contrary, I think if you allow yourself to enjoy it, then drifting away during your final moments could be very pleasant. I always enjoy it when I go to sleep, so why not when I die? The one thing I haven't figured out how to deal with is the death of loved ones. Everytime someone in the family passes away, I get scared that everyone else will be gone before me and I'll end up alone.

About the afterlife thing, I don't believe in it. And even if someone took the information from my brain that makes me who I am and recreated me in some parallel universe called "heaven" (or "hell", haha) then that wouldn't really be me, but a copy of me. I don't think I'd care about some cheap clone of me.
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Reply #6 - March 16, 2015, 12:03 PM

"About the afterlife thing, I don't believe in it. And even if someone took the information from my brain that makes me who I am and recreated me in some parallel universe called "heaven" (or "hell", haha) then that wouldn't really be me, but a copy of me. I don't think I'd care about some cheap clone of me."

Ah, but what if 'who you really are' is the supposed 'copy', and the person you think you are now, is actually the facsimile?

Ha Ha.
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Reply #7 - March 16, 2015, 01:50 PM

Quote from: lua on March 16, 2015, 04:35 AM
Oh, thank you! I hope you're doing better nowadays?

Yes thank you lua, I'm a lot better though still not quite an ex Muslim yet. Haven't been to a mosque in ages and don't intend to, but have said Salam to, and had brief conversations with, total strangers who are obviously Muslims. That's what I'll miss - having that link with people I've never met, and may never see again.

But don't want to totally hijack this thread! I've busied myself with work but will be here more now. I've missed this forum
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Reply #8 - March 16, 2015, 01:53 PM

Quote from: Jack Torrance on March 16, 2015, 12:03 PM
Ah, but what if 'who you really are' is the supposed 'copy', and the person you think you are now, is actually the facsimile?

Lol Jack just the kind of mind games Islam uses to keep us trapped.
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Reply #9 - March 16, 2015, 01:54 PM

Quote from: jrg on March 16, 2015, 01:50 PM
Yes thank you lua, I'm a lot better though still not quite an ex Muslim yet. Haven't been to a mosque in ages and don't intend to, but have said Salam to, and had brief conversations with, total strangers who are obviously Muslims. That's what I'll miss - having that link with people I've never met, and may never see again.

But don't want to totally hijack this thread! I've busied myself with work but will be here more now. I've missed this forum

I'm glad to hear it. And you don't have to be quite anything, I hope you find a balance you're comfortable with.

I look forward to seeing you around more!
- MaryNeedsNoHail
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Reply #10 - March 16, 2015, 04:46 PM

Quote from: Jack Torrance on March 16, 2015, 12:03 PM
"About the afterlife thing, I don't believe in it. And even if someone took the information from my brain that makes me who I am and recreated me in some parallel universe called "heaven" (or "hell", haha) then that wouldn't really be me, but a copy of me. I don't think I'd care about some cheap clone of me."

Ah, but what if 'who you really are' is the supposed 'copy', and the person you think you are now, is actually the facsimile?

Then we would still be two distinct individuals, living in different places, evolving based on different experiences, and not responsible for the other person's actions.
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Reply #11 - March 16, 2015, 05:52 PM

"Then we would still be two distinct individuals, living in different places, evolving based on different experiences, and not responsible for the other person's actions."

Based on your understanding, but if you take Karma into consideration (just as an example, I'm not Buddhist), there may well be a link between the two. Who knows? I don't, but I'm I'll keep an open mind as I'm aware these are huge questions that my overworked, underpowered brain can't handle...yet!

"Lol Jack just the kind of mind games Islam uses to keep us trapped."

Very true, that kind of reply - 'It's beyond your 'ken' is all they have in response to the (probably very regular) question "But that sounds fucking ridiculous!", but it's still a valid point; that we know nothing, when it all comes down to it. Like, we know we are human beings, and what we're made up of, etc - but really, wtf are human beings and what is this all about? If you follow.

Ha Ha.
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Reply #12 - March 17, 2015, 03:12 AM

Death is nothing. It's not like having a dreamless sleep, because you're aware of the passage of time, at least when you wake up. If you've ever been knocked unconscious, I'd say it's more like that. You don't realise any time has passed. From your point of view you're hit and then you pick yourself up. It's only once you realise your surroundings aren't as they should be or that all your muscles are relaxed or you check your watch/phone that you realise you lost time. It's a nothingness in a way that's difficult to comprehend because all we've ever known is something.

`But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
`Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'
`How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice.
`You must be,' said the Cat, `or you wouldn't have come here.'
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Reply #13 - March 18, 2015, 04:41 AM

I find it weird when people talk about experiencing death, what its like etc because none of us have died to come back and talk about it.

By God what you say astonishes us!
You are talking about a work which recounts ancient myths, and which at the same time is full of contradictions and does not contain any useful information or explanation.
Then you say: "Produce something like it"‽
- Naerys
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Reply #14 - March 18, 2015, 09:02 AM

If that is your opinion, then your original question does not make the least bit of sense.

He's no friend to the friendless
And he's the mother of grief
There's only sorrow for tomorrow
Surely life is too brief
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Reply #15 - March 18, 2015, 06:20 PM

Quote from: khan0987866 on March 18, 2015, 04:41 AM
What is your view of death, do you fear it and do you think if there is an afterlife or not ?...... I find it weird when people talk about experiencing death, what its like etc because none of us have died to come back and talk about it.

As Naerys rightly points out - if you find it weird when people talk about it, why ask? And anyway, what about those who have clinically died, and are resuscitated? If you find the notion of life after death interesting, then wouldn't you be interested in reading around the subject? The alternative is to just take the view that nothing happens, in which case, you're not going to be interested in opposing views, so again, why ask? What prompted the question?

Ha Ha.
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Reply #16 - March 19, 2015, 10:34 AM

There is a saying in Scotland

"If you are dead, you are dead. Who cares"

Can anyone provide me with a decent challenge?
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