Oscar De La Huerte answered
Fear of death is something that has always haunted mankind. Even though it is impossible to avoid, we all spend a certain amount of our life worrying about it.
Is death something to be feared?
How you approach death will always be a very personal and individual aspect of your life, and whether you should be afraid of death will really depend on what you believe comes after death.
Since no-one has died and then come back to tell us, we can only assume what death really means.
Are you afraid of death?
Death is seen as an absolute end, a place of no return. Once you've crossed into the realm of death, there really is no coming back.
When I think about death in these terms, I can't help but be terrified of it. I think about all the people I'd be leaving behind if I died, all the experiences I would never have, all the mundane things I probably took for granted during my life that would never happen again.
In this context, it is really hard not to feel afraid of death.
Death and religion
On the other hand, if you have a belief that death is not the end, then perhaps death isn't that bad.
Most major religions teach that death is not the final end, but rather a transition- from one world to another.
In the three Abrahamic religions, death is followed by a period of rest leading up to a final judgement day. This is when all of mankind is summoned before God and judged on their actions and lives. Those who have followed a righteous path are elevated to heaven, a place of eternal joy and happiness.
Those who haven't are condemned to an eternity of suffering in hell.
If you subscribe to the belief of heaven and hell, then your view on death will undoubtedly be different. In fact all religions have their own view of death. In each case, death is seen as something inevitable and natural, a process that all humans must go through.
Even if you believe in the religious views of death, there will always remain a seed of doubt in the human mind, and even this small doubt can be enough to consume an individual with fear at the prospect of impending death.
Is death something to be feared?
How you approach death will always be a very personal and individual aspect of your life, and whether you should be afraid of death will really depend on what you believe comes after death.
Since no-one has died and then come back to tell us, we can only assume what death really means.
Are you afraid of death?
Death is seen as an absolute end, a place of no return. Once you've crossed into the realm of death, there really is no coming back.
When I think about death in these terms, I can't help but be terrified of it. I think about all the people I'd be leaving behind if I died, all the experiences I would never have, all the mundane things I probably took for granted during my life that would never happen again.
In this context, it is really hard not to feel afraid of death.
Death and religion
On the other hand, if you have a belief that death is not the end, then perhaps death isn't that bad.
Most major religions teach that death is not the final end, but rather a transition- from one world to another.
In the three Abrahamic religions, death is followed by a period of rest leading up to a final judgement day. This is when all of mankind is summoned before God and judged on their actions and lives. Those who have followed a righteous path are elevated to heaven, a place of eternal joy and happiness.
Those who haven't are condemned to an eternity of suffering in hell.
If you subscribe to the belief of heaven and hell, then your view on death will undoubtedly be different. In fact all religions have their own view of death. In each case, death is seen as something inevitable and natural, a process that all humans must go through.
Even if you believe in the religious views of death, there will always remain a seed of doubt in the human mind, and even this small doubt can be enough to consume an individual with fear at the prospect of impending death.
