death

Of course, Buddhists believe that a mindful death is a blessing....and may achieve much...

JLNobody: You're restricting your definition of death by what we know of in life. What if after death, or "afterlife" as some phrase it, there is an existence of our essence on another plane?

What I'm trying to say is, when we die, no one can say what happens next. It can by hypothesized, but that's about it.

To answer your question, the reason I say "certainty" is due to the manner in which many here have responded. You said It was written as a statement, which in and of itself implies a certainty. It isn't as if you are saying the notion may be meaningless, you state that it is. I'm just using your statement as an example to explain what I mean, not as a criticism of your statement per se.

c.i.: Your comment about death being "something that'll happen sooner or later; nobody can escape it" reminds me of the book about Jim Morrison titled "No One Here Gets Out Alive". I always thought that was a simple, yet profound sort of statement. I can't help but get an image in my head of a hostage situation where the hostage takers tell everyone that no one will be leaving alive and the fear that would instill in those hostages. Yet at the same time, we are, in a sense, hostages of life in that we will not leave life alive -- at least not alive in the way we know it. There is a parallel between those two images for me. Yet with the first, everyone has fear, but in the second, there are those who don't have fear. Odd in a way, n'est-ce pas?

[Edited for spelling boo boo. It was a big one! Oy!]

I was not concerned before I was born.............I have no knowledge of what was going on then. I feel the same way about after I die. 'cause I think that it will be very similar.

Yes, we return to "non-existence."

Either way (if you picture a heaven, or ceasing to exist) the afterlife seems way more comforting than actual life.

And you know this because...

...why?

truth
Dlowan, Cicerone and Phoenix,

Caprice, do you really think it is meaningful to assume the existence of a self after one has extinguished? If you do, this means you are denying your mortality. I accept my mortality and therefore feel that there will be no self after my physical extinction. The notion of being in a condition of death therefore makes no sense, as far as I can tell. But then I don't recognize a self in life either.

JLN, who is the "I" that accepts its mortality but doesn't recognize itself as a self?

Peace and Love, if some aspect of us does survive death, I hope that the same is true of our pets. It just wouldn't be right to roam the Elysian fields without the dogs I have loved.

If they let dogs into heaven, I think I'll politely excuse myself.

From what I have observed about life and death on this planet, I must only feel that I was one of the fortunate ones that lived in a developed country that provided the opportunity to have food and shelter, accumulate a little money to live comfortably, and allow me the luxury of world travel, and live to be the ripe old age 69 (this year). I know so many who have died at birth, or that their life expectancy was less than forty when they were born, or that they struggle for food and shelter daily, and live without any education or the opportunity to better their lives. I've also seen life taken away at the slightest of bad luck, and some that escaped death by what seemed a miracle. Our life is a crap shoot: Some are lucky and some aren't; that's life. When I thought I was looking at my own mortality looking at that rearview mirror of my car, I was not scared.

According to Revelations, in the description of the heavenly city, outside (and inferentially wailing and gnashing their teeth) will be the whores, the whore-mongers, the dogs . . . the dogs? ! ? ! ? . . . when i read that, i knew for sure i didn't want any part of that christian claptrap . . . SCoates, you may not need to be excused.

jlnobody and others have said pretty much what I would like to have written. I also have emotions similar to ebrown's. I know jl is correct; nontheless, I intend to go kicking and screaming.

truth
Your death will belong to you, Edgar. So go any way you want. I will.

I don't know that i'll go kicking and screaming. I've seen older people who seemed more than resigned, but actually to welcome death. A surcease from sorrow? When Thomas writes about his father that he should not "go gentle into that good night," but rather should "rage against the dying of the light," i consider that to be the view of a young man. It is entirely understandable to me that a person would reach the stage in their interior life when they welcome death as the logical progression through which they are passing. I have the Cunning Coney's take on it, i fear dying (if it will be painful, or otherwise dismaying) but not death itself.

(peacefully, in my sleep, like my grandfather -- not screaming in terror like his passengers)

Of course I cannot fear death. What point to fear it? I simply at this point in my life detest the thought of being made to depart life. In ten to forty years perhaps I shall welcome it. If my health ever deteriates to the point where living is a true burden I plan to end it all by my own hand. One day at a time is my philosophy.

In my sleep would be nice......

Doesn't scare me at all.

I can not die. I am a vampire.

(But I'm sure most of you already knew that)