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Why do humans fear death? Is this a condition that exists in all life or merely in sentient life? If you could be immortal would you? What are your views in how human beings overcome death?

I think people fear death because they do not know what happens after death. I dont fear death, but I am sad because death takes away people I love. People fear what they do not know.. and thats a fact.

LUV: Des.tiny

Probably because most people fear the unknown... I personally believe in life after death, so I´m not afraid, but there are a lot of people who don´t, so they think that after dying there´s nothing else... i think that´s the reason...

So many questions. Not everyone fears death, some people however actually enjoy their lives and therefore want to have as much of it as possible. Immortality is cowardice. I myself have overcome death four times, want to know how? Luck.

They don't know what happens next...

I agree with Raine.. Most people fear what they do no know.... So, death being something that you are NOT supposed to come back from, it is a natural fear for most people.
I also happen to think that more than just that, death is the end of things.. you can't just 'take is back' and fix it.. So that might be just another reason to fear it.

they have not accepted it as simply a continuation on the wheel...
as long as you don't know what terrors lurk around a corner..your subconscious makes demons of squeeky mice

I think humans fear death because they don't know when it's going to happen. I would be immortal if I could cause I would like to see what happens after our generation is gone and the next generation was in control.

i hope i am answering this correctly..
i feel that people fear death because they dont know what to exspect.... i feel they dont want to leave certain others behind... some may be afraid of pain.. i mean there is probally alot of reasons for each to there own.. and this post is new so im sure youll get alot of answers.. ill be back im sure.. id like to hear these as well

Like it has been said, the fact that it's unknown is a big factor. Some people fear it because of their religious beliefs and/or lack there of. For some people it is greed, and some fear dying because of the pain it will cause their loved ones. I personally don't fear death, it triggers my curiousity more than anything. I am not yet ready for it though so I avoid it. I don't think I'd want to be immortal, maybe to have movie style immortality wouldn't be bad, but I would want to be able to die eventually simply for the experience.

We fear the unknown for the most part I guess. Not knowing for sure what happens when a person dies. Personally I fear death because I know that my daughter would be left without her mother, and not having her father in her life, who would take care of her, if by chance, I die young. I believe this condition exists in all life..Many people fear death. I would be immortal if the people that I love would be immortal as well.

I'm afraid of leaving this world too soon. I have things I still want to do. That's one of my biggest fears. The second is leaving my loved ones alone.

I think the fear of death question has been covered so I won't repeat what everyone else said. As for Immortallity the only way I would accept that is if I could hand pick a few people to be immortal with me, otherwise it would be too hard watching everyone I love die.

I agree with a lot who have said that the reason a lot of people fear death is because they do not know what happens after death, but their are a lot who do not care because they believe in reincarnation, and they know that when they die they will be reborn into a new body...

I agree with most everyone else. It all comes down to not knowing what happens next.

I've always thought that people fear death because it is normal to fear the unknown. I would become immortal only if it's the kind where you don't age or get sick but can be killed.

I believe humans fear death for many reasons.
They may have people who depend on them being alive, Fear of the unknown perhaps, Maybe they have unfinished buisness. Or the need to repair damage, make amends with those they love/d

the unknown, the fear of pain, of being forgotten, if I could get immortale, yes I would, even if it means living in hell, why? cause at least I know what it is to live.
Still even tho we most fear death, many try to kill themselves to get death, some do go all the way, some only go half way and change their mind, why? cause the just want the pain or pressur to stop, they dont want the life to end, in fear it would be worst once dead, those who go peacefully, or suicide all the way, dont fear it anymore, they know it will be better. It really just a question of knowing.

I think people fear death cause they dont know what to expect, pain wise, plus i think they fear losing those dear to them. Someone always fears the unknown.

We fear coz were told too, the Mayans didn’t or druids and so forth.
Societies installs it’s needs and fears … once your in the services you trained to not fear death and the glory to die for your beliefs. You fear coz your told too … I can tell you when death comes and you have finished struggling and give in to it’s grasp … fear goes and you feel euphoria and at one …

I agree with everyone else on the people are afraid to die because they fear the unknown. But I think for some it is more than that. What about the people that do believe in something. You would think that they would embrace death. You know be the first in line to go fight somewhere or something. But Noooo...why because they are afraid they are wrong. Wrong about what they believe in, wrong about whether they have been good enough to get the easy afterlife.

I have no concerns about what is next. No matter what it can't be much worse than what I have lived though so far. And if it is nothing, well is that so bad either.

I was just wondering what everyone thought on this idea I have been working on a coven sub page on this for quite sometime now and of corse I have my own views.. Thank you all that have responded to this so far .. Many of you feel its the unknown.. , but does the way we've been raise differ our reasoning on fearing death.. Some dont fear death cause they believe this is just one part of life. That there is a life here after.. Others just come to there own conclusion " I die the end"..

dont really know why people fear it but i for one wouldnt want to live forever . if i die then i die cant really change that fact

Death is the greatest gift we could ever be offered at the onset of life. There is no definite heaven, and we do most certainly live in a hell of profane flesh... However I am fond of my flesh, my desires, my lusts when I have them, and I have no intention of death interrupting my fun.

So if you do your homework, like any good Taoist. Then you will know how to cheat death, for one. If you follow the works of the old mages then you will be able to incarnate into whom you wish, using a medium to focus, such as something you owned in life, such as a simple ring forged from life.

I prefer not to die, and for my experiences and knowledge will have the pleasure of in habiting the unawakened corpses that populate this planet if I choose, or if I get in the right mind, will use the elements as I see fit, and create a world of my own. I care not for the pettiness of Life, nor the struggles between god and men. If you do your homework, you will know what i mean.

I agree with everyone also in regards to fearing the unknown. Not knowing where we will go, how we will die (as nice as the thought of just simply dying in one's sleep is...it is not often the case). I personally do not fear death itself, it is a part of life and unadvoidable in the end...my whole thing is how i dye...i have a fear of downing and hope that is not how i'm destined to go "shivers". As far as being immortal i think it might be cool but not because i fear dying and as far as beating death i again do not think it is possible...prolonging it yea, but it will eventually happen.

fear of the unknowen what is beond

People don't nessacarily dear death but the concept of it, they fear that they will be alone when they die, they dear the possibility of pain when they die, they fear that they will leave people and things unfinished or in need, its not always death its self they fear

WHY do humans fear death?.......

Other than saying , " It is the fear of what happens next".......

At first , you pull family close, talk of memories ect...... THEN......
It is the "fear of the" transition"... of the point of "letting go"...the letting go of "life ", of the familiar! Of the Last breath you are too tired to take , at once , ....at least for a moment , it all seems sirene...as if you want too just sleep......then...NOTHING else matters. You fight for a time but after so long , you welcome it.....your body still tries to survive . Sometimes , it will win....but come the day we will all know the final outcome. As far as the "light" noobody knows for sure what it will be...I belive for everyone....death, will be a personal experience ...shared only by the you and your maker.

they dont know what will happen how they will feel who they will leave behind

I think humans fear death for the fact that, they fear the unknown...the fear that life ends....not all people are like this...some people dont care about life & waste what they have, some people treasure it like a child & want to keep it forever! but some people are in between...they dont think about it much unless something bad happens and then they think...i'd hate to die like that or that person had so much to give or something liek that....Me im the person in the middle...im not much of a thinker when it comes to me dying....it happens when it happens...or when i choose for it to happen...either way everyone dies....its the circle of life!!

If i had the chance to live forever??..Hmmm...thats a tough one...not many people think about this properly...they think yeah kool, gona live forever but you have to think about what you'll experience in all that time...death of loved ones, death of your partners, death of your children, friends, other family members....you may want to life forever but they may not...not everyone has the same views on life as you do! I dont think i could stand watching my loved ones die, watching the world change and me being the same, war starting and destroying everything around me, creatures beginning to become extinct, tigers, Rhinos, elephants, whales, iguanas, polar bears etc...

Yeah , you don't know what will happen ....but I can tell you the , "Just before feeling".........and YOU WANT TO LET GO....and your body is programmed to survive!.....it is uncomfortable......but ..in my case I only wanted to sleep...I "felt" nothing in the way of fear...it only seemed natural...it is hard to explain to others without a common frame of referance.

Because they dont know what to expect after the enter the grave...Im not sure if I would become immortal. Whatching all my loved ones die over and over agian would be very hard to do.

As 4 myself only I can only I can only speak what I have fealt on this issue cause ive died before and was brought back here lol.

What I saw was some where very peaceful and calming place and yes I did see my past relatives also I wanted to stay but guess what it wasnt my time and here I stay till it is my time to go. But it wasnt scary at all very piecefull at the most part .

hopefuly it works like that for the rest of us.

Fear of change, is instinctual. Since man has no honest "factual" proof something else exists, because all and all the majority are uneducated sheep, just going along with accepted traditions of death, dying, and everything else spoon fed them for the last 2000 years or so. They have come to rely to much on idealistic fantasy that has been established as LAW and DOGMA by the catholic church, and any other organized religion. Buddhism, Satanism, Discordians, and WIccans, all of them lumped up together, in unorignal constructs. Wouldn't you fear what you yourself have no knowledge of?

Would I be immortal, I would become as Immortal as I can be. If that means transmigrating into a living vessel and comendering it as mine, or making my current flesh last the ions, whilst still being relativly youthful, and vigorous. Of course, its a matter of being able to live alone with ones self. Anything else becomes secondary, humans die off, animals die off and the world changes, and yet you are still you no matter what? As much as I hate me, I think im pretty sure im not gonna kill myself anytime soon, I might need to be reminded of that every so often, but all and all, if this world changes, I would like to live to see it change for the better, if that means all the human filth is gone, then thats what it means. If im the last humaniod thing left, then I welcome the peace, I can eat anything, and just have to get used to it, my body is already hating me, rebelling against what i have done to it. So if it could last the centuries unaged from this moment, I would welcome the oppertunity to observe Life, to study it, and see what makes it tick. See why people fight so hard, die so swift, understand their reasoning, for I understand my own of such things, are they so similiar? Or what makes them different, what makes them have such closed minds to where they can open their hearts and shut of their minds to their god? Those i would love the passing centuries to see. That and to test out experimental blood magick, but other then see what customs start, which people create what, see what every moment has to bring, and offer at my feet, or what I have to take from life by the balls if need be. This would be an interesting road.

Why do humans fear death?

I think we fear death because it is unknown to us. Human beings fear anything and everything that they do not know or understand.

Is this a condition that exists in all life or merely in sentient life?

I think that it exists in all life.

If you could be immortal would you?

Absolutely not. I do not want to live longer than my family. I value the love, joy and happiness that my family brings to my life everyday. I would not want to be on this world without them. I know that the older relatives will pass on from this life. But I know in my heart that we will be together again somehow and someway.

What are your views in how human beings overcome death?

I don't think human beings ever overcome death. We all fear it. We are all afraid that we will leave this life before we have explored everything possible.

natural survival instinct

well i can only speak for myself and death scares me casue you dont know how much pain is involved in passing and what truely happens to you then theres the saddness of the people that love me on my mind and death will end up hurting them when meaning not to.

this has been said a few times already, but I guess one more time wont hurt. I think all humans naturally fear what they do not understand, we do not know any thing about death, as far as what happens once you pass on so of course people are going to be afraid to die and leave this familiar world behind. As far as pain being involved, I think that depends on how you are killed but I do not think there is pain once you die. I wouldn't want to be immortal because you would have to watch every one around you, everyone you care about die while you stayed here alone.

Most people fear death due to the fact that they fear the unknown and what they do not understand. No one really knows what happens when you pass on, whether its nothing or whether you are reincarnated and get to do it all over again, this is one of the great mysteries that surrounds life.

As for being immortal, I would only chose to be if those closest to me were as well, to never age and those you know and love passing away time after time would be too much.

I think we fear death becaue it is 'final' it is end of... It is accepting we are not in control of our lives. it is accepting we are no invincible.

However, there are others, that see this in a completely different light... look at the People that blow themselves up and take others with them.. They believe that dying is divine by their God.. and that beautiful things will meet them when they die.
Our upbringings and what we are taught, have a large effect in how we see life, and death.
I have seen people die, when I was nursing.. sometimes it seems painful, even of natural causes... THAT scares me.

Nobody truly knows what is after death... if THIS is it.. or if theer is something else. Will we meet our children again.. our, loved ones??? Nobody really knows those answers. We need to believe in something to bring comfort for our own mortalities.

I would absolutely not wish to be immortal. to live forever would only bring much unhappiness.. and I would never want to get close to anyone.. I would stop having babies because I would out live them. If all were immortal, that would bring a complex world, that would probably never flourish or change. And eventually, seriously overpopulate.

simply put"humans fear the unknown"

thing is im not afraid of death, im afraid of the worse, reason why i can not take my life, not jus cause of my morals but because death will grasp me when it chooses too, i wil let it choose for me, not choose for it, if death happened now cause of a bombing or some car accident o well it happened, lets see whats goin on the otherside

It's normal to fear what you can't fathom. Dead people even look scary... dead people rot and turn into dirt. No more life... no more taking a stroll, spending time with loved ones... and in many cases death hurts.

some are uncertain and lacking in faith of an afterlife i.e. life to the fullest. a fear

Like most have said, people are scared of death because they aren't sure whats after death, if theres anything at all...

It's scared of the unknown, no-one has come back yet to tell the tale of what death is, or what it is like.

If I could be immortal, yes, I think I would on the condition that my husband & farmily be immortal too, otherwise no. I wouldnt go through life without them.

As for immortality meaning "cowardice"... Thats stupid to say. If you could keep all your family & friends around you, & live with them forever, Im sure you would :)

As has been stated people fear death due to the unknown. In spite of our beliefs their is always that uncertainty that we are wrong. Personally I would not want to be immortal, but I would like to be youthful for another 200+ years just to see what kind of advancements humanity makes.

just like eastoria said above me... its the fear of the unknown. but with that fear also comes curiosity. we want to know the things that we cant mentally grasp.

if i could be immortal, and i cant even think of how many times ive been asked this, and still i dont have an answer. there are too many pros and cons and sometimes i do think ignorance is bliss.

As most everyone else has said, it's a fear of the unknown. Simple as that. We all like to know what's going to happen to us.

i havent even thought about it very much cause its a fact of life and can happen anytime i dont even think about it is it happens theres not much i can do about it

Mortals all fear death, for it is something they do not know. The great beyond is a mystery that no one can say they have done or tell what truly lies on the other side. so a fear of not knowing is the fear and not truly death.

We fear death as others have said because we have not experienced it. How do we cope? There are about as many answers as there are people. Most humans I feel know within themselves that there is probably something afterward. I say that knowing some here who deny this, but in my opinion, few people deny that there is more to them than their physical existence.

I'm not fearful of deat itself. I am fearful of passing on sooner than I'd like and not knowing how My family will be after I'm gone. That has to be one of My biggest fears actually. But, as far as death is concerned. I've prepaired for it. It's a natural thing. When it's My time to go, I'll not be afraid of it. Just My opinion.

I have to agree with most of you guys. That we all fear it because it's not knowing wha goin gto happen next. I wouldn't stay immortal. I would wan to see what was out there waiting for me.

i would want too to be imortal.....

This has already been said many times, but we humans fear the unknown and things we don't understand. Death falls into both categories.

I think some people fear death because they associated it with pain and suffering. They fear not only dying, but the manner in which they might die. Most people I know, myself included, don't want to die alone.

Other people are afraid of death because they fear going to hell. They've spent their entire lives trying to do the "right" thing, and wondering if it's enough to get through the "pearly gates." Personally, I think it's a load of crap designed to keep people in line, but I digress.

As for myself, I don't fear death because I don't think life is a one shot deal. My belief is that we die, rest, and come back again. Life is a do-over, if you will.

Am I implying that we are immortal? Not at all. Immortality would mean living this life for all eternity. Personally, I think that would be horrible, and I wouldn't want it. I'd rather die and come back in another body to live another life.

that is very true. imortalaty would be liveing this life with out the hope of death. and feel more of the soul would be the part that would be imortal. (this from reading the posts since my last one.)
i do fear how i am going to die. the unknown. but learning to take it all in pride.

I am reminded of the old say 'everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die'...lol

I don't fear death, as in the real sense know that we are all imortal.

As others have mentioned, I am not too keen on the idea of pain and suffering which can happen just before the event.

Probably because they are leaving their loved ones behind.

Or...

Because they are afraid that they may die painfully.

I think people fear death because it is final, it is the only thing in life that is certain and something we are not in control of.

As many others have said, fear of what happens after, that is if there are an afterlife.

It is also often a negative thought but for some, death is actually a blessing.

Humans fear death because it is the unknown. Death is also associated with loss, and most of us don't want to loss our friends, family, or loved ones.

With that being said though, I still would not wish immortality. It would be too hard to watch people i care about die one of the other while I live on.

the reasion is that humans put way too much faith in "religion" and are in fear of judgment in the afterlife such as the egyptions when the prayed to there heart not to tell lyes on them in the afterlife ergo destroing any chance of going to be with the gods

I really can't explain it the way I mean it. I think that it's instinct. Human instinct usually lets you know when something is not good for you. Like, if you get sick after eating something, you probably wouldn't eat it again. It's a survival instinct. Dying goes against your survival skills. You know?

Well part of it is the unknown of what happens after but i think its mostly the not wanting to leave, i mean for the most part alot of people actually enjoy living so obviously dying would be contrary to that.....

i wouldnt want immortality, personally it would become bland and pointless at some point, now like maybe an extension on life for a set time would be nice to take care of regrets or what you missed out on....but forever no...

most use their children to well overcome death, cause they know there life lives on through them.....

i guess the other part of fearing death would be that i have no children. to live though them.

I don't knkow really. But i think that death is a fasinating subject to discuss. I don't fear death for i am already dead.

This topic is a very interesting way to gauge the way other people think, by the by.

I dont fear death, but i think for those that do, it is because they think that everything they are will just vanish, like they never lived. some may fear it because they are not done yet. I would be immortal if i could, but only because i wanna see how the world changes and if it ends. :

I fear the act of dying but not death itself. It will either be a nothingness or I will continue elsewhere and be with the one I love once more

Well, I know I fear death because I want to live long enough to see my grandkids. I hope anyway. I fear death because I dont know if life after death exists. I hope it does.

I am not scared to die at all. I am not sure if I have a set belief on what will happen to me when I die. I do know that I am not ready to die yet. There are still many things that I want to do, like see my kid grow up. In some ways, I feel that Our souls are immortal. That they never die. Reincarnation is what I am trying to suggest I suppose. I think that it is possible that we go through life over and over again in different bodies. I believe in the universe and that we all have a plan. And that we are supposed to be on a certain path and the choices that we make determine what will happen. I think, when I do die, that It will be when I am supposed to. I guess I believe in fate so to speak. That everything happens for a reason.

Because most humans fear things they don't know and can't control

I dont fear death.
but I can see why people do. No one realy knows what happens after. and thats a bit scary.

i dotn fear death.......or what comes after it.....im ready to go at any time....

it could be fear of that unknown illogical end or demise

I believe the best answer is the simplest one...humans fear the unknown.

There are a lot of questions presented so I will do my best to answer them all..... I think the "fear" of death resides with sentient(?) life... I feel animals know when death is upon them but they don't fear it.... Humans will contemplate and try to reason with it, even try to over come it but no one will ever fully be able to.... But how a person is raised definetly has something to do with if a person will fear death or not.... If one is raised with a religious background the only thing they fear is Hell instead of death cause they "Know" where they are going.... The unkown is a definet factor for why people fear death however since people are "smart" they do their best to put it on the back burner and not think about it.

Would I be Immortal? I don't know if I would want to or not. I don't think I would like to see the people I love to pass... Course if my other half was immortal I would gladly be immortal cause at least I would have someone to face their deaths with....

I hope I came across clear with my response.... If you want me to elaborate on anything just message me and let me know....

I guess that it is human nature to fear what we don't understand. We have no clue what will happen next, Heaven, hell, purgatory, reincarnation and so forth. Religon may also play a part in the grand design of it all

I think fear of the unknown is the greatest fear.. also of leaving loved ones behind.. Im my profession i have seen a lot of people welcome death .Personally its not something i fear..

People tend to fear anything they dont fully understand. I mean, we all understand death, but the after life is uncertain, and I think thats the drive behind the fear. I do not fear my own death, but I do fear the death of those I love.

Just thought of this:
dead bodies arent exactly a calming thing on the mind either, ever been near one, its rather unsettling...seeing the absence of life......funerals may in some way sharp our fears of death...

Maybe they fear it because they think after they die, that death is the end. Maybe they are afraid of the after life and how they may be judged come judgement day.

Death is just part of life, no one knows for sure what happens after death. All I know is it's unavoidable , and it can happen at any givin time .

i think that they fear death because it will be painful..that they will stop breathing and that scares them

i thinkg it is just human nature to fear the unknown and that is what death is the unkown for me i am not really scared off death it's self it is the fact of you do not know when i just hope it happens after my daughter is grown up and on her own

Well yes everyone has been saying the unknown , but is it more than that , is just they way we are programed from the start.. Just beacuse we are aware of death doesnt mean we must fear it .. I think its more of a mental programming from society or our upgrowing ..

I think that we fear death because it's unexpected. You never know if it will happen today, tomorrow, or 20 years from now. In the end we all still know it's inevitible.

death is like life.. we don't really understand it.. understanding is different from knowledge.. we know how a computer works.. but we don't UNDERSTAND it.. or most of us dont, anyway.. life and death seem to be the same to me.. something we KNOW, but we do not UNDERSTAND.. just my .02... it's probably not possible to UNDERSTAND death, though we can KNOW death.. if that makes any sense.. lol
D

I believe that Death is a surprise, You do not know what it is. A mystery of Mysteries. And tis true, Mortals fear what they do not understand. I am mortal, and death is too, complex for me to even begin to think of. And to answer your other question, i myself WOULD NOT, be immortal. What is the point of being immortal if you cannot eternally rest? What will You do when everything in life is completed in a timeline of 200 years? Why would I become immortal if there is no other that is? and if i love, then what will I feel when they all die? You see, Immortality is Plain Bordom...

I dont know.. I myself have felt death.. I was clinically dead for 4 min .. I drowned at an early age and was brought back.. I have lost almost all my blood in an accident at the age of 14 and made it out .. So to me I dont fear death.. Its gonna happen eventually , so why fear it.. I live life to the best of my ability..

I personally have no fear of death, but I am convicted in my beliefs. In that which I do not have such firm convictions (ie paying my bills,) I find myself in fear.

Then I sit and wonder about phobia; surely a phobia cannot be enitrely about the unknown. It must be something to do with control. And still further, as I walk down this path, I think tha tit is even less about control and more about acceptance.

Fear, is the inability to accept change. I personally think fear is highly linked with self esteam.

Whcih brings up the question of suicide.

Ritual, is a "patented" way of borrowing self esteam for the purpose of overcoming fear. However, it is often wasted as a person rarely is capable of switching from ritual dependance to true self esteam and the death of ego.

A moot point in the case of suicide anyway, but it shows how someone can overcome the fear o death through ritual.
*cough*funeral*cough*

I'm not afraid to die.

The only thing is that I couldn't handle leaving my loved ones behind.
Or leaving the life I lived behind.

I could always visit my family in spirit.
Or...
I could be reincarnated. That would be cool.

I believe that it isn't the fear of where they are going but more the fear of what they are losing. Once dead, all that a person has worked for in life means nothing as it can not in anyway benefit them- the family they had, the loved they shared, the house they own, the car they drive, the education they recieved, or the carrer they held. It is all lost in one moment- most people don't want to let that all go.

Humans fear death because we do not understand what awaits us after. Our final destination is not certain.

Fear of the unkown. Fear of not being " alive" anymore. No i would not live forever, the lonelyness, solitude, watching everyone you care about grow old and die. I couldn't do it.

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