"As men, we are all equal in the presence of death"
Publilius Syrus

"Seeing death as the end of life is like seeing the horizon as the end of the ocean. "
-David Searls

"Death--- the last sleep? No the final awakening."
---Walter Scott

I was just looking through some of these quotes on death and wondered,
How do you view death?Is it the end or the beginning in some way?

Thanks for sharing.

EDIT::::Also what do you believe lies beyond death?

I believe it's a continuation and maturation of who I am now.

Wondergirl,
You do have a way with words.

"continuation and maturation",is a good way to put it...

I think it is the beginning and the end.
The end of this life as we know it.
The beginning of a new life.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Treeny

I think it is the beginning and the end.
The end of this life as we know it.
The beginning of a new life.

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I think I could relate to that... it certainly is an end to this life we know.

I think death leads us to the real final frontier. There is life after death and depending on our life here on Earth, it will be decided where we spend eternity. We can do all the good things for others that gain us accolades but that is not our measure.

This sums it up for me:

"Death, the most dreaded of evils, is therefore of no concern to us; for while we exist death is not present, and when death is present we no longer exist." - Epicurus.

I think that death will be the end of existence.

I believe that when we die we cease to exist as a conscious being. I actually really like this thought although I know many don't at all -my brother for example always looks really sad when I say it.

I'd really, really like to believe there is something else when you die... but thinking logically about it, I can't see that there is!

I think that's a very bleak and tough idea for humans to get their heads around... nothingness!

So you guys don't believe we are more than this phisical body?
Do you think we have no soul?

We have something that we characterise as a soul, sure. But to me it's nothing more than part of the body, like an arm or a leg.

I don't know what you mean by "you guys". I speak for only myself.

Have you ever lost a loved one?
If so how do you find comfort. I mean that's what keeps me going.
If I thought that there was nothing else and that person I loved is just nothing, it would be so much harder to cope.

Yes I've lost loved ones. I find plenty of comfort in my memories of them. That's the place where true life after death exists, in the memories of those who you have touched.

Yeah I've lost loved ones, I am at peace knowing they cannot suffer anymore. I feel I live more in the present as I am not preparing for a tomorrow that (probably in my opinion) will never happen. One life, not retribution, no saviour, no damnation, nothing other than this so I better make the best use of it whilst I can. Once I learnt to accept this it was very liberating not depressing at all.

Everyone's brain works differently though. I happy to know people believe what makes them happy whatever it is and however alien it is to my own beliefs.

Everyone's brain works differently though. I happy to know people believe what makes them happy whatever it is and however alien it is to my own beliefs.[/QUOTE]
This is true. Thanks for sharing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Treeny

So you guys dont believe we are more than this phisical body?
do you think we have no soul?

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I believe we are more than a physical body, that there is a soul.
A soul which does not cease to exist with our deaths.

I believe the soul exists in an intermediary place (Barzakh) until the Day of resurrection.

P.S
I am sorry for all your losses templelane and capuchin.

I believe it will be the end when we die. It is nice to think that we could go on to a better place but reason gets in the way and I find it very difficult to see that there could be anything else afterwards.

We are all lucky to be who we are and should cherish the time we have here.

In my mind I can see why religion has developed over the years and I understand why people follow it. People need a reason for being here and a comfort for the thought of dying. The thought that there isn't actually an afterlife is very disturbing but I don't believe that there is a reason for our existence other than chance/inevitability. Sad but true?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StuMegu

I believe it will be the end when we die. It is nice to think that we could go on to a better place but reason gets in the way and I find it very difficult to see that there could be anything else afterwards.

We are all lucky to be who we are and should cherish the time we have here.

In my mind I can see why religion has developed over the years and I understand why people follow it. People need a reason for being here and a comfort for the thought of dying. The thought that there isn't actually an afterlife is very disturbing but I don't believe that there is a reason for our existance other than chance/inevitability. Sad but true?

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Could you explain the "reason",behind your choice to not believe in an afterlife?

Thanks,
Just curious as I believe differently (as you may already know).

I don't need a reason not to believe, I need a reason to believe and I can't find one. You don't just start believing something for no reason - do you?

If there were a God who monitored us and judged us at the end then I would expect there to be more reasons to follow his will than some guy telling me what God wants. Why should any other human tell another human what God wants, cannot God speak for himself?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StuMegu

I don't need a reason not to believe, I need a reason to believe and I can't find one. You don't just start believing something for no reason - do you?

If there were a God who monitored us and judged us at the end then I would expect there to be more reasons to follow his will than some guy telling me what God wants. Why should any other human tell another human what God wants, cannot God speak for himself?

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You have a point there, I do not believe for no reason either,but my reasoning may not be what you are really looking for.

I think some do not find the reason to believe because most have already made up their minds to not believe,but I do think that if one were to have an open mind and look at my faith (I say this because I believe/know it is the TRUTH)without prejudice,one sees reasons to believe.

About God showing reasons for us to believe, I find many signs around me to believe.And the other thing is God does not lose when we do not believe in Him.

I will stop here as it might seem like I am preaching,which I am not,but wishing to explain what I see and believe.