Death...

I wonder what people's thoughts on death are. To me, it seems like the limited nature of human life is one of, if not the, most important thing people can ponder, but that's just me.

What do you all think about death?

Death...

We seem to tie the concepts of life and consciousness together a bit more than is warranted. Even the death of the body as it were is not truly death. Life continues on within the body even after we pronounce the body dead. But it is not a particular form of life we necissarily enjoy or experience.

Experience is the rub. Life was we know it is dependent on us knowing it. That is experiencing it. Our minds record and react to the things that happen to us. And this is what we seem to value when we talk about life. But its certainly not the life of a single cell or even a small group of cells.

Upshot is when we speak of death we seem to be refering to the end of our cohesive existance as a conscious entity. Even though bits and peaces of our genetic make up may continue to muddle on we as conscious entities may not continue on afterwards.

As I do not believe in consciousness without a coherant body from which it can arise pondering that which occurs after death does not go beyond my concern for those I love and where their lives will take them. When I die I will be done and only the words and actions I have entered into the social stream of consciousness will be what remains.

This does give us something to ponder as to what you are going to do with your life. But it is only the limiting factor of death that gives death any reason to ponder on this point. I do not believe that you or I or anyone else will experience death as once we are dead we will no longer experience anything.

Death means nothing to me right now. I'm not a believer in any god or an afterlife, so I'm getting the most out of the time I do have.

On the other hand, death will probably matter a lot more when I'm lying on my death bed comtemplating my imminent demise. Or maybe I'll get hit by a bus...

Not screaming in panic like his passengers. :D Death needs some humor to allow the mind to comtemplate it.

I've heard that joke before, but it's still funny. :)

I agree that we need to view death with a little more humor. I'm leaning towards cremation so there will be more money for beer at my funeral party.

Being shot out of a cannon would be cool too.:nuke:

That was in Stan Laurel's will. A nice thought.

May our deaths be ease and rest for all of us :)

At a major airport, passengers are preparing to board a fully-booked 747.

The flight crew walks past. The pilot and co-pilot are both wearing dark glasses...and tapping their way along with white canes.

Everybody laughs. What a great joke!

Soon everybody's on board and the plane starts rolling down the runway...

...and rolling...and rolling...and rolling...

...until it's obvious the 747 WON'T clear the tall fence at the end of the runway. It's about to smash thru the fence and go over a cliff, right into the ocean.

The passengers all scream...

...and the 747 suddenly lifts straight off the runway, into the sky, in a perfect take-off.

In the cockpit the co-pilot says to the pilot: "Earl...one of these days they'll scream a little too late, and we're all going to die."

...I'd probably dick around for a while. As it stands, however, I have a very short period of time in which to make a difference and live a memorable life. I've seen way too many people fritter their time away and have nothing to remember when they're old.

But dwelling on it is foolish, especially when you ponder what happens afterward. Our conduct NOW should be important. Besidies, too many are way too sure what happens after it. None of us can be really sure. Me, I think we go on somehow after this, but I have too many other things too worry about than my eventual fate.

I don't get fussed about my personal death at all. When the body gets worn out, it's time to trade it in for a new one.

I was very sad when my GrandFather died. He was a great man. He had climbed 46 peaks. He began doing Civil Rights work in the 20s & 30s. He supported Norman Thomas for President (Socialist Party). During the 50s he had been called up by HUAC, (House Un-American Activities Committee), because he had signed a Peace petition (one circulated by the Communist Party). He refused to attend, and perhaps they didn't go after him, because he was a Presbyterian minister, and a Master Mason. hehehe

I had already believed in reincarnation at the time, but I didn't know for sure. During his funeral I had the experience of channeling my GrandFather, so that he could watch it. It was almost funny considering how sad everybody was, while I had this beautific grin on my face. He had attained Enlightenment at death, so he had a real good reason to be smiling :)

Currently, he is working as a Guide on the Spiritual Plane, and he tells me that one of the people he is working with is Cindy Sheehan. I trust the she has been taking his expert activist's advice, and will continue to do good things with it.

Now if you are unfamiliar with Metaphysical thought, all this *might* seem a bit strange to you. Life is very important. We are here, because this is where we can learn the most. Just because we are immortal souls wearing mortal bodies, doesn't mean that we have time to waste. Every moment is precious... even in Eternity. So go with what you've got, and remake this world to be what your Dreams tell you it can be. Perfection is like Life itself : always a work-in-progress!

Pretty devastating stuff.

Also, "The Death of Ivan Illyich" by Leo Tolstoy