Is it unhealthy to think about death too much?

[Godlovesmetwo]

NB: not a thread about suicide

I mean as Christians, we are supposed to ponder on the shortness of our earthly life versus eternal life.
I tend to be obsessive about it though. Wondering about the last hour of my death. How much faith I will have. How much courage. How close I will feel to God.
Some will see it as negative I suppose. But I think it is only natural to be concerned about it.
I think about it every day, to be honest. Oh dear!

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

Are you more sentimental about your own passing, than someone else's?
I think I might be. I feel really selfish saying that.

 

[Korean-American Christian]

Psalm 90:12 New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Teach us to count our days aright (teach us to number our days), that we may gain wisdom of heart.

In my opinion, pondering the shortness of our earthly life is a healthy thing to do

 

[Far Side Of the Moon]

Its not healthy. I do that but that's kinda due to my anxiety and of course it creates more anxiety.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

Its not healthy. I do that but that's kinda due to my anxiety and of course it creates more anxiety.

sorry
youd better ignore this thread then

 

[Far Side Of the Moon]

sorry
youd better ignore this thread then

I'm fine. I was just replying...and swiftly moving along lol

 

[chevyontheriver]

NB: not a thread about suicide

I mean as Christians, we are supposed to ponder on the shortness of our earthly life versus eternal life.
I tend to be obsessive about it though. Wondering about the last hour of my death. How much faith I will have. How much courage. How close I will feel to God.
Some will see it as negative I suppose. But I think it is only to natural to be concerned about it.
I think about it every day, to be honest. Oh dear!

Memento mori.
Respice post te. Hominem te memento.
Four last things.
I think it is good to 'cram for the final', as an old Jesuit retreat master told us.
That doesn't mean dread, unless you have lots of cramming you still need to do.
Praise be Jesus Christ, Savior and Lord.

 

[NothingIsImpossible]

I used to think about it in many ways. Sometimes fear of how I would die. Or fear of going to hell when I die (when I was rebelling). Fear of spending such a long life just to have all of its meaning and things done mean nothing.

But over time I changed and don't even worry or care about death anymore really. Now that I am married I of course tell God I am in no hurry to pass just yet. Hopefully I will die along side my wife at the same time (like peacefully). That is the one thing I never thought about until marriage. What would I do if she died first? Or what would she do if I died first?

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

Hopefully I will die along side my wife at the same time (like peacefully). That is the one thing I never thought about until marriage. What would I do if she died first? Or what would she do if I died first?

There is that part of it too of course. The whole dynamics changes for me, if my partner dies first. I don't think I will be up to some of the pragmatic challenges, just apart from the stress of loneliness.

 

[ub4me]

When you have come close to dying, then you think more about life.

 

[FireDragon76]

How can pondering something that is, for all practical purposes, absolutely certain, be unhealthy?

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

When you have come close to dying, then you think more about life.

Good answer.
I deserved that!

 

[FireDragon76]

BTW, Martin Heidegger said that his advice for happiness was spending time in graveyards thinking about death.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

How can pondering something that is, for all practical purposes, absolutely certain, be unhealthy?

well you know, the pragmatists of the world will say it is just overphilosphising, or navel-gazing or obsessive or worrying too much about the big questions. "just get on with it mate" some Aussies might say. (life, that is)
And asub4me said, those who actually have been close to death, will only be thinking of life

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

BTW, Martin Heidegger said that his advice for happiness was spending time in graveyards thinking about death.

You might have a more depressing outlook than I have, reading that stuff!

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

When you have come close to dying, then you think more about life.

there's a story I'm sure you have, but I wont pester you for it now.

 

[FireDragon76]

You might have a more depressing outlook than I have, reading that stuff!

No, it's also something Thitch Nhat Hanh taught me, who seems to me to be anything but a depressive sort of person. When people don't accept the finitude and frailty of human life, they don't appreciate it, and they are literally sleepwalking through life. Then it's over, and they never woke up.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

I think for me, I wasn't present for either of my parents death. I was overseas and arrived later for the funeral. In some ways, it means I haven't faced the reality of death. I didn't grieve properly either.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

No, it's also something Thitch Nhat Hanh taught me, who seems to me to be anything but a depressive sort of person. When people don't accept the finitude and frailty of human life, they don't appreciate it, and they are literally sleepwalking through life. Then it's over, and they never woke up.

Oh I agree with you for sure. And I like Thich Nhat. (the ultimate spelling challenge)

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

"always look on the bright side of death" (Monty Python) they were irreverent but such a breath of fresh air..... "blessed are the cheesemakers"