Do you want to die?

[Whatthedeuce]

Most Christians I talk to believe that they are going to go to heaven after they die. There they will live forever in happiness. From my point of view, it seems like Christians should look forward to and desire death above anything else because it is the only way of getting into heaven. However, it appears to me as if most Christians are scared of death and do not want it to come.

What do you all think about this topic?
Would you rather die sooner or later?
Are you scared of dying?

 

[Lukaris]

We want to have the salvation of Jesus Christ and pray that as many possible have it also. We want to live according God's will which will determine how long our earthly life is. We will always give thanks to God as we live and rejoice when life blesses us with happiness & always keep focused on Jesus Christ no matter what happens. This we will do in faith by the best of our ability since we know there is tribulation in this world but our faith is in Jesus Christ who has overcome all of this (see John 16:33).

 

[Whatthedeuce]

We want to have the salvation of Jesus Christ and pray that as many possible have it also. We want to live according God's will which will determine how long our earthly life is. We will always give thanks to God as we live and rejoice when life blesses us with happiness & always keep focused on Jesus Christ no matter what happens. This we will do in faith by the best of our ability since we know there is tribulation in this world but our faith is in Jesus Christ who has overcome all of this (see John 16:33).

This has some very nice thoughts in it. It's very sweet of you to wish salvation for as many people as possible. It's very nice that you spend a lot of time thanking Yahweh for the good things you have. I read John 16:33 and it pretty much just restates your last sentence, which also has some nice thoughts. However, despite all the nice and sweet things your response has, I don't think it answers my questions.

What are your thoughts about the attitude of Christians towards death?

Would prefer to die sooner or later? You do say that Yahweh decides how long you will live. In that case, would you rather Yahweh decide that you have a long life or a short life?

A you scared of dying?

 

[talitha]

Most Christians I talk to believe that they are going to go to heaven after they die. There they will live forever in happiness. From my point of view, it seems like Christians should look forward to and desire death above anything else because it is the only way of getting into heaven. However, it appears to me as if most Christians are scared of death and do not want it to come.

I am not scared (obviously) of what's on the other side of death, but the process is many times painful, and I really really do not like pain..... that's just where I am with it.....

On the theoretical level..... Jesus came to earth because "God so loved the world" - to seek premature death would be to counter His purpose in us of carrying His love to a lost and dying world.

Would you rather die sooner or later?

Honestly, it does not matter to me when it is.

Are you scared of dying?

Death, no. Dying yes (see above).

blessings
tal

 

[98cwitr]

Most Christians I talk to believe that they are going to go to heaven after they die. There they will live forever in happiness. From my point of view, it seems like Christians should look forward to and desire death above anything else because it is the only way of getting into heaven. However, it appears to me as if most Christians are scared of death and do not want it to come.

What do you all think about this topic?
Would you rather die sooner or later?
Are you scared of dying?

I think I am still on this earth to accomplish something, therefore my purpose is defined somehow.

Not really. I'm indifferent.

Yes, because I am afraid that it could be very painful. I don't enjoy pain.

 

[Sketcher]

Yeah, we get to Heaven when we do die, but we're also here for a purpose. I want to fulfill mine before I die, which will make for a better eternity for me. If we're going to look at it strictly from the selfish standpoint, I could have a good eternity, or I could have a great one.

 

[PerrySB]

It is my belief that God has a purpose for each one of us. We may not know what that purpose is, or maybe we do. Our purpose may be only to learn and grow. However we have been given free will, we can chose to reject God’s purpose for our lives and waste the life we have been given. Whatever we do with our lives is up to us, some throw it away, some make the most of it and others just move through it with nothing but self centered desires. However the ones that I believe are the happiest are the ones that work to fulfill God’s purpose for them. Try reading “the purpose driven life”.

However for me if God told me my purpose on earth was finished I would ask him take me out of here ASAP, but that is just me. I do love life and have had a wonderful one, but I know what waits for me on the other side is so much greater than what we have here.

 

[Jpark]

Never mind.

 

[Lukaris]

This has some very nice thoughts in it. It's very sweet of you to wish salvation for as many people as possible. It's very nice that you spend a lot of time thanking Yahweh for the good things you have. I read John 16:33 and it pretty much just restates your last sentence, which also has some nice thoughts. However, despite all the nice and sweet things your response has, I don't think it answers my questions.

What are your thoughts about the attitude of Christians towards death?

Would prefer to die sooner or later? You do say that Yahweh decides how long you will live. In that case, would you rather Yahweh decide that you have a long life or a short life?

A you scared of dying?

I am not trying to discard your questions since they are valid, or be evasive, but just stating how life & death affect me now as a Christian. The best natural response is to want to live a good moral & prosperous life as long as possible and I wish & respect this for those I hold dear & my neighbor whoever that may be but I also realize that God will require my soul when I know not (see Luke 12:1-40 esp. verse 20). I will live my life as God sees fit and try to follow the principles the Lord requires of us (see for ex. 1 Peter 4:7-10). I hope this is helpful to you & also respect the responses others have given you.

 

[Faith Hope& Love]

I have no fear of death, but it is not something I look forward to.... but I do not look too far at all in the future, so death is no exception. It will happen when it happens. When God feels I am ready to go then he will take me. Until that time, there is much to be done here on earth. God has placed us all here for a reason/ purpose.

From my observations, I have seen Christians who are so focused on Heaven that they have lost all focus of any purpose on earth. Every word out of their mouth is about Heaven. Even to the point of expressing a wish for death to take them now. (Although they are not suicidal.)

 

[razeontherock]

For me dying would be a reduction of pain. I expect to live well into my 70's, still working every day and running my business doing everything myself. Or at least I live that way. The Apostle Paul said "for me to die is gain, but to live is Christ."

I think that sums up what is a very good question!

 

[ebia]

Most Christians I talk to believe that they are going to go to heaven after they die. There they will live forever in happiness. From my point of view, it seems like Christians should look forward to and desire death above anything else because it is the only way of getting into heaven.

That's a very stunted version of the historic Christian hope.
The Christian expectation is for God to come and put right this world, resurrecting the dead into that world-put-to-rights and similarly transforming the still living. That's what resurrection is all about, and what Jesus' resurrection is the advanced sign and instance of. The bible doesn't actually have very much to say about the intermediate state between death and that final resurrection - its not the focus at all. Unfortunately Christians have used the word "heaven" to describe both the intermediate and the final to the point that they've lost the distinction in the popular imagination.

However, it appears to me as if most Christians are scared of death and do not want it to come.

What do you all think about this topic?
Would you rather die sooner or later?
Are you scared of dying?

I'm not afraid of death. I'm looking forward to the suffering and pain that tends to go with it.

 

[drich0150]

Death frightens me only because I fear that I may not have done all that i could have in the service of the Lord for this life. Call it what you will (NDE or vision) but I have been weighed, measured, and found wanting. There is not a more helpless, foolish for a wasted life/feeling a man could ever experience.

I also fear that my family may be negatively effected at first by a sudden death. I don't want that for them.



I do look forward for the opportunity to Hear "Well Done Good and Faithful Servant."

 

[Whatthedeuce]

I'm not afraid of death. I'm looking forward to the suffering and pain that tends to go with it.

Why would you look forward to pain and suffering?

 

[Hentenza]

Most Christians I talk to believe that they are going to go to heaven after they die. There they will live forever in happiness. From my point of view, it seems like Christians should look forward to and desire death above anything else because it is the only way of getting into heaven. However, it appears to me as if most Christians are scared of death and do not want it to come.

What do you all think about this topic?
Would you rather die sooner or later?
Are you scared of dying?

Not scared of dying at all. I just want to stay long enough to see my grandkids grow and have kids of their own. I like being a grandpa so I think I'll enjoy being a great grandpa. lol

BTW- I think you have quite a stereotyping mindset going.

 

[ebia]

Why would you look forward to pain and suffering?

Sorry, a "not" must have got lost in editting.

 

[brinny]

Most Christians I talk to believe that they are going to go to heaven after they die. There they will live forever in happiness. From my point of view, it seems like Christians should look forward to and desire death above anything else because it is the only way of getting into heaven. However, it appears to me as if most Christians are scared of death and do not want it to come.

What do you all think about this topic?
Would you rather die sooner or later?
Are you scared of dying?

Christians are children of the Most High God. We have a purpose for being on this earth. As it says in His Word, it is not His will that we die before our time.

I do not fear death. I long to see His face.

 

[Capuano231]

I think the question should be "Are you scared of death" No, I'm not scared of death, because if the Bible is true and there is a Heaven, I believe I will go to heaven and live in peace. But if The Bible is false which I highly doubt because I am a Christian and I think there is more evidence of there being a God than there not being one, then no, I'm still not afraid because in the non-believers mind there will be no thought or anything, we will be gone. So how can you be scared with no thought? And we all die eventually. Well our bodys do

To answer the REAL question that you are looking for... I don't wanna die, if I did I'd be suicidal right? God put us here for a reason. I don't mind if I die that's for sure.

 

[AlexBP]

Most Christians I talk to believe that they are going to go to heaven after they die. There they will live forever in happiness. From my point of view, it seems like Christians should look forward to and desire death above anything else because it is the only way of getting into heaven. However, it appears to me as if most Christians are scared of death and do not want it to come.

What do you all think about this topic?
Would you rather die sooner or later?
Are you scared of dying?

Hi, Whatthedeuce. Thank you for posting this topic. It's really amazing how little almost everyone thinks about death, given how large the event looms in our lives.

I was raised in a secular household and in public schools, so when I was young I had a very secular outlook towards death, namely I feared it and wanted to avoid it completely. This was hammered home by all classes but particularly health, where it was simply assumed that the purpose of life was to put off death for as long as possible. So we were taught to not smoke, not drink, not use drugs, wear seat belts, wear bike helmets, and eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol, low-sugar, low sodium diet, because this would supposedly put off death as far as possible. Because of this upbringing I was very afraid of death and avoided activities that were even slightly risky.

As I became a Christian my attitude slowly changed, not towards liking or wanting death, but simply to acknowledging a sensible attitude. When I read the gospels I see that Jesus Christ wants earthly society to be one of human flourishing, where people are loving towards each other, help those in need, and pursue virtue. Clearly that could not happen if we were also supposed to commit suicide or eagerly anticipate death. At the same time, though, we have no reason to try pulling out every possible minute before death. So in short I try for a medium: I don't want to die prematurely, but neither do I want linger for years in a nursing home or a hospital bed with tubes sticking into every orifice.

About a year ago I was taking part in a whitewater kayaking exercise. My kayak got turned over and I couldn't get it righted, so I was underwater upside-down for more than a minute before someone rescued me. During that 60+ seconds I had time to think and realize that I wasn't afraid of death any more. I didn't want to die there, but I truly understood for the first time that I don't need to fear death.

 

[Whatthedeuce]

Yeah, we get to Heaven when we do die, but we're also here for a purpose. I want to fulfill mine before I die, which will make for a better eternity for me. If we're going to look at it strictly from the selfish standpoint, I could have a good eternity, or I could have a great one.

This is interesting...I have never heard a Christian claim that the degree of how good/bad their afterlife would be is affected by their current lives. I have heard of it in terms of a dichotomous scenario of either going to Heaven or Hell (sometimes purgatory is included as well).

Do you think that by living a longer life, you are likely to experience a "better" eternity?
edit: "Better" is in quotes to emphasize the subjective nature of how each person may define what they want differently. I am not trying to imply an obscure or archaic definition of the word.

I know you aren't supposed to reply to or argue with each other, but I am curious. What do other members of the forum think about this? Is this belief widely accepted?