Off Topic: The Flood
This topic has moved here: Subject: This keeps me up at night.
  • Subject: This keeps me up at night.
Subject: This keeps me up at night.

Cole

I feel cornered. I fear nonexistence with every fiber of my being. Yet, the idea of eternal life equally frightens me. If you had to live forever, how could you keep yourself from becoming insane? This has caused me to keep my distance from religion. The promise of eternal life could be more a curse than a blessing. On the other hand, the idea of nonexistence is very disturbing to me. It's not possible to comprehend. These are fears I simply can't escape from. What can I do?

  • 12.14.2012 10:21 PM PDT

Perhaps you should speak with a religious authority. They could answer your question better than most of the flood.

  • 12.14.2012 10:22 PM PDT

Don't worry about something you can't change.

  • 12.14.2012 10:23 PM PDT

Break down, every single one of you.

I honestly don't see how eternal life can be a curse, especially when it is the kind where you spend it in heaven.

Now oblivion, that tends to frighten me a little bit. I find hell a far better, and kinder, alternative to nonexistence.

  • 12.14.2012 10:25 PM PDT

I'm confident in my beliefs, but I think even the most devout believer of whatever can find the idea of eternity a bit scary. Whether it's heaven, hell, darkness, reincarnation, or just nonexistence of the soul, SOMETHING is forever. Freaks me out a bit too tbh!

  • 12.14.2012 10:26 PM PDT
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Hey, uh, if you like vs threads, then check out this little group right here, if you have the time. It's pretty fun, just hop right in.

If there is absolutely nothing after death, what's there to be worried about? It's not like you'd have anything to be afraid of, because there wouldn't be a 'you' left. People picture nonexistence as sheer, utter blackness. A void. They're wrong, of course - there wouldn't even be that.

  • 12.14.2012 10:26 PM PDT

>New Message
>MFW.
>Disembodied Soul
>MFW.

It happens to us all.

#YOLO.

  • 12.14.2012 10:26 PM PDT

Please do not send me group invites.


Posted by: And Im Here Too
If there is absolutely nothing after death, what's there to be worried about? It's not like you'd have anything to be afraid of, because there wouldn't be a 'you' left. People picture nonexistence as sheer, utter blackness. A void. They're wrong, of course - there wouldn't even be that.
Death isn't unlike the time before you were born. I don't remember that, either.

  • 12.14.2012 10:28 PM PDT
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We all wear masks and the time comes when we cannot remove them without removing our own skin.


Posted by: RockdaleRooster
Perhaps you should speak with a religious authority. They could answer your question better than most of the flood.


Wrong. They would just make it sound like their 'group' is the best choice.

  • 12.14.2012 10:31 PM PDT

"There's a very fine line between not listening, and not caring. I'd like to think that I walk that line every day."

Ceasing to exist after death won't bother you much when you're dead . . .

And I'd hate to live forever. But, forever's a long time, and I'd undoubtedly accept it after a few thousand years.

So I very much believe in death being the end, absolutely. But I could be wrong.

[Edited on 12.14.2012 10:35 PM PST]

  • 12.14.2012 10:33 PM PDT
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Think about it this way. You'll be a valuable asset to many.

Yeah there doesn't seem to be much point.

  • 12.14.2012 10:42 PM PDT

Signatures are for little kids.


Posted by: Assaultor
What can I do?
'Radical Acceptance'.

You must accept that things are as they are, and that you can't do anything about it so there is no point in getting all worked up about it.

You staying up thinking about all this 'unknowable' stuff isn't helpful. Accept that we don't know it all and accept that someday you'll find out first hand when you die.

I would encourage you to read 'The Dhammapada'.

[Edited on 12.14.2012 10:44 PM PST]

  • 12.14.2012 10:44 PM PDT


Posted by: Puma Knight
I honestly don't see how eternal life can be a curse, especially when it is the kind where you spend it in heaven.

Now oblivion, that tends to frighten me a little bit. I find hell a far better, and kinder, alternative to nonexistence.
This.

In a heaven-esque afterlife, you'd probably be unaware of time and just enjoy.

Oblivion scares me.

  • 12.14.2012 10:48 PM PDT

Please do not send me group invites.


Posted by: Postwarbean85

Posted by: Puma Knight
I honestly don't see how eternal life can be a curse, especially when it is the kind where you spend it in heaven.

Now oblivion, that tends to frighten me a little bit. I find hell a far better, and kinder, alternative to nonexistence.
This.

In a heaven-esque afterlife, you'd probably be unaware of time and just enjoy.

Oblivion scares me.
I picture heaven as a never-ending visit to your relative's house. You pretend to enjoy it for a few hours, then it just becomes a pain in the ass.

  • 12.14.2012 10:49 PM PDT

Signatures are for little kids.


Posted by: Fart on my butt

If it ended up that there was nothing after death, then you wouldn't know that there was nothing after death.
True, but I'm convinced there is something so I don't think about what nothing would be like.

  • 12.14.2012 10:49 PM PDT


Posted by: Buddha Milk

Posted by: RockdaleRooster
Perhaps you should speak with a religious authority. They could answer your question better than most of the flood.


Wrong. They would just make it sound like their 'group' is the best choice.

But that group does deal with such things as mortality on a regular basis. If he were to find someone who genuinely cared they could perhaps help him.

  • 12.14.2012 10:51 PM PDT