I've been thinking about death. Ever so often I go through thinking spells. I always have even as a kid. Apparently not everyone does. I've been told I'm a little peculiar in this regard.
I read once that death is an ineluctable reality. I like that word "ineluctable" that means unavoidable. I don't know why we just don't say unavoidable though. Ineluctable is not heard much. In fact I've never heard it.
When I was thinking about death I read there were more than 300 theories about the why of death. That's a lot of theories.
Regardless of the theories there are only two general ways of looking at death. I concluded that a long while back. One way is that death is normative and natural and is in fact supposed to occur. The other is that it is neither normative nor natural and should not occur.
We all know only too well that death surrounds us. It is everywhere and ongoing all the time. It isn't a question of whether it occurs because it definitely does.
I once believed that death was normative and natural.
But then in an instant I had an encounter with The Creator. I had heard people talk about such encounters but I could not fathom what they meant. I describe it as being in a pitch black room with no light from any source and then someone suddenly flips a switch and a search light illuminates the room. At first it is so bright that it is hard to see. But the eyes, in this case spiritual ones, begin to adjust by and by. And it turns out that there is so much more than the physical.
I came to believe the Holy Scripture, The Bible.
That's a problem though when it comes to death (and not a few other things for that matter). Because The Bible clearly teaches that death is neither natural nor normative.
One day death will cease according to The Bible because the root cause will be corrected.
We moderns also hope to see the end of death but by an entirely different process.
Anyway I was thinking about this the other day and decided to write some of it down.
5 years ago
6 comments:
I believe death on Earth is a normal part of life. It is the afterlife, I feel, is promised through scripture.
The older I get and the more death I have personally experienced, the less afraid of it I have become. I guess it's only natural because I truly believe I will see my loved ones again in the afterlife. At least I hope so.
i too have become to feel more comfortable with death, especially when it applies to someone who has a life robbing illness.
as much as i miss russ how could i not have welcomed death knowing that he is no longer suffering and again is experiencing a wonderful happy, full life.
i have a little harder time justifying it with my mom though, but i'm working on that.
good post terry, thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Well if you are peculiar Terry then so am I. I think about death quite a bit. I do not fear it yet if you mention it, it seems to bother a lot of people. If death of this body means eternal life with no suffering and only joy then it seems we all should welcome it.
I thought that I thought too much and too deeply. Terry, you beat me hands down when it comes to thinking. I had no idea there was a theory of the 'why' of death, let alone more than 300 of them. I've always chosen to believe that when we die we join our relatives. I also always thought that we're living hell here so anything has to be better than this. Because of both those beliefs, I welcome death. Just not before I get my things in order. LOL
sometimes i'll look at the profiles of the people who comment on my blog and can't help but notice how different our political and religious beliefs are or how disparate our socio/economic positions are.
it blows me away how little those things matter in what i consider to be *the grand scheme of things.*
i read your blog for the thoughtful wisdom you express. whether i agree or not is unimportant to me. i like that you make me think.
but even that is not why i like you. i'm more impressed with your honesty and your caring for others.
as one who doesn't believe in the supernatural, i often don't agree with you, but always have the utmost respect for you. (hey, some of my best friends are christians and i make sure mom gets to church every sunday and to her bible study every week.)
respectfully, your infidel friend,
rick
My dad would say death is a part of life, it's natural and it's part of the chain of life, cut and dried. Dad was a no nonsense person who told it like it was.
I have thought about death more lately too. I think that is natural to do that given our circumstances. I am not afraid to die like I was. I know Mom and Dad are waiting for me but that I have a lot to do yet here on earth. They will help me cross when it is time.
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