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Fairwinds
Guest
that’s presuming a lot on your part.
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catholictiger
Guest
I think the scripture beutifully articulates how we should approach death. I would say don’t fear death but always keep death in front of you always be prepared to die, because death comes like a theif in the night when you are least expecting it death will come and take you.
M
MJC2013
Guest
This is quite profound TonyRey. This all requires a change in perception to see. We must give up our attachments to the changing world, and reorient ourselves toward the unchanging world. The idea that Death is a gift from God is one that requires much subtle comprehension to understand.
J
john78
Guest
I fear of living too long in life and living alone than I do of death itself.
Stuck between two worlds , and can barely do a lick of good in this one.
Willing to sacrafice my life for Christ yet no way to do it and no way to prove it. I envy the martyrd I envy those that have passed on in faith to a better and true life.
I wonder walking into a situation knowing one has no chance of living constitutes suicide.
Death by cop is one form of it… some " criminals " have no intent of hurting the police, they just want to die… they know how the police react, to not take any chances or use common sense when one is pointing something that looks like a weapon at them. They simply fire back, aim center mass, and are taught that they are not shooting to kill but shooting to defend or protect, or stop an aggressor. Yet the person turns out to have a mock weapon, and acts in a manner to suggest it is real. The results are the same though.
Yet we have a martyr by the name of Perpetua, who demanded to face persecution an become a martyr , people are amazed and moved with deep faith and admiration for someone who could face such odds to not only proclaim the truth, but to die in truth, to create a way to end her life not so much at her own hands but through what society demanded that there be an end to Christianty, yet even her executioner is reported to not even have the courage to take her life…
So what are the faithful left with now that want to leave this world, that can not handle the pressures , struggles, hardships, pains , agony, who have immense faith in Christ, yet can not handle living in this world … what is left for them ? They cant take their own life.
Yet they are left to live in a life of misery with only their faith in Christ keeping them moving one foot forward after the other day by day with no comfort on the horizon other than knowing there is an eventual end to ones life and mercy waiting for them in purgatory and heaven…
Or I suppose those who feel that way, could take a certain path to death an martyrdom by traveling in the middle east as it is full of muslims who have nothing on their agenda but to kill Christians. Who have no clue of what reasoning, logic, compassion even means. Nor want to consider what compromise means … how long would any of us really last, if we were to carry a crucifix, and a bible, and to walk in the strong holds of islamic extremists in Iran ( or call them your regular muslims if you want, what ever you wish to label them is trivial ) Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq. Or North Korea. To publicly display that you are Christian, by wearing or carrying a crucifix and having a bible in hand… and to merely just walk from one town to the next. How long before one would be stoned, killed, or hauled off to prison ?
To never be heard from again, and to demonstrate ones faith. Not by force, not by preaching, but by simply being visible, being seen in public.
To know doing just that would more likely than not lead to a quick death, or imprisonment, is that to be considered suicide ? Is that considered stupidity or mental imbalance. To know how another " religion " would react and thus merely use their own hate to put an end to ones life.
Where as that same society or religion demands to enforce their faith through violence to not only take their own life for their glory and virgins in the afterlife but to take as many " non-believers " with them into oblivion.
So which is better to die on ones knees in prayer and thanks, or to die on ones feet, merely walking through the shadows of death, daring them to take your life for merely having faith in Christ.
Stuck between two worlds , and can barely do a lick of good in this one.
Willing to sacrafice my life for Christ yet no way to do it and no way to prove it. I envy the martyrd I envy those that have passed on in faith to a better and true life.
I wonder walking into a situation knowing one has no chance of living constitutes suicide.
Death by cop is one form of it… some " criminals " have no intent of hurting the police, they just want to die… they know how the police react, to not take any chances or use common sense when one is pointing something that looks like a weapon at them. They simply fire back, aim center mass, and are taught that they are not shooting to kill but shooting to defend or protect, or stop an aggressor. Yet the person turns out to have a mock weapon, and acts in a manner to suggest it is real. The results are the same though.
Yet we have a martyr by the name of Perpetua, who demanded to face persecution an become a martyr , people are amazed and moved with deep faith and admiration for someone who could face such odds to not only proclaim the truth, but to die in truth, to create a way to end her life not so much at her own hands but through what society demanded that there be an end to Christianty, yet even her executioner is reported to not even have the courage to take her life…
So what are the faithful left with now that want to leave this world, that can not handle the pressures , struggles, hardships, pains , agony, who have immense faith in Christ, yet can not handle living in this world … what is left for them ? They cant take their own life.
Yet they are left to live in a life of misery with only their faith in Christ keeping them moving one foot forward after the other day by day with no comfort on the horizon other than knowing there is an eventual end to ones life and mercy waiting for them in purgatory and heaven…
Or I suppose those who feel that way, could take a certain path to death an martyrdom by traveling in the middle east as it is full of muslims who have nothing on their agenda but to kill Christians. Who have no clue of what reasoning, logic, compassion even means. Nor want to consider what compromise means … how long would any of us really last, if we were to carry a crucifix, and a bible, and to walk in the strong holds of islamic extremists in Iran ( or call them your regular muslims if you want, what ever you wish to label them is trivial ) Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq. Or North Korea. To publicly display that you are Christian, by wearing or carrying a crucifix and having a bible in hand… and to merely just walk from one town to the next. How long before one would be stoned, killed, or hauled off to prison ?
To never be heard from again, and to demonstrate ones faith. Not by force, not by preaching, but by simply being visible, being seen in public.
To know doing just that would more likely than not lead to a quick death, or imprisonment, is that to be considered suicide ? Is that considered stupidity or mental imbalance. To know how another " religion " would react and thus merely use their own hate to put an end to ones life.
Where as that same society or religion demands to enforce their faith through violence to not only take their own life for their glory and virgins in the afterlife but to take as many " non-believers " with them into oblivion.
So which is better to die on ones knees in prayer and thanks, or to die on ones feet, merely walking through the shadows of death, daring them to take your life for merely having faith in Christ.
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PetrusRomanus
Guest
I fear death when I’m not in a state of grace. When I’m in a state of grace, I feel more ready but of course in the back of my mind there is still some fear of the physical aspects of death, just not as much.
M
MJC2013
Guest
The idea of Death is very close today. Look around at the social, political and economic life of the world: we are going through a death experience on the larger scale and we all feel it on the microcosmic level.
Death draws us closer to God. Death reminds us that we are mortal; that things will change; that our assumption that everything just keeps going on as is is a mis-perception. It warns us to change our perception. To prepare for death. The American Indians had a saying: “Today is a good day to die.” Be prepared to die every day; live in such a way that one is always ready to leave; keep you bags packed.
Life is transitory. God is eternal.
Death draws us closer to God. Death reminds us that we are mortal; that things will change; that our assumption that everything just keeps going on as is is a mis-perception. It warns us to change our perception. To prepare for death. The American Indians had a saying: “Today is a good day to die.” Be prepared to die every day; live in such a way that one is always ready to leave; keep you bags packed.
Life is transitory. God is eternal.
Q
QuickCat
Guest
Dear O2 man: Our apostle Paul said, “To die is gain.” Phil. 1:21. Further, he tells us that when a saved person dies he is in the presence of the Lord. 2 Cor. 5:8 The Psalmist tells us that, The death of His saints * is precious in the eyes of God. Psalm 116:15.
So, if you are saved you should absolutely have no fear of death.
Grace and Peace,
QC*
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GEddie
Guest
Q
QuickCat
Guest
1Co 15:51 ¶ Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:58 ¶ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Q
QuickCat
Guest
Our apostle Paul wrote about “the gospel by which you are saved!” 1 Cor. 15:1-4. He also writes:
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
If one is sealed by the Holy Spirit, he is absolutely saved.
Grace and Peace,
QC
J
JP2Admirer
Guest
I appreciate all the piety and reverence on this thread. I’d like to add that one of the first precepts of the natural law is self preservation. Death is the last enemy to be destroyed. It is an evil and represents a radical imperfection for a naturally composite being. Fear is the aversion from or avoidance of evil (repulsive to the will). Fear of death is entirely natural and seeking it for its own sake is not good.
In the hypothetical listed above about going to Muslim countries seeking martyrdom, I think this has death as the object, which contradicts what Christian martyrdom is about. Christian martyrdom is about witnessing to truth and life, not seeking death.
I also think we need to be careful how we interpret Paul. He is speaking of how Christ conquered death, not that we should seek it for its own sake.
Frankly, I envy the faith of some of you on this thread, but I was struck by a certain morbidity in it all.
In the hypothetical listed above about going to Muslim countries seeking martyrdom, I think this has death as the object, which contradicts what Christian martyrdom is about. Christian martyrdom is about witnessing to truth and life, not seeking death.
I also think we need to be careful how we interpret Paul. He is speaking of how Christ conquered death, not that we should seek it for its own sake.
Frankly, I envy the faith of some of you on this thread, but I was struck by a certain morbidity in it all.
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Charlemagne_II
Guest
People who don’t think much about God or their immortal souls have every reason to fear death. Either they are unbelievers, in which case death is the absolute end. Or they have so carelessly prepared themselves for God and the afterlife that desperation sinks in.
Recently I had my aortic heart valve replaced. The days leading up to that were filled with anxiety, more about dying than about the pain that might follow surgery. You see, we can never know if we have adequately and sincerely prepared ourselves for the end. I tried to simply surrender myself to God. “Thy will be done.” That is the most consoling thought I had when all the other thoughts were compared with that one. I read the book of Job, which was also comforting, about three days before surgery. Then I experienced the Last Rights by a newly ordained priest the night before surgery.
I do feel sorry for anyone who does not have, or repudiates, comforts such as these during a near death experience.
Recently I had my aortic heart valve replaced. The days leading up to that were filled with anxiety, more about dying than about the pain that might follow surgery. You see, we can never know if we have adequately and sincerely prepared ourselves for the end. I tried to simply surrender myself to God. “Thy will be done.” That is the most consoling thought I had when all the other thoughts were compared with that one. I read the book of Job, which was also comforting, about three days before surgery. Then I experienced the Last Rights by a newly ordained priest the night before surgery.
I do feel sorry for anyone who does not have, or repudiates, comforts such as these during a near death experience.
D
drac16
Guest
I think it’s healthy to have some fear of it, because what comes after death is terrifying (Judgment Day). Prophet Moses [peace be upon him] was knocked out cold when he got *only a mere glimpse * of God’s glory (on Mount Sinai). Can you imagine the glory he saw, so much so that he fainted? He also had a similar experience at the burning bush in which Allah spoke to him directly. Moses [peace be upon him] was utterly terrified, but Allah eased his fear and promised to protect him on his trip to Egypt.
The thought of standing in the presence of a Holy God is scary, even for those who are righteous.
The thought of standing in the presence of a Holy God is scary, even for those who are righteous.
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Charlemagne_II
Guest
drac
**The thought of standing in the presence of a Holy God is scary, even for those who are righteous. **
The thought of never being able to stand in the presence of a Holy God is even scarier!
**The thought of standing in the presence of a Holy God is scary, even for those who are righteous. **
The thought of never being able to stand in the presence of a Holy God is even scarier!
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