[Niky]

I think I may have found where my panic attacks are brought on from. I'm afraid of dying. I'm afraid that once I die that is it. There is nothing and I don't want that at all. I want to live on enjoying everything God created. Ever since my car accident a couple of months ago, this fear has been really strong. It's like I realized that life is short. I was raised a catholic and there are some things that I was taught that scared me and I do not want to believe. I believe Heaven is like Earth, but with the suffering and I was told that is not what it's like and that when I died and go to heaven I wouldn't see anyone that I love here on Earth. I'm so confused and I want to believe and not be afraid. I want to know that one day I'll be reunited with my Grandpa and my dog Joey, and be happy.

[mlyn]

spiritual life from what I have learned and seen. Hear that there will be no pain, no sorrow one day.
mlyn

[mlyn]

what we can not even comprehend I trust will be so prbly much more gloriouse than we can even imagine.

[wally]

In simple terms, Life is energy and energy cannot be destroyed but rather go to another dimension. As for your fears, be not afraid, but embrace life while here and know that the beautiful creator loves you.

I know that you said that you don't want to believe that once you die that is it but you said that the thought that that might be true makes you feel very afraid.

So in the interests of helping you feel less afraid I'll say that I believe that death is the end (though I'll admit I might be wrong). The thought of death being the end doesn't really scare me, however.

Wittgenstein once said:

Death is not an event in life because death is not lived THROUGH.

The notion is that if death is the end then there is nothing it is like to be dead. And so... There is nothing to fear.

I think of the state of death as being like a state of dreamless sleep. I'm not afraid of falling to sleep everynight and so I don't need to fear death either.

The absence of pain is a wonderful wonderful wonderful thing that is often underestimated.

So long as death is the absence of pain then I don't mind death (though I get a little apprehensive that it might not be I don't really believe that it will hurt)

Sometimes I look forward to death. But no
no
no
we are not friends enough yet.

Another thought.

(I don't want to creep you out - I hope I'm not creeping you out but I find this comforting)

Another thought is that every atom is conscious
There is something it is like to be an atom.
What is it like to be a rock?
It is not like very much at all.
A rock doesn't have ears to hear with
Eyes to see with
A brain to think with
What is it like to be a rock?
No nervous system so no pain or panic.

And when we die our self (as a unity of neurones) gradually disintegrates as the atoms diverge
And the atoms enter into structural arrangements with different atoms.
Whats it like to be soil?
Whats it like to be a worm?
Whats it like to be a bird?
Whats it like to be a person?

Takes a while to work your way up the food chain to be an atom in a neuron of a person.

Isn't that a strange thought?

Atoms that make up you could have been atoms from dinosaurs or carrots or whales or even from particular people like jesus christ or hitler.

Isn't that a strange thought?

[Rapunzel]

Niky,

Your grandpa and Joey, and probably your own identity as an individual person, are really important to you, aren't they? I think that our associations with the people (and animals too) that we love are really important to most people, and we want those ties to extend beyond this life. At some level, lesser or greater, a lot of people do have a hope and belief that we will continue after we die and still be able to be with those that we love, even if they belong to a religion that doesn't teach that. It seems to me that it would be really hard to believe or to be told by a spiritual leader that we won't continue as ourselves and won't be able to be together with our loved ones. That just feels so tragic to me.

One of my central beliefs is we are eternal beings. I believe that we existed, as ourselves, before we were born and we will continue on after this life is over. In fact, death is more like another birth in that it begins the next phase of our existance. This life is very short, but very important, in terms of our eternal lives. And the relationships that we form during this life (or continue from our previous existance) are also essential. We come to this life (1) to obtain a physical body, (2) to gain experience, and part of what we accomplish during this life is to develop ties to people who will be part of our eternal families.

If you want to know more, you are more than welcome to PM me. You can also find information if you look at www.mormon.org (there are questions like yours, and answers to those questions - here's a page about families: http://www.mormon.org/learn/0,8672,1146-1,00.html )

As for animals, that has always been a little less clear to me, and something that I have worried about because I love my pets very much too. People have similar beliefs about animals, and express them as in the Rainbow Bridge story (which is based on Scandinavian mythology, btw). While animals may have different purposes in life than people do, and we don't know as much about their eternal progression, I do believe that animals are eternal beings as much as we are, and that the love between us will go on and we will be able to be with those that we love, no matter how many legs they have, in the next life.

Rap

[Soidhonia]

Hello I hope you are doing better at this time. I can imagine you are quite panicked about death. Perhaps your thereapist can help you with your confusion and your fear that you are having. I read the Daily Bread it is free and it explains thing in simple terms anbout death life, and so forth. You can order the daily Bread on line and it is free and very easy to read. Take Care Soidhonia

Nicky, I to am afraid of dieing. But I do believe you see everyone you love there.

[EJ711]

All,

If you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, death is not the end, it is the gateway to eternal life.

EJ

Um. The christian texts say that EVERYONE gets eternal life. there is just the small matter of where you get to spend it ;-)

[Niky]

thank you.

[(JD)]

[Rapunzel]

Feel free to PM me if you like.