Why Don’t Religious People Love Death?

[Longtack]

"That's an interesting question Alex, and it will take two weeks to answer it."

[themixer]

Friend: *GETS ATOMIZED IN FRONT OF YOU*
Alex: why are you sad? Won’t you see them again?

[mythmusic]

I’m atheist and I disagree. The concept is around loss. There are many ways to permanently lose people, and even mourn that loss, and the people not even be dead. You can lose relationships, and contact with people you have meaningful relationships with and the pain be comparable to if that person died. Because in some ways, they might as well be. You aren’t sad they’re dead. You’re sad they aren’t in your life anymore.

[johnkilcullen]

I was at a funeral of a born again Christian. There was no grief among his family - they were delighted because they believed he had gone to Jesus.

[huepix]

Imagine going to heaven.
"Oh, its lovely. Cant wait to see my siblings, my mum, my beautiful children".
"Sorry. Not here. But if you look down over that wall, you can see them writhing in agony and torment. For eternity. Now, enjoy heaven".

[ImDanWhoAreYou]

People are even saddened by temporary separation, like when a child goes to college. The fact that they will see each other again doesn't change the sadness. Humans will act like humans.

[cobianemmanuel]

Alex.. all I want to say is keep doing what you’re doing!! Thank you. You’re asking all the right questions.

[TheLyricsGuy]

Life is hard, no matter how good heaven is. Having loved ones around you helps. Losing them in this life still hurts.

[wolfh]

I’ve met plenty of Christians who aren’t afraid of death. I’ve been to funerals that are upbeat celebrations. I’ve spoken to a lot of elderly Christians who are looking forward to death.

[unsorteddude]

Idk man a ship losing communication service and blowing the fuck up is quite the big turn.

[thomasspielman]

I think even if God was real, it's perfectly normal for people to still struggle at least a little bit with faith. Being a Christian doesn't mean you can NEVER feel any doubt. Faith is a practice.

[larrytruelove]

Grief is instinctive. Death is inherently painful. It’s difficult to articulate logically. Whatever answer Christians give, the pain will still be there. We can’t wish it away simply knowing we’ll see our loved ones again.

[Carlosreads]

As a Christian I would compare this to a mother crying when her teenage son heads off to University for the first time in a far away city. She would cry because she will miss him, not because she thinks he is heading off to hell. I cry when somebody dies because I will miss them, it is more of a selfish act than anything.

[nicknevins_]

As a Christian myself I don’t find this question too difficult. It’s similar to if your best friend since you were a kid tells you they’re moving to another country for example. You have grown up with this friend and love them and now they will be too far away to see all the time. Of course you will be sad about it. Now just apply this thinking to the thought of a loved one dying.

[puffytheangel]

Like my dad says "Everyone wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die to get there"

[keko]

If your dog ran away but you knew he’d come back years later you’d still miss it

[emilewilliams]

A little pushback: if the ship blows up, you are grieving not only the separation, but the fact that your friend didn't get to accomplish something they worked very hard on, their physical experience (blowing up sounds painful), and that their earthly experience was cut short. While people can believe heaven is the most wonderful place, because they are human, they still feel and think about the good (and bad) experiences of earth. And it can br saddening to know someone won't be able to experience those things (just like many parents of severely disabled children are saddened).

[cariboubearmalachy]

If someone I really cared about went on a spaceship not to return for 30 or 40 years, I would be grief-stricken. It would be almost as sad as if they had died. Imagine all those years of shared experiences we'd miss out on. Yes, it's not the same as death, since in old age, we will meet up and catch up on what had happened in the intervening period, but what a loss it would be for us. Our relationship as we know it would come to an end.

[brentstrickland]

My father died recently. The last time I saw him, we both knew it would be the last time. I said to him, "Dad, I am going to be sad when you die, but I want you to know, it is going to be AWESOME!" He smiled at me and said, "I know it is, son, I know it is." And we smiled at each other through tears of both sadness and joy. When he died, I posted on my Facebook page, "It is with a heavy heart and joyous spirit that I report my father's passing."
I can honestly say I am So. Completely. Stoked for him. I can't imagine how amazing it is❤❤❤

[ethanh]

Death is sad for many people. Regardless of afterlife existing, it's still natural to have such feelings of loss, even if one has a cognitive/spiritual outlook on it.