How to Feel Better About Death

[Mariolee]

I am sad to say that I feel that my faith in God is wavering. I figure I might as well be honest about it if I want to truly renew my soul. In today's modern environment, anything against evolution and the basic idea that there is practically nothing after this life is counted as religious dogma. You just die, and it will be like before you were born: absolutely nothing. And I really resent that, because it goes against my faith as well as makes me feel as if what's the point of living life if there's nothing after this!

But I can't help but go to my bed, stare at the ceiling, and think what if it's true. It makes sense form a scientific standpoint that our consciousness is not generated by any spirit or soul, but by a development in our brains that created our strong cognitive self awareness after years of evolution. Then I go back to the Bible and research evolution, and then try to come to some sort of compromise between the two, and this pattern usually repeats every few months.

I get freaked out by the idea that there is nothing after this and everything is for naught, but I'm also afraid that I'm following this Christian faith not because I truly accept Jesus as my Lord and Saviour (which I thought I did), but because I am afraid of dying and need some sort of peaceful idea that will set my fears at rest, no matter how ridiculous the idea may be.

Can anyone help me?

[neo-x]

Mario,

I can understand what you are saying because I went through a time like that when I left atheism and accepted Christ. You have to stick in there buddy. First evolution is not something that the Bible clearly negates, scientists like Hugh Ross and Francis Collins (the head of the Human genome project) are people who believe in science and a valid interpretation of the Bible.

God loves you and you need to realize that. When God sent his son, why would he abandon you? I highly suggest you read "Mere Christianity" by C.S Lewis. Having a faith crisis is normal, most people have gone through it one time or the other.

[Reactionary]

It makes sense form a scientific standpoint that our consciousness is not generated by any spirit or soul, but by a development in our brains that created our strong cognitive self awareness after years of evolution. Then I go back to the Bible and research evolution, and then try to come to some sort of compromise between the two, and this pattern usually repeats every few months.

Personally, after quite a lot of time spent on introspecting and thinking, I've come to a conclusion that we are dual beings, partly material and partly immaterial. These two entities, obviously, interact with each other continuously, creating our vision of reality. The reason why I'm saying this is that fears may often be physical - caused by chemical imbalance in the brain. So, when an irrational fear hits us, it's a chemical reaction, but when a voice of reason reacts and says, 'Calm down, it's not rational to fear this', that's your immaterial entity, the reason. Your mood may vary because of all kinds of factors, but 2+2 always equates 4. Reason is not relative, but absolute, and as such cannot be purely a product of the material. If it was, we wouldn't have a reason to trust it.

Regarding your fear of death - I used to have it as well, during the past year. It turned out to be caused by a B vitamin deficiency. After months of taking supplements, things were gradually getting better and better, and these days I've been more or less fine. It's not necessarily irrational to be concerned about death, but if you suffer from a fear that affects your lifestyle, I suggest that you have your vitamin and mineral reserves checked, just in case.

[DRDS]

Mariolee, I certainly know how you feel when it comes to doubts and many of my doubts in previous years have had to do with the very things you mentioned.

I do want to point out that even if darwinian macro evolution is somehow proven true (and I currently don't think it has nor do I think it will be) it will by no means disprove the Christian God.

Nor will if scientists are able to prove that the mind and the brain are both one and the same, which again, I think they have a very long way to go before we even consider such. But again if they do, there is a view that some Christian apologists take and many SDA Christians take called nonreductive physicalism. Christian apologists like Glenn Andrew Peoples hold to this view and I have seen him make a very good case that the Bible even talks about and confirms this view.

He himself has stated that he doesn't hold that view simply because of what science tells him, but by what he reads in the old and new testaments. Look him up on a internet search site if you want to know more about him and his views on non reductive physicalism.

The only thing that I know of that would really disprove Christianity and the Christian God would be the very thing that Paul talks about in one of his letters to the early chruch, and that being if someone produced the body of Christ. If Christ did not rise from the dead, than Christianity is false. That's the only thing to be concerned about.

Plus one more thing about doubts. I good book that is freely available on the web is written by one of if not the top expert on the resurrection Gary Habermas. It is called "Dealing with doubt" and you can find it on his website garyhabermas.com

But anyway, I hope this helps, God bless!

[Mariolee]

Thanks guys, but even after reading some of the stuff, I still feel extreme doubt. It's just, I'm afraid my emotions are keeping me from believing there is no God just so that I feel better before dying. And with such a majority of people that I respect and know (many of them physics theorists and scientists) stating outright that there's no god, with only a rare few of them believing there is, it's hard not to feel the influence.

Again, thinking about this brings me back into my fear that this life is worthless since we all go into nothingness anyways. And fooling myself into believing there is a God is worthless since I would end up no better than the atheist. I don't want to be like this, I want a solid trust that there is a God, and that He's the one from the Bible, and that I'm not just doing being a Christian to fool myself into feeling better.

D:

[B. W.]

Thanks guys, but even after reading some of the stuff, I still feel extreme doubt. It's just, I'm afraid my emotions are keeping me from believing there is no God just so that I feel better before dying. And with such a majority of people that I respect and know (many of them physics theorists and scientists) stating outright that there's no god, with only a rare few of them believing there is, it's hard not to feel the influence.

Again, thinking about this brings me back into my fear that this life is worthless since we all go into nothingness anyways. And fooling myself into believing there is a God is worthless since I would end up no better than the atheist. I don't want to be like this, I want a solid trust that there is a God, and that He's the one from the Bible, and that I'm not just doing being a Christian to fool myself into feeling better.

D:

What's the reason for the hurt in your heart?

[Mariolee]

Well, like I said before, I just don't want to die and have nothing come after, because that will mean almost everything I did in my life will have been for naught. But I am also afraid that I'm only fooling myself in believing in Christ because I want to make myself feel better and avoid the unfortunate truth.

[B. W.]

Well, like I said before, I just don't want to die and have nothing come after, because that will mean almost everything I did in my life will have been for naught. But I am also afraid that I'm only fooling myself in believing in Christ because I want to make myself feel better and avoid the unfortunate truth.

I think there is something much deeper than this that is bothering you. If you do not mind, I’ll ask a question. Please know that you do not have to answer directly if you do not want too and it might not pertain to you, so forgive if it does not. I kind of get the sense that you might have felt abandoned by someone very close to you long ago – did that happen?

People can abandon others in many different ways – emotionally, physically, psychologically, etc. The reason I say this, is from the influence of that long ago experience, you might feel like Jesus has abandoned you due to something about you transferred from that past experience. It is like projecting the past unto the future and in relationships as well. Does this make sense to you, or did I take too much cold medication?

Anyways Mariolee, how would you like the Lord to reveal himself to you?

Be Blessed!
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[Mariolee]

Um, no. No abandonment that I can think of. From what I have observed in my own life is that these moments of doubt and fear arise when I'm alone at night in my bed. It forces me to reflect on how truly alone I feel and how after death there may be nothing.

I'm not sure how the Lord could reveal himself to me, as I have this odd thing where I doubt my own feelings toward god and question whether whatever I see as God as merely defense mechanisms for my psyche to feel better. The only real way would be some sort of historical or scientific breakthrough.

[Canuckster1127]

Have you ever considered that when you accept Christ, that eternal life starts now and is a part of this life and not just an escape physical death card?

[Mariolee]

That's actually quite the interesting perspective and I thank you for that, but I just am having a hard time in my relationship with God to see where He is acting in my life. As in how do I know what is a super deity and what is just chance in life?

[Danieltwotwenty]

That's actually quite the interesting perspective and I thank you for that, but I just am having a hard time in my relationship with God to see where He is acting in my life. As in how do I know what is a super deity and what is just chance in life?

I pray constantly for my friends who are sick and have witnessed many times the power of God through his healing which has defied the medical community.
I also see God working in the small things also, many times I have prayed for certain things that were required for church event's etc.. and everytime God has come through, not always in a big way mind you.
You can put it down to coincidence or random chance but when I start to list the things in my head that have happened there are just way to many for it to be just that.
I hope you find that assurance you are looking for as death without God is definetly a scary thought.

Dan

[Gman]

That's actually quite the interesting perspective and I thank you for that, but I just am having a hard time in my relationship with God to see where He is acting in my life. As in how do I know what is a super deity and what is just chance in life?

We don't just come to God in order to get fire insurance, we want to approach God out of love and respect. Question, do you know what the heart of God is?

[Silvertusk]

Mariolee

Reading your posts surprised me because it could almost have been an exact documentary of my own journey. When I was young and at school I suddenly realised that I would not live forever. I was scared beyond belief. My fear got so bad that in the end that my parents took me to the doctors. It was at nights that the fear hit me. It was terrifying - the fact that I will cease to exist just would not make sense.

Do I have that now? No. Not for myself anyway. Is this down to bravery - no. It is just that I realise there is nothing I can do about it. So for me it was a form of pascals wager. Do I live my life in in constant fear of the inevitable at the end of it - or do I live my life in hope that there is something better and meaningful in all this?

The latter certainly helps me more. I have huge doubts - but it is always bolstered by my hope that it is all true. So that is what I cling onto - hope.

Either way at the end of it all - if I was wrong then I certainly would have lived a better life following Christ than I would if I did not.

Don't give up hope Mariolee - God will show himself to you if you continue and relentlessly seek him. And by doing that you will know him better, trust him better and love him better.

God Bless

SIlvertusk.

[Stu]

I am sad to say that I feel that my faith in God is wavering. I figure I might as well be honest about it if I want to truly renew my soul. In today's modern environment, anything against evolution and the basic idea that there is practically nothing after this life is counted as religious dogma. You just die, and it will be like before you were born: absolutely nothing. And I really resent that, because it goes against my faith as well as makes me feel as if what's the point of living life if there's nothing after this!

But I can't help but go to my bed, stare at the ceiling, and think what if it's true. It makes sense form a scientific standpoint that our consciousness is not generated by any spirit or soul, but by a development in our brains that created our strong cognitive self awareness after years of evolution. Then I go back to the Bible and research evolution, and then try to come to some sort of compromise between the two, and this pattern usually repeats every few months.

I get freaked out by the idea that there is nothing after this and everything is for naught, but I'm also afraid that I'm following this Christian faith not because I truly accept Jesus as my Lord and Saviour (which I thought I did), but because I am afraid of dying and need some sort of peaceful idea that will set my fears at rest, no matter how ridiculous the idea may be.

Can anyone help me?

Hi, I was in your exact position not long ago.

Because I've been "spiritually damaged" over the years the personal relationship I've had, and the road I've travelled, with God has been a rocky one. One lesson I took away from a book called The Shack was that sometimes events in your life get in the way of that relationship, they are so prevalent and powerful that they interfere with many other things, that was the case with me.

But believe it or not one of the major factors for me has been science. Something you must understand is that for many atheism is a choice; whether people have a P.hD or high school diploma their personal views come into play. I had a very naive view of scientists -- they were simply objective men in white coats searching for answers to questions for the betterment of all mankind, no matter what those answers might be.

That is most certainly not the case. Something I've learnt is that those type of folk are few and far between. Scientists are human beings and have philosophies and ideologies of their own; and interpret the "evidence" through that paradigm.

Not only that, but many have been taught and educated in a bias system that is geared toward a certain viewpoint.
Plato's Cave is alive and well in modern society. Even one of Intelligent Design's most ardent supporters accepted neo-Darwinian evolution as gospel because he had been educated within that system. It was only when he began to access work outside of the carefully constructed establishment, that he saw it's failings.

Fine-tuning, a first cause and the integrated complexity of biological life all point to a designer, no doubt about it.