Is death part of the point of life?

[AutumnRose1]

Just wondering if anyone thinks this

Or if any religions have any comment on it. Thanks.

Personally. Yes. You can't have life without death nor can you have death without life.

Yes, they exist side by side.
There is a lot written about death being part of life, I'm hesitant to just direct you to what I read as I think it's helpful to come across stuff on your own and then you can decide what resonates.

thanks for the replies, I appreciate that.

I'm not sure how to articulate what I mean but I don't mean it in alarming way.

I think for me, having been in life or death situations, it didn't matter either way, if that makes sense? It does now, because I have my elderly mother to take care of. But people seem to talk about death as if it's the worst thing ever and I don't think that at all.

I think I understand, I also don't see it in an alarming way now, just as part of life. That doesn't mean it isn't shocking and sad and there isn't grief when it happens, just that we are human and therefore mortal beings. Culturally we don't really talk this way though, so I tend not to discuss it much with others.

there's that quotation - vague - "The Lord shall be thine everlasting light and the days of thy mourning shall be ended".

I'd be interested to know how anyone interprets that.

I must admit, partly I think about this because of some things I encountered when dad was dying. It was horrific really, the things doctors put people through in order to keep them alive. I know people have to consent of course. But for example, when I said to a friend that dad was dying - long before the hospital said it - she said "That's a terrible thing to say! He could live another ten years in this condition, people do!"

Well, yes, I know people do, but that to me seems like a terrible cruelty. I almost asked "why would you wish that on him?"

but also, there is a lot of comfort in the fact that a lot of what happens in life is kind of pointless. Well I take comfort in it. I don't have a decent career, dad had a very good one, but when I was scattering his ashes I had a sense of "does it matter - you will be scattered as a few pounds of ash in the end". And I find that reassuring, I suppose because I can just bob along and "be" and not worry about impressing anyone.

I don't accept your question.

Does there have to be a "point" to life? A purpose?

A bit like asking "why sky".

Life simply is. It is up to us as individuals how we live it.

speakout no I agree there doesn't have to be a point.

But lately I have found myself wondering if death might be a point if that makes any sense.

also tbh I was careful how I phrased this because I know a lot of people simply won't discuss death so my title is kind of vague.

I don't think it is. It's just the end of life to me, not the point of it. I lost my DM aged 60 which seems to make a pointless mockery of her life. There's nothing left now except her children and the art she made, so I guess those two are the point for me. If there is a point to death, it's to show us how little our lives really mean (depressing, sorry).

Gorky The fact that she left art behind seems brilliant to me. That's the kind of legacy I would have wanted. My best friend's gran left her a couple of paintings. Just something she did as a hobby but I find it really great.

If we are blunt, I do think our lives mean little, yes. But it's more than that. That's partly why I was wondering if any philosophical or religious belief covers it.

Yes, I do. Life is cyclical and I believe death is the beginning of another transition- a soul transition. Energy never just stops- it simply changes form and thats what I believe happens after we die.

Death is very much a part of life and I think the reason we are so bad at dealing with it in the West is because its taboo and noone wants to talk about it. However, having done a placement in palliative care, its very, very important to talk about it and ensure people have a "good" death- a death that respects their wishes and preferences and that they are kept comfortable and pain managed as much as is possible.

I am a Christian and believe in God so that shapes what I believe happens to you after death, but I feel down to my bones that this life is not the end. Its just not.

beautiful I don't think it's specific to the West, my family are the same as general humanity - people have different approaches to talking about it and to how life should be treated.

I do want death to be the end, I would be devastated if it wasn't!

I suppose I'm just thinking that in Eastern philosophy there is a lot more about death rituals and dying. I read the buddhist book "the Tibetan book of living and dying" and it was quite mind-blowing.

If you want death to be the end- thats fair enough. But for me, turning into dust just makes everything seem utterly pointless. I prefer to think of life as a constant journey if that makes sense.

I suppose I’m saying that I find “we will all be dust” comforting and I was curious to know if anyone else felt the same. Perhaps I need to read up on nihilism? I’ll see what I can find at the library but this might be a bit much to ask of a local library!

We tend to think of time as a line but actually I think has humans we experience time as a cycle. Part of the cycle is birth and death. I know of many families including my own where an elderly member of the family has died within weeks of a newborn member of the family. We tend to think we are individuals but I believe we are connected.

For me death is not the end and this life is not all there is. I also believe with my whole heart that love never ends and is never wasted and can never be erased.

I read in a book about a near death experience where the author was asked ‘Did you learn to love?’ And I have thought about that often as being the point of life.

@thetwinkletoescollective

YES!!! Exactly- I feel the same.

Like the moulin rouge tag line- "the greatest thing you'll ever learn is to love and be loved in return"

Death is the worst thing ever in some circumstances. For example, my perspective of death now I am a mother is worrying about my children in the event that I die.

The thought of losing my husband or a child is up there with ‘worst thing to ever happen... EVER’

aNonny I meant it's not the worst thing for the person who dies, not the people left behind.

I'm off out btw, so if anyone else replies I am not sure if I'll be back online today, but really interesting to hear everyone's thoughts.

Ok, if that's how you're thinking I would look at Krishnamurti, he doesn't affiliate with any religion and encourages entirely free thinking but death is very much apart of what he writes. That we are, essentially, constantly living and dying.

Thanks woolly

am back early as it's hideous outside!!

I might read up on Nihilism. I don't really know what I'm trying to say but I'm sure someone somewhere has already said it!

You might like this Shakespeare. Basically, death is an end to effort, and everyone comes to an end regardless of their earthly success.
BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEAREE_

(from Cymbeline)

Fear no more the heat o’ the sun,
Nor the furious winter’s rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta’en thy wages:
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.

Fear no more the frown o’ the great;
Thou art past the tyrant’s stroke;
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The scepter, learning, physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust.

Fear no more the lightning flash,
Nor the all-dreaded thunder stone;
Fear not slander, censure rash;
Thou hast finished joy and moan:
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee, and come to dust.

I'm not sure I think that death is the point of life, more that life is the point of life! I suppose I think the randomness of existence means that we have been incredibly lucky to have made it, and that we should try to make the most of the life that we have while we have it.

I do think it should be a source of solidarity and comfort that essentially we are all following the same path, which for better or worse inevitably leads to death, but this is not often acknowledged. I certainly don't want to die, but I don't see any point in denying that that is what absolutely will happen.

What happens after death is obviously a matter for individual belief. Some will take comfort in the belief that death is the end, and we all return to dust and atoms, others will believe that death is merely an interlude followed by curtain up again!

It's definitely an interesting discussion. Thanks, op!

picklemepopcorn

thank you! I have heard that, but had forgotten it.

I do often grumble at the picture of my dad "it's all right for YOU". I've always hated the expression "It's not the end of the world" because I think, well of course not! That would be the solving of everything!

I wouldn't say death is part of the point in life but it is a realisation of why we are here and that this world isn't going to last forever so there's no point accumulating everything for this world as it will all perish one day.

The point of this life is to worship the One true God according to Islam. If we worship Him, we please Him and if we please Him, the ultimate reward is entrance into Paradise which is forever. There is no illness there, no malice there, no tiredness there and we meet God there.

I think I was afraid of death but when I had my children I've taught them not to be afraid of death. I explain it to them in a way that understand that this life isn't forever, some people go to God young, some when old, some middle aged. It doesn't matter when as we all go eventually but it's about what we did in this life and Islam teaches us to worship Allah and be good and not to hurt anyone. If we ever make mistakes we quickly ask for forgiveness. That way death will never scare them whereas I have made many mistakes in my life which I wish I could change but I need to make up for it before I leave this world. An example may be debt or missed prayers (we pray 5 times a day, we always have something to do in Islam).

The easiest way to find how God wants us to live in this life is to first look at the Qur'an and find a teacher to study by. This keeps the chain of knowledge going and goes all the way back to the final Messenger peace be upon him.

The thing is, people may be afraid of death because of leaving family behind etc. but I've read accounts of children who placed their trust in God for food and shelter (in past times). I teach my children to be we be afraid of what could happen but use that thought to pray to God instead to look after them, and if they have children when they are older then for God to look after their children because at the end of the day, shelter, sustenance, health etc. come from God, not any human. It only happens by His will.
I hope this helps them. If this was written as a story and read to me as a child, I think I would have understood life better through my teens but I guess it's a learning curve for me.

pickle thanks again for sharing that, it really helped me. I knew of it but tbh hadn’t really thought about it.

It’s more that I realise I’m looking forward to it

I’ve got a friend who is very ill with something that’s allegedly manageable....except last week she got the news that it’s affected major organs and now I’m not sure she’ll see 35. I love her so much, but somehow, I feel better than I thought I would....maybe because death is better than life no matter what.

Like death is the reward for suffering life.