“And they die an equal death – the idler and the man of mighty deeds.” (Homer)
Most people seem to do a pretty good job of ignoring death. Many seem surprised when someone close to them passes, or even more so, when they find out that they have a health condition that threatens their life.
Obviously, obsessing about one’s death is not healthy, but avoiding it altogether also doesn’t seem ideal. In fact, death may have a lot to teach people. As Mark Twain once said, “A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” In other words, facing one’s death motivates action consistent with one’s values. Once a person realizes that they are going to die, how they live becomes much more important. Perhaps this is why great religious and philosophical teachings regularly force people to face their mortality. As the Psalmist prays:
“Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreath; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath.” (Psalm 39:4-5)
The fear of death is difficult for many. I had a wonderful conversation with some students a few days ago about this, and about their honest fears about dying. Some said they were most afraid of the process leading up to death (such as pain); some said they feared ceasing to exist; others said they feared the possibility of eternal suffering. My favorite comment came from a student who called herself a “realist.” She said her strategy for dealing with death was to face the worst of it, which in her view was oblivion. Once she could accept this outcome, she could work backward and accept better outcomes as blessings, and live every day as an opportunity that would come only once.
I continued to think about this philosophy for some time. In some ways, it seems very wise and freeing. On the other hand, I wonder if this is the best we can do. In fact, it seems almost surreal to me to be a member of a species that can be aware of its mortality and be afraid of various possible outcomes associated with it. If my “realist” student is correct, then what Shakespeare wrote through Macbeth makes perfect sense in that life seems to be “a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” On the other hand, perhaps the angst people have associated with death points to something Greater. After all, typically human yearnings have a resolution to be found. There is water to quench our thirst, food to quench our hunger, etc. Perhaps also there is something worthy of quenching our death anxiety.
Many times, I can fairly well go along with the argument that trust in God doesn’t distinguish people that much from trust in a non-theistic ethical system. However, when it comes to facing death, it seems fairly clear to me that belief in God adds something: hope. The best that a good atheist can do when thinking about dying is to live well, and to accept oblivion. A believer is distinct in trusting that there may be something much better than this to come, for themselves and their loved ones.
Furthermore, when I consider the various reasons I have for believing in God and in Jesus, I believe that the more “realistic” outcome actually is an afterlife. For instance, if there is a conscious aspect of people somewhat separate from their bodies, it would seem that this continues on in some fashion. In light of this, it seems wisest to me to accept the worst, as my “realist” student suggested, but also to trust and hope for something better.
Or, as the above Psalm concludes, “But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” (Psalm 39: 7).
