Death

[The Niginator]

What is death? I mean, I know that it is inevitable due to the detioration of cells that gradually makes us weaker... But what is the reasoning behind it? If it is due to a higher being, a deity, testing us, couldn't there be a less painful way?

[Nidogod]

Whoever said Death was painful? Sure, there are painful methods of death but if someone, say, took a chainsaw to my crotch and slowly rolled that motherfucker up to my brain, I'd be begging for Death's sweet release.

[The Niginator]

Maybe not painful for the recipient, but it is for those around them.

[Pikatwo]

But what is the reasoning behind it? If it is due to a higher being, a deity, testing us ...

It isn't due to any deity or higher power, it's simply a sad fact of existence as an organic life form, plain and simple. As far as I understand, we age and die because the chromosomes within our cells become shorter and shorter the more those cells replicate and eventually, inevitably, there's deterioration.

... couldn't there be a less painful way?

A large majority of natural deaths occur when the individual is asleep from what I've read, so it's more than likely painless. They simply never wake up.

[jamie_trainer87]

This is just so deep.

I agree with pikatwo except there has to be a higher power

[Pikatwo]

No higher power exists.

[The Niginator]

No, Ric, there's no evidence. Maybe this higher power realises that if there is evidence, there is no room for faith, just the facts. Maybe this deity believes that we must find our way on our own. He knows that if people have proof, they will be like 'Please heal my toe' or 'Why are you causing this war?'. There is no proof of a god, but there is no proof otherwise. The Big Bang could have been orchestrated. And evolution just seems too random to be just dumb luck. The fact that we can live the way we do, and the fact that the environment is practically perfect just seems to indicate it was all set up. But this higher power does not even have to be a god. We could be the experiment set up by some far more intelligent being. Like an ant farm. But of course, man's ego is too strong to accept something like that, that there is somethign out there that is more intelligent.

[Pikatwo]

No, Ric, there's no evidence. Maybe this higher power realises that if there is evidence, there is no room for faith, just the facts. Maybe this deity believes that we must find our way on our own. He knows that if people have proof, they will be like 'Please heal my toe' or 'Why are you causing this war?'. There is no proof of a god, but there is no proof otherwise.

There is plenty of proof that a God doesn't exist. Peruse the Theology Megathread for my posts.

And evolution just seems too random to be just dumb luck.

But a higher power somehow creating the universe and humankind in one week makes complete sense?

The fact that we can live the way we do, and the fact that the environment is practically perfect just seems to indicate it was all set up.

No it doesn't. It simply indicates that we evolved to suit the environment. Another species may have evolved on some other planet that is capable of breathing ammonia, carbon dioxide and sulfur but whose skin has an acidic reaction to nitrogen and oxygen (the composition of our own atmosphere). A species evolves to suit it's environment.

But this higher power does not even have to be a god. We could be the experiment set up by some far more intelligent being. Like an ant farm. But of course, man's ego is too strong to accept something like that, that there is somethign out there that is more intelligent.

The term 'higher power' is generally associated with a God, not technologically advanced aliens.

[jamie_trainer87]

Just the thought of something being created out of nothing is wierd.
Yeah it all started with the big bang, but who banged the bang?
What created the first evolutionary organism?
It couldn't have just magicaly appeared out of nowhere.

But I don't want to crush anyone elses beliefs or make fun of them.

[Espeon's Fury]

Death really isn't something you should be thinking about it all during teenhood, tbh...

[The Niginator]

That would be innocence, EF. Everyone will eventually be exposed to it, whether it happens to you, or someone close to you.

[Nidogod]

Sure, death sucks to those left alive but it's just an extreme on the sPectrum of unpleasantness. I dunno if there's anything worse than dealing with the death of a loved one (maybe there is, I've not thought about it) but if there was no death, humans would just consider losing a prized possession or injury the most painful experience ever. If not those, losing a game or a bet... etc...

[Yojimbo]

I hate thinking about death because every time I do, I realize that i will die one day and it most likely WON'T be natural.

[Hatsuharu]

I agree with Yojimbo on how he feels, cause I hate thinking about it, but it will happen.

Anyways, I believe you die and the end. *shrugs*

[Yojimbo]

Lets talk about what we think will happen when we die.

My opinion: Nothing. Your non-existent so you will have no more thoughts or feelings. You'll be gone, and i know it's hard to imagine going from living and thinking to nothing at all, but it's true. and unless you're some sort of wizard, when you are re-incarnated, you'll know who you are. There's no afterlife guys, that's just the stupid shit we make up to make ourself think something good will happen at the end. Well, believe whatever the hell you want, but heaven doesn't exist, and neither will you at the end of your life.

[Ninetails 009]

But what is the reasoning behind it? If it is due to a higher being, a deity, testing us, couldn't there be a less painful way?

Could I turn the question back to you? When you say 'Death' you mean death for humans, but animals die all the same. So, when you crush an ant and it dies, is it because a 'deity' ordered it's death? No. It only died because it was at the wrong place at the wrong time. It's the same for humans. If you were on the road just when a car turned around the corner speeding and hit you, it's because of your plain dumb luck. If you were lucky all your life, you'll just die a natural death. And death happens because there is reproduction. Reproduction without death would result in overcrowding of the Earth, so death is necessary.



And life after death? If there's no ant heaven, why must there be a human one?

[jamie_trainer87]

lol good point Ninetailes, this discussion is getting good.

Alot of different religions have animal gods and hybrids, ie Hindu

[Teresa]

Yep, gotta go with Pikatwo and Ninetails. Nothing out there controls when, where, and how we die. It just happens.

As for the whole heaven and hell thing....pssha. No such thing exists. It was just something someone made up long ago to try and control people by making them act a certain way. Fear is how most countries rule their people. This is just another example.

However, I do believe in reincarnation. Most people laugh at this kind of thing, but I have a firm belief that such a thing occurs. Nowadays, people are all about proof. If there is no proof, it doesn't exist. Well, I can't provide solid proof that it does happen. I only have what I've experienced and felt. Ever had that feeling of deja vu about doing something that you know you wouldn't ever normally do or that you couldn't do at all? I've had that feeling; and I get it every time I'm looking over a high point or when a strong gust of wind blows past. I get the feeling that I could just simply fly away. I know I might sound crazy, but it's happened enough times to me that I just can't shrug the feeling away anymore. Then there are the dreams. Since I was little I had these dreams where I would be flying, with wings. One of the more recent ones I had, I could see myself flying with a companion; I looked completely different, but I knew it was me. We were being chased by military people, and we were eventually caught because for some strange reason we were unable to fly while people were looking directly at us; like it drained our ability away. We were surrounded by men with sniper rifles, the little red beams of light all on us, and we were shot. And to this day, if I'm in the dark and I see little red lights around me, I have a panic attack for no reason.

Yeah, you can ridicule me, but it won't waiver my belief that we can be reincarnated. And no, I'm not crazy either....

[The Niginator]

Could I turn the question back to you? When you say 'Death' you mean death for humans, but animals die all the same. So, when you crush an ant and it dies, is it because a 'deity' ordered it's death? No. It only died because it was at the wrong place at the wrong time. It's the same for humans. If you were on the road just when a car turned around the corner speeding and hit you, it's because of your plain dumb luck. If you were lucky all your life, you'll just die a natural death. And death happens because there is reproduction. Reproduction without death would result in overcrowding of the Earth, so death is necessary.



And life after death? If there's no ant heaven, why must there be a human one?

Okay, let's see...

Technically, we could be called deities by ants. We are causing their deaths, we can, if we want to, watch them the whole time. We are technically omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent to ants. As for life after death, how do you know that ants do not have an afterlife? In my continuation to be the devil's advocate, I could say that whatever higher power there is could pick humans as the chosen species. Hence our ability to adapt, to think, to speak, to kill.