what do u think about that?
what do u feel when u hear death?
do u want to die or not?
is it freedom or punishment?

Is it a part of some lyric or poem or u ask seriously?

i ask seriously...

Well, different cultures, different look. But if someone believe that there is something after death or a soul is immortal, shouldn't be afraid... But why do u ask?

Death is such a notion that one is not able to escape. We all ll learn what it means one day )

duskahvesi, what do you think???

bambino
it is my question not yours
what u think?

Is this how you are going to avoid the answer?

I don't like to think about it, it is a depressing subject. For some it may be freedom for others may be punishment, either way unavoidable. I am scared of death, just because not sure about the place my soul will be sent to, once it comes I hope for the best. After all, since life is so beautiful, the eternal afterlife should be much better. But I don't know anyone who would be in a hurry to die Duskahvesi, if you asked this question you probably have something interesting to say on the subject. So? What do YOU think about it?

well, since you don't want to say what you think, here's what I think put in nice words:

'We are afraid of death when we are afraid of life.
When our life is not fulfilled, it's difficult to
accept death. We are afraid of the death of our
feelings of being distinct and exceptional.
Attentive, brave and fully engaged life, in which
we're dying in every moment, sets us free from the
fear of death, gives us freedom.
Everyday to be ready to die is the same as knowing
that we don't waste life, we don't neglect anything
and don't hurt anyone.
'Let's hurry up to love people, they leave so
quickly..' - it's a call to discipline and effort to
manage to open our hearts in this life.
The more attentively we live, the more our egocentrism
and a feeling of being different disappears. When we
completely engage ourselves in something, when we are
maximally concentrated and present, when we forget
ourselves, then we have a chance do experience such a
realm of existence, which goes beyond all distinctions
- also the one between life and death. '

Bambino, well said!

Yes, well said bambino. This matter is bitter, but, although we don't like it, and we often live as it wouldn't happen never, Death is the only think sure in life. We don't know why we are here, neither live is real or a dream (another interesting matter), nor what will be our future, but, if something is sure, is it. I think that we have fear because we don't know what happens. Always, The unknown thinks had caused fear in mankind.

Actually, we live, (i think) as it won't happen, but, it depends on the society. Some rural societies i.e. had another point of view. Five years ago I went to Galicia, a very beautyful region on northern Spain, very rural, and there, people i met thought about Death and this dark "world" as a reality with continous connections with dayly life. I don't mean that there all people think in this way, but i know some examples of this way of thinking which seemed to me that we have lost.

With regard to this, i have a linguistic doubt. In my dictionary i have searchd the world rahmet (God's mercy), and it says that rahmetli (and merhum) mean deceased, but specifies: "a muslim", and the same for "Allah raymet eylesin"; but, in other vocabularies i haven't found this explanation.

It means that i can't use them for non-muslims, or only that it's a muslim expression, and shuld be used preferably in a Muslim context?. In what way are they used in Turkey?

Tesekkür

raymet=rahmet sorry

well,
nowadays i think lots of time death..
sometimes i have to face with people's bad feature.and i think that why people kill someone or hurt etc..
after living what we are going to be?

i havent believed that we will live and sleep.. after dying we will be confuse with earth..

what about our soul? it must be something in other world..

maybe muslim people heart that "death and later" written by "imam-ı gazali" [ölüm ve sonrası]...

i read it. i think we have to have an aim while living in this world.. God tests us in this world and in the other world we have to suffer or take rewards.. i believe again it depends on our behaviour ... more respect, more pray, more depends on God, more religional life..

i am afraid of death as well but i have to face it.. one day i will day or tonight or 10 minutes kater.. When? Do u know it? everybodycan't know their dying time..

if i am alive today i am in dept to thanx against God.

If i dont have any aim this world why i should live?

Cennet, cehennem, ölmek, ölümden sonra sorguya çekilmek, bu dünyadaki yaptıklarımızı iyi anaiz edememek ve dibine kadar günaha batmamak, kendi hareket ve davranışlarımıza dikkat etmemiz ve O'na iman etmemiz için gönderildik bu dünyaya..

But they r or me.. i dont know the peoples opinion..

It looks like what you're saying is that you see injustice around and it's so heartbraking that it makes us believe that there must be life after death. I think that this is only a consequence of more essential facts.
No matter if you belive in God, your life on earth should have a meaning and should be directed at finding out what life really means. If you feel like you don't have aim in your life, just stop for a moment, look around and notice what a beautiful world we live in. Not a perfect world, but a beautiful one, which needs good people to make it a better place for many! I guarantee you that once you do it, you will never feel aimless again. I see that many people's lifes are directed at finding out a good formula for comfortable life instead. That is very sad.
If you believe in God, I don't think that you should be afraid of Him, and look at life after death as either reward or punishment. Such belief makes us slaves here and that's not the goal, the goal is to be happy, fulfilled, real. If there is God, He knows better then that. You should look at Him as your creator, someone, who loves you and wants you to be happy, not someone who is 'checking you'. He doesn't have to check you, He knows you. One good deed coming from your heart is worth more then many prayers. Try it, you'll see what I mean.

i understand u but why we are here?
if we come here just eating, enjoy our time, etc.. why we are created?

Good! You figured out that eating and plainly enjoying things in life is not the goal. So let me ask you a question. If there is someone you really love, what do you want from that person? and why do you think people want to have children?

hi bambino.. i dont know your real name.. sorry..
a subject about death u r getting it personel ..
just say your opinion..
and dont judge anybodt boz of their opinion..

Sorry, I can't just tell you. I'm not being personal or judgmental. Don't take it like that. Anyway, the answer to your question is in my previous message.

'Let's hurry up to love people, they leave so
quickly..' Bambino, where did u take it from? Do u know that is a translated verse of polish poet's poem? His name is Twardowski and he's a priest.
In original it follows like this "Spieszmy sie kochac ludzi, tak szybko odchodza"

Seticio, yes I know that this quote comes from ks. Twardowski's poem. I heard it long time ago and it made me think for a long time... That's what it is - we have to understand that we need to hurry up to love not just people but life in general or one day we'll find ourselves very very lonely and it might be too late then...

"the loneliness can't share.. If it shares cant be loneliness"

Maybe u don't know because u are from different parts of the world and believe in defferent religion, but today died the Pope John Paul II. I think it's the best moment to think about meaning and sense of deth...

u r right..
srry..
"başınız sağ olsun"..

being "death"..

this write up is not an attempt towards defining what the death is.. nor does it aim to advise people how to shape their perceptions of life.. this is rather just a humble scribble of one who is himself in need of advise more than every other person on the earth.. hence, do not get what follows as something worth to think about more than a minute, or to read more than once.

occasionally, when I am able to rise over my own body and look over myself and the others around me, strangely enough, I sometimes imagine myself being the subject of many actions in which poeople normally take part as objects. for instance being the “happiness” rather than someone happy, or being the “shame” instead of someone ashamed.. whatever sense, or state of being I get into, it provides me with a different view that I have never seen before, regardless of how fierce storms of emotion it creates in one’s mind. that’s why I like being “hatred” as much as being “happiness”, though I extremely dislike hating someone. If you were the “peace” every person or community would want you by themselves, or if you were “hostility”, you would be stared at by eyes full of ill will and expelled out everywhere. hence, you would know what you were and regardless of how people consider you, their reaction against you would always be in the expected circle.. but, how about being the “death”, I whispered myself last night. I personally would want to be the worst feeling in the universe, but never want to be the “death”.. can’t you see how poor and miserable you would be behind your terrorizing standing. You would not be able to decide what you were by looking at what people think about you. Many would consider you as the one who steals this so-called marvellous life whereas many others such as Rumi would call the day you come to him as “şeb-i aruz”, the wedding night, the day of meeting with the One, most beloved to you more than anything. What is more depressing, whether you were regarded as a door to the eternal life, or end of a short life with no meaning, that is, just a life to be lived, you would not be wanted by anybody whatsoever. It is easy to understand why those considering you as the end of going nowhere would not want you, but how about the others calling you “şeb-i aruz”.. why would not they want you? they would not simply because they would be ashamed of a wasted life with few good deeds but full of much more arrogance, hypocrisy, ignorance, forgetfulness.. how would they be able to stand in front of the One that they would have claimed to be the most beloved one, but would have acted in a completely opposite manner. what kind of human being would be able to carry such a heavy load of unfaithfulness, unremembrance..
I would not want to be the ”death”..

very interesting point Ali. so who/what do you think death is? is it us? or is it all just about how we look at things? do you think we can describe ourselves as just one thing?

“death”.. the most striking proof for the temporality of the life in this world..
every incidence of death is a reminder nailed on my mind to make me remember the things that I am on edge of forgettting.. and, yet, each death is a story of my own, played in another scene by a different performer in the starring role.. and, every death is the last call drawing attenttions to the scarcity of the remaining time while the tremendousness of the things have not been done yet.. and, no doubt it will always be the last call until yours which may very well be the next one.. a call shaking me to wake up from the deep sleep I got into.. and, finally, my death will be either the regretfulness of unconsciously turning the alarm off and getting too late, or the peace of mind of being on time in the right place..

I haven't joined in any discussions before. But on death.
I am an aethiest but...

My close Turkish friend has told me that we must all live every day in the best possible way and should be ready every day to die. He has also told me that because I am not a muslim (or even a believer)we can share this first life together, but not the 2nd life. I found this rather depressing. He said i should read the Koran so we could be together in both lives, but I don't think we can get over the fact that i don't believe in God...

The very orthodox musliman couln'd be a friend of a not-believer, because it's formally prohibited

what is ortodox muslin?
do u mean fundamental?

not fundamental
Do u know AHL AL-KITAB? This means people acceptable to muslimans, christians and judes. Other religions, especially politeistic, are unacceptable. It can be very unpleasant to u, even dangerous in some countries on Middle East (i'm not talking about Turkey), to admit that u are ateist...

Well, i think it depends of the country and the age; remember that, in origin, the peoples of the book were only christian and judes, because their religions are based in the Book (Kitabi Mukaddes), who were allowed to live in muslim lands paying a special tribute; but, Muhammed also made it extensive to parsis (zoroastrians) in Persia, and so, in India, hinduist were allowed to stay and included.

yes u are absolutely right, I know all of that

Well I can only say that i am glad my friend is not so orthadox, because he means a lot to me and I believe I also mean a lot to him. (we are not lovers if you are wondering.

When I told my turkish friends that I'm ateist they were a bit confused first, but they accepted it ( I hope so )

in muslumans religion we come to earth because we have an aim..
to pray and believe god forever..
the other world[after death] God asks for some information "what di u u while u r living.tell me why didu wrong/right..u know you actions were sin or u were right..u deserved to go to parodise or u will go to the hell"..[imagination speaking but God will ask what did u do? and its angels will say what happened]"
and if we look at history ottoman empire was managed by turkish people and jewish people were saved by ottoman empire from spain or we took care of christian people to.. ourt managament was so justly.. and ottoman empire and turkish goverment has the same epual distance..
not more closer or further..
turkish people are very friendly against ataist,or jewish..
altough i have several friends that are jewish, ateist etc we dont fight.. instead of fihgting we get deal very well and we respect our opiinons.. that is democracy..
not trivial management..
any objection this??
i told about turkish people not the arabics..

duskahvesi is right.
My muslim friend (and others)is the most caring person I know. He doesn't judge anyone by what they do or believe, its one of the most compelling things about him and Islam (in Turkey). Ihave met countless Turkish muslims who will go to any lengths to help and befriend people and they don't ask what religion you are or if you believe in God. It makes my friend quite sad that I am not a Muslim because like he said we can only be together in this life. He really believes this and this is sad for him.

Well i'd like to believe in something, but I can't. I think if you have something to believe in strongly then this is a very good thing for you.

U r absolutely right!

It's funny how easily people throw away God and then are surprised that the world is heading towards hell. It's funny how much we believe in everything that newspapers say but question thoroughly what is said in the Bible. It's funny how much everybody wants to go to heaven but under the condition he won't have to believe, think, talk, or do anything. It's funny how somebody can say 'I believe in God' but still follow evil and satan who by the way also believs in God. It's funny how easily we judge but refuse to be judged. It's funny how obscene, shameless and vulgar news spread easily but talking about God and morality is considered to be a private thing. It's funny how much we are afraid of what other people say about us, but we don't care about what God might think. It's funny how we just stand aside and complain about the fatal situation of the world.

In my opinion, whether somebody believes in something or not is his totally private thing. If somebody's beliefs are honest they are right.

it is easy to believe in things that are convenient, bring pleasure, don't require much effort or self-discipline. especially in today's world of consumers, there are less and less moral authorities which caused a trend of moral laziness. it's much more difficult to impose restrictions on ourselves without any immediate or apparent gratification when these things are not considered as social values.

Anyways, this is not the subject of this class. Just thought it was interesting .

As I said before, it's a personal thing, also about bringing up children. Andu think that western world is spoiles somehow, but the terrorist who killed so many people in WTC weren't members of that horrible western society...

But, according to what u have written, it's not the topic of this discussion. Duskahvesi asked about death.

I'm not trying to prove anything, but you did not understand my point .

I am sorry, this thread started well, and it was going pretty good with various points of views. However, people suddenly started to get thins personal, and defend themselves by assaulting the others. The last posting by Seticio, made me write this message. Seticio, are you aware of the fact that your message is putting over 1 billion people all over the world under shade. First of all it has not been proved that the people that you are referring to were responsible of killing mant innovent people in WTC, except the completely undamaged passports so-claimed found in the ashes of the WTC. Secondly, let's assume that the speculated people are really the ones responsible for this tragedy. Then, is it enough to judge the large community of people (that includes also Turkish people) they belong to, and accuse them of with this attack? If we are to assess the cultures, or communities by such exceptional individual members, then we need to call all German people Nazi, because of what Hitler did. Moreover, Oklahoma bomber was an American killing around 200 people at once, so does it make sense to regard all Americans as potential attackers? no, no, no... I do not want to take anything personal, but if people discuss something they should take into account the implications of what they say. Otherwise, it is hard to find a rational or logical ground for people to share their ideas. This is really sad to see how easily people tend to label large group of people with any mean they have without caring much about the nature of human being as an individual..I am sorry but I could not find a place to put such an argument into my conscience, or reasoning.
Selamlar,

This is true. I'm not claiming that the whole civilization or that all people are bad (why would anyone say that???). What I meant was that people should become more sensitive about moral questions because the more comfortable lifes we can live the more lazy we get about working on our values system.

I didn't mean to judge or accuse anyone. I jus wanted to point that people's value doesn't depend on whether they believe in sth or not or on what the kind of their beliefs is.It also doesn't depend on what society they belong to. The true value of a person depends on himself, on his humanity. I'm sorry, maybe my words were too pungent.

i couldnt read all the participations in this parts about death
but i like to tell what i think about death
i think that what is worse than when i die is that when someone close to me die befor few days we lost a friend in the college he was dead u cant imagine the shok that happened to us i cant imagine how did his mother felt especially he is the only son for his family.

Alyya,

I am sorry that you lost your friend and sorry for his family's loss also.

We may not have experienced the loss of a loved one, but of course we all will at some time or another. The important thing to remember I think is that whatever religion you are, whatever you believe and even if, like me you don't believe,everyone should be remembered by someone for something good that they did and everyone should not die without having had someone love them. To love people and yourself and do good for others whenever you can is so important. If you can say as you yourself are dying that you did the best you could with the life that you had then I think you can die with a good conscience and wait and see what happens afterwards.

Bambino, I read your statement on “funny”… Don’t you think it is also funny that people remember about God only when they talk about death?
Isn’t God the one who gives life?
Isn’t God the One who gave us gift to love each other?
Why do we associate God with death?
I think we should be talking about God when we are happy because he is the One who gives us happiness and all of the good things in this world!

Guzel kiz - true.

Not any further town exists after the one called Death...

spirits are alive after death..according to muslim belief...

Nope,I think it is "shamanist"ic!

Muslim belief says the spirits cannot travel to this universe again...They are kept in a strange-universe-
lets say...Qoran calls this place(not a place actually,I mean it is not a mixture of time and matter twisting each other)as Lahf-ı mahvuz(I dunno the meaning,nor do I know the pronunciation in English)

I am not affraid of death... In fact, I am curious about what happens then and how it will long. Try to think this "forever"... Maybe it will be the only real neverlasting...

This life is not all there is.
Life on earth is just the dress rehearsal before the real production.You will spend far more time on the other side of death - in eternity - than you will here.Earth is the staging area, the preschool, the tryout for your life in eternity.It is the practice workout before actual game; the warm-up lap before the race begins.This life is preperation for the next.
At most, you will live a hundred years on earth, but you will spend forever in eternity.One day your heart will stop beating.That will be the end of your body and your time on earth, but it will not be the end of you.Your eartly body is just a temporary residence for your spirit.
When you fully comprehend that there is more to life than just here and now, and you realize that life is just preparation for eternity, you will begin to live differently on a daily basis.Suddenly many activities, goals, and even problems that seemed so important will appear trivial, petty and unworthy of your attention.
Death is not the end of you! Death is not your termination, but your transition into eternity, so there are eternal consequences to everything you do on earth.Every act of our lives strikes some chord that will vibrate in eternity.
The only time most people think about eternity is at funerals, and then it's often shallow, sentimental thinking, based on ignorance.You may feel it's morbid to think about death, but actually it's unhealthy to live in denial of death and not consider what is inevitable. Only a fool would go through life unprepared for what we all know will eventually happen.
Just as the nine months you spent in your mother's womb were not an end in themselves but preperation for life, so this life is preperation for the next.It will be the last hour of your time on earth,but it won't be the last of you. Rather than being the end of your life, it will be your birthday into eternal life.
Measured against eternity, your time on earth is just a blink of an eye, but the consequences of it will last forever.The deeds of this life are the destiny of the next.
A popular slogan encouraged people to live each day as "the first day of the rest of your life." Actually, it would be wiser to live each day as if it were the last day of your life.It ought to be the business of every day to prepare for our final day.

Rick Warren

Wow, you sound like you really know all the answers .

Hello Catwoman,
I don't think so and did not tell I know all the answers.I just shared my thoughts. I was wondering why you're sarcastic.Nobody tells you to have same believes.I think we just share our ideas and opinions.
With all regards
Bliss

Hello bliss,I don't understand why u attack Catwoman. U really treat all your thoughts so seriously that u don't understand somebody tries to make the atmosphere a little bit lighter? Don't get everything so seriously...

Hello Seticio,
I did not attak Catwoman, believe me.I am sorry, if I left that impression on you.I never do attak people.It was serious question and I gave serious answer, that's all.I don't think there was a need to lighten the atmospher up. Thank you for suggestion.

Bliss, I didn't mean to sound sarcastic. I was happy to read your message, I just couldn't find one word in it that would suggest that your beliefs are just your beliefs and not the ultimate truth. There are too many people who have different views and so far I haven't found the criterium on who's right and who's wrong. Sorry if in any way you felt like I disrespected your beliefs. Thanks .

Hello Catwoman,
Please, you don't have to apologize.There is no problem.I understand.Especially on NET, when we don't see each other and don't know anything about each other it can happen.
I am sorry if I said something wrong.
Take care.
Regards,Bliss.

everyone will die at the day when they will die!!
None can evade,only with yourself,you will be alone!
The sudden thoughts that will question "why"
Suffering for only one more breath,nothing more!

Yeah,think about it,and keep your eyes open for Azrael!
EVERYTIME(pronounce it stressfully and like this: AVEI REE TIIIAAEEYYYMM!!!hahaha mortals! )

Yes that's right , everyone will die. But we have to live until that time,and not to be ashamed for our aimless life.We have to think about this.

Dont affraid when you see the ol reaper guy right before you!!!

Fear cannot save you from your final moment on the Earth

you can't think about death, it is inevitable, don't be afraid. If it is the death od a loved one, don't dwell on it, just be happy that they were here and that you knew them and for all the happy times and memories you have!!!

"I sent my soul through the Invisible,
Some letter of that After-life to spell:
And by and by my Soul returned to me,
And answered "I Myself am Heav'n and Hell:"
- Omar Khayyam,
The Rubaiyat

Fear of Daying - "Life After Life" by Dr.Raymond Moody

People living deeply have no fear of death.

Anais Nin

thats a bit deep Bliss, nice poem though.
thanks

Lizx

Got sentimental, Cat, didn't ya?

I heard an interesting thing on the radio(MPR)yesterday. They were discussing aging and trying to define what age is old. One of the guests said that when you start going to one funeral a year for friends in your age group, you are entering old age.