Excellent subject for discussion, FMF.
Glib Christianese response (e.g. josephw) are not helpful.
I have seen Christians die with hope and also in torment. Case in point - my mother, who was a Christian since childhood, daughter of a stern pastor/evangelist, always afraid of falling short of the expectations of a stern god. She was terrified her deceased husband would not be in heaven because he had not "witnessed enough" according to Rom 10:10.
Everybody would gain by contemplating death. Somebody once said you cannot really live unless you know how to die. Spoiler alert - it is going to happen to all of us!
24 Apr 17
Originally posted by Ghost of a DukeIt's a matter of perspective, just because you don't view evidence to be 'credible' doesn't mean that someone else may not see it as credible.
If a man built a house on sand and expressed 'faith' that the foundations would be strong enough to support the weight, despite a lack of credible evidence, would you rate highly the integrity of his intelligence?
25 Apr 17
Originally posted by josephwTell that to someone with terminal cancer in constant daily pain who cant control their own death. See how much your words speak to someone like that.
I'm more interested in talking about life. I have Jesus. Death isn't an issue. Jesus conquered death. Through Jesus I have life eternal.
25 Apr 17
Originally posted by CalJustAnd even at 35 one should be contemplating their eventual demise to some degree.
If you are thirty-something pondering your own mortality may be morbid. But as you approach my age (75) it makes a lot of sense to prepare and reflect on what is still important in life.
And in my book family comes out on top.
Death education should be more prevelant, because as you rightly put it, it is inevitable.
25 Apr 17
Originally posted by karoly aczelI agree. But I can't even get my forty-year-old sons to think about and plan for retirement, never mind death!
And even at 35 one should be contemplating their eventual demise to some degree.
Death education should be more prevelant, because as you rightly put it, it is inevitable.
25 Apr 17
Originally posted by CalJustWell it's just natural that you cant get your kids to think about what you want 😀
I agree. But I can't even get my forty-year-old sons to think about and plan for retirement, never mind death!
Maybe it's because they don't want to be like their parents. sometimes I hear myself talking like my dad and I just hate it
26 Apr 17
Originally posted by karoly aczelMaybe this is a bit off topic (ever so slightly!) but one of my main frustrations is watching my kids make the same mistakes, and go through the same issues that I did, and I COULD have helped them avoid it, if it wasn't for the fact that I have learnt to not give advice.
Well it's just natural that you cant get your kids to think about what you want 😀
Apparently every generation has to go through the same problems and learn things for themselves.
However, it does remind me of an old saying: "A wise man learns from his mistakes. A wiser man learns from the mistakes of others and doesn't make them in the first place!"