A Birthday Post
It is my 20th birthday today, Nov. 16, 2007. Which means one thing....364 1/4 days until I turn 21.
Anyway, I got to thinking about birthdays, and a friend of mine brought up an interesting point about birthdays, and how he can't get all happy about his. He mentioned that it was hard for him to get happy about something that means he is just a year closer to dying.
My response, "I never thought of it that way." It then gave me the idea, coupled with a documentary I recently watched on the history channel, to write this blog entry on death.
Yeah, a little bit of a downer on a birthday, but I'll get over it.
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I just got done watching a feature on the history channel that talked about some of the major differences between Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.
It was actually pretty interesting. One point that really caught my interest was the view of death and the "end of the world", and how each religion views it.
I didn't know this prior to the piece, but it said the Christianity and Islam both had this type of fascination with the end of the world. So I checked a few suras out in the Koran that I was reading in a World Lit. class to investigate. What do you know, the History Channel was right.
The Bible was a little easier to get through, since they have a whole book focused on the end of the world.
I got to thinking from a Christian perspective, one because I'm not Muslim, and I found it kinda odd. What I mean is it seems kind of contradictory to Christians beliefs. I'll explain.
What is the one thing we hear about Christianity, besides the graveling, a majority of the time? It is "if you believe in God, and that Jesus died for our sins, then you will receive everlasting life after death." (Okay, that is a cookie cutter definition.) If this is so, then why does this religion have a book in the Bible that causes fear for the "end of the world", and death. To the quoted theory above, if you are to receive everlasting life after death, then shouldn't you embrace death as a gift, rather than something bad?
I don't think this is just a Christian thing though. I believe it is a part of American society that causes us to fear death. Death insights the fear of loss, a person, material earnings, etc. The idea in America is that we work to achieve and accumulate what we can for our well being, but it will all be taken away from us when we die. Not just that, but when we lose a love one, it is some idea that we may never see them again. (Go back to Christian belief, this also makes no sense. I believe there is a saying that "We will meet again some day." Or maybe that is just in Gladiator)
I'll give an example:
My great-grandfather died a few years ago. At the time, I had a hard time feeling upset, but couldn't figure out why. Was it because I wanted him to die, or did I have no heart? Looking back on it, I now think I know why.
He had had many heart attacks, I think about 5, and was done in by a massive stroke. He was in pain from arthritis, diabetes, and other ailments, and we where in pain from seeing him in pain. When he died, we where happy that he didn't have to live with that pain anymore.
My point is, we shouldn't fear death. Instead, we should live ever day to the fullest, no regrets, and let what happens happen. If we are afraid of death, then we will never truly live, and someone that hasn't lived fully, as lived a sham and a waste of a life.
............................................................................................................................................................................
Like I said, it is kind of a dark take on the whole birthday thing.
But look at it in perspective. Instead of looking at growing old as on coming death, take as a reminder to continue living, and live everyday like it may be your last.
Anyway, I got to thinking about birthdays, and a friend of mine brought up an interesting point about birthdays, and how he can't get all happy about his. He mentioned that it was hard for him to get happy about something that means he is just a year closer to dying.
My response, "I never thought of it that way." It then gave me the idea, coupled with a documentary I recently watched on the history channel, to write this blog entry on death.
Yeah, a little bit of a downer on a birthday, but I'll get over it.
...........................................................................................................................................................................
I just got done watching a feature on the history channel that talked about some of the major differences between Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.
It was actually pretty interesting. One point that really caught my interest was the view of death and the "end of the world", and how each religion views it.
I didn't know this prior to the piece, but it said the Christianity and Islam both had this type of fascination with the end of the world. So I checked a few suras out in the Koran that I was reading in a World Lit. class to investigate. What do you know, the History Channel was right.
The Bible was a little easier to get through, since they have a whole book focused on the end of the world.
I got to thinking from a Christian perspective, one because I'm not Muslim, and I found it kinda odd. What I mean is it seems kind of contradictory to Christians beliefs. I'll explain.
What is the one thing we hear about Christianity, besides the graveling, a majority of the time? It is "if you believe in God, and that Jesus died for our sins, then you will receive everlasting life after death." (Okay, that is a cookie cutter definition.) If this is so, then why does this religion have a book in the Bible that causes fear for the "end of the world", and death. To the quoted theory above, if you are to receive everlasting life after death, then shouldn't you embrace death as a gift, rather than something bad?
I don't think this is just a Christian thing though. I believe it is a part of American society that causes us to fear death. Death insights the fear of loss, a person, material earnings, etc. The idea in America is that we work to achieve and accumulate what we can for our well being, but it will all be taken away from us when we die. Not just that, but when we lose a love one, it is some idea that we may never see them again. (Go back to Christian belief, this also makes no sense. I believe there is a saying that "We will meet again some day." Or maybe that is just in Gladiator)
I'll give an example:
My great-grandfather died a few years ago. At the time, I had a hard time feeling upset, but couldn't figure out why. Was it because I wanted him to die, or did I have no heart? Looking back on it, I now think I know why.
He had had many heart attacks, I think about 5, and was done in by a massive stroke. He was in pain from arthritis, diabetes, and other ailments, and we where in pain from seeing him in pain. When he died, we where happy that he didn't have to live with that pain anymore.
My point is, we shouldn't fear death. Instead, we should live ever day to the fullest, no regrets, and let what happens happen. If we are afraid of death, then we will never truly live, and someone that hasn't lived fully, as lived a sham and a waste of a life.
............................................................................................................................................................................
Like I said, it is kind of a dark take on the whole birthday thing.
But look at it in perspective. Instead of looking at growing old as on coming death, take as a reminder to continue living, and live everyday like it may be your last.
interesting post!
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