Most of my life I've considered myself an atheist. Religion and me just seemed to be the cliche square peg in a round hole. One thing that I always validated my atheism is that religion was created because the human mind cannot properly comprehend finality, or mortality. This isn't/wasn't my only form of validation - there's much more that I don't feel like getting into...
Then I started considering my own mortality. This has nothing to do with my tumor (it's not life threatening). This started happening years ago. With a lack of religion, and belief in the afterlife, death can be a scary prospect. It keeps me up at nights, fills me with anxiety. So the thought comes to my head - why NOT embrace religion for my own peace of mind?
"Ordinary people seem not to realize that those
who really apply themselves in the right way to
philosophy are directly and of their own accord
preparing themselves for dying and death. If this
is true, and they have actually been looking
forward to death all their lives, it would of course
be absurd to be troubled when the thing comes
for which they have so long been preparing and
looking forward."
—SOCRATES, PHAEDO
I have read that quote probably 20 times over the last 48 hours. Notice it doesn't speak about "religion", it speaks only to 'philosophy'. However, there's something to be said about religion properly preparing yourself for death.
This is my constant struggle.
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