Why do humans fear death?

Why do humans fear death? Is this a condition that exists in all life or merely in sentient life? If you could be immortal would you? What are your views in how human beings overcome death?
*

 
Do share your immediate thoughts or reactions on this issue? We value your views! Login Now! or Sign Up Today! to share your views with us.. Gurfateh!

Humans fear death, because they want things to be permanent, try to grasp something that will never have death, that will always look over them, hence God was created. They are scared that eventually everything they do...will mean nothing, that they will become a statistic in this world like the rest of the dead people.

If I could be immortal, I wouldnt choose to be...a man can only bare so much pain. For how many times can you watch your son die, your family burn, wars continue, and everyone just living for some green paper?
I wouldnt mind increasing human capacity, but if only I was immortal in the world...I would never choose it. Eventually I would want the sufferring to end.

Human beings overcome death by believing in an after-life, that after this "world" there is more to experience, so death is just a stage, a stop....not "the end" of everything.

Other life can fear death, but they can not contemplate death. Animals fear death, like if an animal is on fire, he will run franticly and try to extinguish the fire, so he doesnt die. But, they can not contemplate death...like most children around the ages of 8-12 begin to realize and contemplate death. Children get scared around this age, that their parents life-time is limited, and it may someday end. This is the beginning when they begin to realize and contemplate death.

i guess there a few factors that comes into being here
1.fear of unknown, what happens when someone dies, or what would happen when i will die? (still we are searching for a definitive scientific answer)
2. emracing change: we all know that change is the only thing thats constant but still we look for permanency and stability everywhere despite living in the dynamic ever changing universe. I dont want things to be constant otherwise, life would be so boring and a drag.

as far as immortality is concerned..never thought of it but i guess i would like to go with the perspective that slkh has made above here...its too much of a suffering to endure for a human being.
and even if we go as per sikhi all our gurus when their time came left their physical bodies, as they say that when a person dies "ki oh poora ho gaya hai",(meaning a person gets completed when He dies..
and i guess death is the ultimate reality..why to overcome it? and yeah efforts are there to increase the life span and suffering but overcoming death seems like a farfetched idea..may be creating your clone or freezing the dna and again creating a new human being when the previous body dies (just a thought)..

very well said Ji

Dhan jio teh ko, mukh te har, chit mein judh bicharey

Dear Khalsa Ji,

Most, but not all humans fear death.

The fear is caused by the sure loss of attachments to which the human is bound in her or his life.

Those who have seen through the game of Maya and got over the attachments, do not fear death.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/interfaith-dialogues/847-why-do-humans-fear-death.html

With love and respect for all.

Amarpal Singh

people fear death , because, in this time, in the modern world, it is just modern world, and it is too late to become pure like the gurus. Unless you live by your self in a desert or a place or country where nothing exists, and u live soooo naturally and pure....and meditate everyday....for all ur years....thts wen ur listening ot the truth. We fear that we have not done alot. We are scared of things that we have not experienced before. We get scared because we think we know god, and we think we going to survive if we just know god, but that is not enough, you have to act, and belive in god. Everything in this life is hard......unless u lived like the sikh gurus, and u live this life like ur speechless.............

my 2cent point of view hmm well i will say ppl FEAR because they scared to face it afraid of judgement day etc... enjoy life dun worry abt it.. eg: we born we celebrate with joy we die we cry why? haha MAYA attachment ? i wont say i am a saint etc pray meditate 24/7 just an average person ~Death is mY Bride Fear IS mY fRiend ~

maybe the post shuld also post this what do human fear of ? Pests mice cocoraches lizards etc ,serving MiLLITAry,helping others
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=847,roller coaster bungee ...

just my 2cent point of view no offences

cheers
Navdeep Singh

Ah yes of course the age old question, one of the best replies i have understood:To be, or not to be: that is the question:Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to sufferThe slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;No more; and by a sleep to say we endThe heart-ache and the thousand natural shocksThat flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummationDevoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;For in that sleep of death what dreams may comeWhen we have shuffled off this mortal coil,Must give us pause: there's the respectThat makes calamity of so long life;For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,The insolence of office and the spurnsThat patient merit of the unworthy takes,When he himself might his quietus makeWith a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,To grunt and sweat under a weary life,But that the dread of something after death,The undiscover'd country from whose bournNo traveller returns, puzzles the willAnd makes us rather bear those ills we haveThan fly to others that we know not of?Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;And thus the native hue of resolutionIs sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,And enterprises of great pith and momentWith this regard their currents turn awry,And lose the name of action. - Soft you now!The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisonsBe all my sins remember'd.