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The fear of death is universal. No one wants to die and everyone must. If there were no death then life of our species would be impossible, crowded out of existence. Eternal life is not only desirable but the belief therein makes daily activities such as driving, flying and fighting in a war possible. As sentient beings we would be foolish to venture into a dangerous world if life was so precariously perched on the edge of oblivion.

Religion was founded and thrives on the premise that death is such an unthinkable foe that we must accept the offer, no, the guarantee of eternal life to the faithful. Some dogmas offer eternal life to everyone but politely stated, in different neighborhoods. Believers being segregated with their reward for service from non-believers who continue to live, but in eternal agony.

I accept but do not welcome my personal physical death because to me, when parents have procreated and sent their combined genes into the population through their offspring they have extended their lives as well.

Parental genes go into a fresh body and are combined with the lessons of life and social history passed along with them. For as long as those genes and family values and social history continue to be passed from one generation to the next, the life of the parents and all the preceding generations goes forward until either the lineage is ended or our Earth which supports our life is destroyed.

On a personal note, I have had surgery where I was completely anesthetised. There were no dreams, no tunnels with a bright light at the end, no fear, pain, or desire. It was a state of total unawareness. Had I never awakened death would have completely gone unnoticed because I was simply unaware of it's presence.

Whether one or all of the religions are correct or human descendents are the path to extended if not eternal life, we as parents can not lose.

Learn more about this author, Derek R. Snow.
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