Am I afraid of death?

Good question.

Many Christians (and other theists) would say that they are not afraid of death, and maybe even look forward to it, because they know that they are going to Heaven for all eternity etc. etc. This leads them to the conclusion that atheists are mortally afraid of death, as they do not know what awaits them (or, rather stupidly, think that atheists believe they are going to HELL instead).

Well, I like being alive. I enjoy life, I enjoy learning about the wonderful world we live in and I have lots of good friends. I do not particularly want to die. The actual event of dying is something I would rather not have to endure. I would even say that I am afraid of dying, either of old age, disease, accident or injury. I don't necessarily want to live forever, but I would rather not experience dying, thank you very much.

Not wanting to die is perfectly natural. I can't think of any creatures who have evolved with a built-in death-wish. However, the actual state of being dead does not worry me. My life will come to an end, one way or another, and that will be that. My brain, and therefore my consciousness, will simply stop working. I don't lie awake at night thinking "Oh no, one day I'll be dead and it will horrible. Boo hoo!"

All things die. You and I are among those things.

So to sum it up - I am not afraid of death (although I'm not too keen on actually having to do it ;)

But hey, if there is an afterlife, I'll send you a postcard.

Being Dead

I know that on my death, the atoms that have been my body and brain, and created my mind, will return to the universe.

They'll stay around on Earth for millions of years, inhabiting the bodies of countless people and other organisms, but eventually, aeons from now, they will return to the great engines of creation that formed them. The stars.

When the earth is a sterile, charred rock,
my body will be part of stars, planets, comets' tails
and brightly shining nebulae.

Some of me will briefly fuel a distant sun and be burnt into energy,
and the photons that were once me will skim the edges of the universe,
spiral into black holes,
and maybe illuminate the face of a child looking at the night sky for the very first time.

This is immortality.

This is life and this is death.

This is me.