Makes a lot of sense..

This a little scary...we started out as enemies (somewhat),and now find some common ground to embrace each other. Heaven forbid!

Seriously, I know what you mean about death. The question you pose is a tough one, and if you have the patience I would like to give you a little personal background before I answer it.

I lost my father at an early age; and one of my younger brothers died about 15 years ago. I think I was most affected by my brother's death. I went through all the typical stages rather quickly. Denial was the most noticeable stage. I can remember calling the hospital and demanding to talk to the attending physicians. I would not believe anyone telling me that my brother was dead. Even when the doctor came to the phone, I was shouting, "You're lying, you're lying!" It seems so insane now. For months after that, I would somehow forget my brother was dead and go to the phone and dial his number. I wanted to talk to him.

As I have grown older too, I find myself looking backward more often and wondering why I squandered so much of my life. What used to seem like an eternity now is so finite and definite. I ponder its insignificance and wish there had been a bigger contribution on my part. I still look forward, but I can't ignore the fact that most of the sand is now in the bottom section of the time glass.

In the course of my life though, I have traveled much of the world and learned from other cultures. I have examined different beliefs and religions along the way. In the midst of that, I have tried to imagine what lies on the other side of death, just as much as I have pondered what lied on the other side of Creation. This "higher being" I have somehow manufactured to be some kind of super intelligence more energy-like than the flesh and blood of mankind. I believe our "souls" somehow have a connection to that higher being and that our souls are just connected to this material, physical world for some unknown finite purpose.

Just as physical sciences have shown us that "energy cannot be destroyed" (but rather manifests itself in yet another form), I believe our souls do not die with our tired worn out bodies. I believe it is recycled with the original source...our Creator.

Perhaps this is some defense mechanism at work (just as my denial of my brother's death), and perhaps I have created my variation of religion to ease my own inevitable journey to death. I really don't know, but I admit I find comfort in it.

So you ask, "Should one turn to rational thought or religion" when one is faced with death of themselves or someone else? I say the two are related and cannot be separated.