Here's a video about a former professor of philosophy named Herbert Fingarette. As a professor, Fingarette wrote a book about death wherein he argued it's not rational to fear death. However, as a 97 year old facing death, he admits he was wrong in that book, that he's scared of death, and that doesn't wish to die, but he has no answer to this "insoluble" problem. Apparently Fingarette died later that year, not long after the video was made.
I could not help but feel very sad for this man. Was there no one who could share the good news of Christ with him? Perhaps he raises the subject of God in his "failed" book on death? The only hope he seemed to have was a possible reunion with his departed wife; but I'm quite sure it won't be a reunion like that which awaits loved ones who belong to Jesus. Just a depressingly sad walk into an avoidable oblivion.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cory.
DeleteVery true. It was quite sad.
His grief for his deceased wife was moving, but it calls to mind 1 Thes 4:13: "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope."
There's no hope outside Christ. That's why it's good for us to remember and be thankful that we too "were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world" (Eph 2:12).
Yes, it's so true. I was at a funeral yesterday for a 93 year old man, who passed on in his sleep, like Mr. Fingarette did. He loved Jesus totally. There was so much joy at his funeral and very few tears. They all knew the hope he had. What a contrast.
DeleteI looked through the Kindle edition of Fingarette's book on death; he does mention God here and there, and one of his influences was Kierkegaard, so he knew about Jesus and what he offered (even if Kierkegaard's purview is problematic). It makes the video all the more sad.
The dilemmas are stark. Even though he suffers from inconsolable loneliness, he'd still rather be alive than dead.
ReplyDeleteHe has no answer to the central question because he's discounted the only available answer (Christianity).
Really, is there any other belief system that takes such innocent joy in passing from this mortal world, to the point that it has songs with lines like "And then one day I'll cross the river / I'll fight life's final war with pain" or "When I die, halelujah bye and bye / I'll fly away"?
ReplyDeleteI've stated my wish that my funeral only play upbeat versions of songs like When the Saints Go Marching In.
(NB: I added the disclaimer 'innocent', because there IS a faith where adherents take malicious, cruel joy in killing themselves / getting themselves killed while murdering others.)