Hi all

Death to many is something to fear because its the great unknown, it comes with a sinister stigma or image, many cultures and religions all over the world have ways of coping with the one thing all men and women will one day have to stand face to face with, the greatest of unknowns "Death".

The fact is that we are ALL going to have to take the plunge of death. Through out time human kind has delved into the deepest and darkest places in there minds and imaginations to try and find an answer to death, or to give it a face and to better understand that dark and frightening thing that we all put to the back of our minds, but know that one day we will all have to take the plunge into that dark unknown.

To many death is a dark and sinister and unforgiving and unrelenting shadow, so you can probably see how the modern idea and image of what the grim reaper or death looks like comes from, its a dark figure holding a scythe, dressed in a black hooded robe, with a skull for a head. How did this image come about, and is there really a ghostly figure called death ready to introduce him self to us when our flame has eventually been extinguished ?

The image of death or of The Grim Reaper probably comes from human kinds fear of dyeing, many people want to live forever and the fact that they know they cant live forever has caused them to give a face to that nasty obstacle that stops them from being able to stay alive for good, so of course the picture that is going to be painted by a death fearing society is going to be that of a scary and mysterious one.

The reaper is seen to be carrying a scythe, the idea of this comes from the idea that when death comes to us he’s coming to chop down the living and to sever the soul from the body. The scythe is used for chopping down crops so the image of the grim reaper and his scythe would indicate that its seen as death coming and "reaping his harvest" his crops being the souls of the just departed.

The Reaper is not just seen as a figure to meet at ones own death, but its also seen as a warning to the living, that if they dont change there ways then "death" is just around the corner, so he can be seen in a positive light too.

Many people who claimed to have been visited by The Reaper say that he was totally silent and did nothing except pull out an old watch on a chain or an hour glass and is said to gently tap on it like the seconds ticking away all the while not saying a word, but even though he says nothing the message is clear to the person seeing it. His skull like face probably comes from the skull symbolising death myth, so it would make sense that people would see the reapers face as a skull.

Many people might see The Reaper as the sinister man in a black robe because that is how they view death, so the reaper will probably show him self to each person how that person views death personally, if someone longed for death or did not look at death as something to fear I can imagine then death would probably show them selves to them people as something more pleasant looking. Death is what we want him (or it) to be.

The image of the grim reaper in a long robe comes from the garb of Death or the black mourning robe first seen in the 1500s, in them times a monk would stand over the dyeing persons bed, so again the images of things people have seen surrounding death have been associated with how people view The Grim Reaper, which is why he looks a little like a monk dressed in a abbot.

The belief in The Grim Reaper probably goes back to ancient times. In Greek mythology you have the god Chronos or Cronus also know as "Father time" who could also be seen carrying a scythe and his saying was "nothing lasts forever - except time(death)". The word ‘corone’ to the Greeks (translated to English) means crow, so its no wonder that the crow is also associated with death, and is also seen with the grim reaper.

In Christianity the four knights of the apocalypse where four riders named Pestilence, Famine, War and Antichrist and will ride on horse back over the sky’s of the earth when man finally becomes to his doom, all supposedly look like the common image of The Reaper as skellington like figures in black hooded robes.

Even though many people fear the Reaper and death, its probably better when your time comes not to fight and struggle with him, but to take him by the hand and let him lead you to your new life (where ever you believe that life is to be).

Think about if death never existed, and dyeing was impossible, soon the population would become terribly over crowded and homelessness, poverty, and famine would make the world a hellish type place, I think it would not be too long until man started craving the very thing that most of us fear today. Can you imagine if that nasty sinister figure "death" gave up his job tomorrow and became a doctor? People with horrific and normally fatal injuries, such as being beheaded or a person with 100% bodily burns would not be able to be released form there suffering and pain, because there is no longer someone or something called "death" to do his job, and the now doctor (once death) would not be able to do anything for the suffering of those in eternal pain, other than to take back his old job as "death" The Grim Reaper.... Doesn’t sound like such a bad chap now after all does he?.

All the best
Faeden

Yes I love the Grim Reaper...
i saw him once when i almost died...
I also saw a Death Wraith...
i Look foward to the day when me and him will meet again

Dont want to demean your post Faeden but it brought back memories to me of the Monty Python sketch.....when eric idle opened the door as a middle aged posh burd and Death was Standing there scythe in hand.......Oooo do come in and have a cup of tea ...Then to all the rest in the house ...look everyone this is mr death come to pay us a visit..he proceded to have tea and cake with them..after 5 minutes he was shouting and arguing with them all....Hilarious.
Black Humour at it's best

Hi Bogeyman

You do not sound demeaning I'm not a fan of Monty python so I not seen it, but that does sound humorous, ill have to have a look our for it .

All the best
Faeden

I really have seen the Grim Reaper before
when i almost died.
Im not joking about that....
And i really do look foward to the day i will meet with him again...

dark man you scare me. I worked in a hospital I've seen him come for people. No, thank you I can wait for my turn

Look at death as the act of physical death its self, the image of the grim reaper is what we want it to be, if you fear death or dread it (which most people do) he will appear scary and sinister looking.

Without death believe me humans would long for his return, without it we would never progress to the heavenly realms, and be stuck on a world where suffering would not be ended by the hand of death. Ask any spirit if they want to return to the earth and I can imagine most would say no way. Do not get me wrong life is great and full of joy, but its nothing compared to what awaits most of us on the other side of life.

All the best
Faeden

to me he appeared.. sinister... and scary looking...
but i am not afriad...
i feel as if i am not losing much but leaving this world...
the way my life is now...
so im not afraid to meet him again...

I think those who fear him have good and happy lives
and a lot to look foward to in the future
but someone like me doesn;t fear death
since i have none of those things...
ive also seen him when my father died before my eyes
but he appeared as bright white light... when i saw him that time...

Hi DarkEntity99

I’m very sorry to hear about your father, and that you do not have much going for you at the moment. I do not know you personally or your circumstances, but have you tried to do anything about improving your self and looking for something that might give you a more happiness in life?.

I hope you can find happiness soon, because theirs something for everyone out there, some people are luckier than others, so some might have to search a bit harder than the next to find there place in this life.


all the best
Faeden

I'm sorry about your dad,man. I can't say what it like to watch a perant die. I lost a sister to cancer And held my friend as she bleed to death from being shoot in front of our school . still to this day, I wake up screaming about that.

We're born to live, born to die. I think living forever is one of the worst things that could ever happen.

Hi there

Yes I know I've posted this before but its relevent isnt it?



The following accounts are taken from Tom Slemens' site and books ~

'At a certain hospital in Cheshire, England in 1978, a nurse froze in her tracks as she entered a darkened ward one evening, because she saw a tall hooded figure dressed in monk's robes standing by the bed of an old lady. The nurse, named Jean, said, 'His face was hideous. Just a skull with tiny flickering flames for eyes. His hands were those of a skeleton, and were patiently folded over each other inside the dark sleeves. I got the impression that the apparition was patiently waiting for the lady in the bed to pass away.'

Jean was struck dumb with fear at the sight of the unearthly entity. 'When it looked at me my blood ran cold,' said Jean, 'and I felt paralysed for a moment. Next thing I knew, I was running down the corridor to tell the other nurses. When we returned to the ward, the figure had gone, and the old lady he'd been watching had passed away.'

In 1991, a British businessman named Monty was staying at a five-star English hotel with his wife. At around 11 pm, he went into the bedroom and was shocked to see a figure standing there in a long black hooded robe. The face of this apparition was a gleaming white skull with black eye sockets. In one of its bony hands, the figure held a long scythe. Monty felt so faint with shock, his legs turned to jelly, and he couldn't run from the room. The figure glided towards him and in a low, bloodcurdling voice, it announced, 'Your wife wants to end her life. You must stop her.'

The figure then vanished as mysteriously as it had arrived. Monty regained his strength and thought about the weird message. His wife was staying at the hotel with him and was only in the bathroom. Monty knocked on the door of the bathroom and heard his wife sobbing. When he barged in, he found her sitting on the rim of the bath with a bottle of sleeping tablets in her hand. She had been contemplating suicide because she had found several lumps in her breast. Monty later convinced his wife to go along to the hospital, and the lumps were found to be benign.

In 1995, a soldier with the territorial army named Mike Clarke was camping in the woods at Swan Green, a picturesque area of northwest England. The time was 4 am, and Mike was on sentry duty, wrapped in his cagoule, sitting in the small rounded hollow of a tree's gnarled roots. The other soldiers were dotted about the woods in their tents, sleeping soundly, and the only light present came from the waning moon hanging over the horizon. Mike suddenly noticed a tall dark silhouette silently approaching in the faint moonlight. The soldier clicked on a powerful MagLite torch and directed its beam at the stranger. What that torch revealed has haunted Mike ever since. The figure was abnormally tall - almost seven feet in height - and dressed in a black one-piece hooded garment which went right down to the ground. The face was not skeletal, but of a ghastly pale colour with dark circles about the eyes. Mike was unarmed, and felt helpless to stop the freakish-looking prowler. He was about to shout to his sleeping comrades but saw one of the soldiers leave a tent to confront the giant. It was a soldier named Barry, who was something of a renowned daredevil in the TA squad. Mike jumped up, ready to back up his mate, but when he got to his feet, the menacing lanky figure was nowhere to be seen, and neither was Barry. Mike woke up the squad and was surprised to find Barry in his camp bed in the tent. At this point, Mike thought he'd dreamed the whole weird incident. Then a soldier tried to wake Barry and got no response. He seemed to be in a comatose condition. Fifteen minutes later, a medic pronounced Barry dead. He'd apparently died of natural causes without regaining consciousness.

With a shudder, Mike recalled the mysterious tall figure that had visited the camp and left with what must have been Barry's shade.'



I have mentioned elsewhere that the Reaper could be some kind of instinctual entity, made only from our subconcious. But that doesnt really explain the other kinds of Death Omen does it?

Hammy x x x

Like most folks Ive grieved for loved ones who have died.The first thing I learned about death he is a thief.He steals lifes at random it could be anyone at any minute!He will come for all of us sooner or later.
My hand on heart I do fear death.
I was checked out for bowel cancer not longe ago my doc said I had all the symptoms.I kept myself together in front of my familey and friends.
At night I lay awake terrified I was going to die.I prayed man and I am not religous but I prayed.
I ate all the time coz with cancer you loose weight right?
When the results of the tests came back I did not have cancer.
Thank you god thank you.
Maybe the fear of death comes from the will to survive that all animals have.
As a side note I am now 3stones overwieght

First, I am very sorry to hear that you feel the reaper, "steals lifes at random." Over the years I have had a few near death experiences, and one unrelated conversation with death. I must say that absolutely nothing is random. Coincidence, and random events are merely the supernatural(god, death, etc.) remaining anonymous. As for death himself, my near death experiences were all so quick my only thoughts searched for a chance of survival. I find this odd, as I normally welcome death, but when I came close I knew I wasn't ready. I now know why, as relationships with god, and death himself have helped me understand my purpose, and what I must do. With interesting times ahead of us we all need to keep god in our heads, for he has a plan for all of us.

Back to death, one night I was sitting alone in my car(privacy and silence), deep in meditation, when I noticed that I was being watched. This is not unusual, as I know I am always being watched, but this time I knew that my viewer was interested in speaking with me. I looked up out my windshield to find a pair of eyes, a nose, and a smile peeking out of a tree at me. The being introduced himself as death, and spoke of times when he was nearby watching me, but only as precaution. I soon learned that he watches me regularly and has some connection with me.

This wraith, the reaper, has a crew of soldiers/helpers/employees(the name is irrelevant), for there are times at which he seeks our help. Quickly I must say this does not mean we go around murdering people. I know very little of his other assistants, so I do not know if he calls people to kill for him, but I severely doubt it. Rather, I have found that I have been called as a protector of the weak. in the times we live in, the underworld is strong, and they occasionally take lives prematurely. This is where we come in. I, along with many others, have been called to protect.
to quote dancin' hamster, "The figure glided towards him and in a low, bloodcurdling voice, it announced, 'Your wife wants to end her life. You must stop her.' "
The point I am trying to make, is that we need not fear the reaper as long as we keep a healthy relationship with god. We must open ourselves to the possibility that he may be around even when nobody is ready to leave.

P.S. - Death is never random, and although we may temporarily lose the ability to speak with, and see our loved ones, they are still there, and watch over us very intently, even speaking to us when necessary(which is quite rare)[COLOR=green]