Terrified of death

Life is a wonderful thing.  To be celebrated.  But to me, all of this culture of life nonsense isn't so much a celebration of life as it is an absolute terror over the prospect of death.  A reflection of our complete inability as a culture to deal with the concept of death.  For something that is so natural so completely inevitable something that is common to every single one of us, we structure our lives in such a way so that we can pretend up until the last possible moment that it simply doesn't exist.  We hide it.  We stick it away in nursing homes and hospices.

I am here to tell you that there are many things that are worse than death.  Much worse.  Suffering is worse than death.  Selling out your principles is worse than death.  Betraying your community and your loved ones is worse than death.  Death is a necessary part of life and regeneration.  The Pope is dead.  Did you really look at the Pope over the past several years?  I have no qualms in stating that he is better off dead.  He endured tremendous suffering.  His suffering is over.  We can  take comfort from that.  The more you admired him, the more comfort you should be able to take from that.