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ISIS is forcing many Christians to flee from their homes in the Middle East, and many are still being persecuted where they are. During one conflict, Bashir Estephanos lost two of his brothers, but his response to the killings of his family by ISIS is astonishing. During an interview about the incident,…

In the 1970‘s and 80’s Jack Nicholson dated a string of glamorous actresses, and was always surrounded by his adoring fans. The relationships invariably came to an end because Nicholson couldn’t keep from fooling around with other women. Today, Nicholson is 77 and lonely. He wishes he could have ‘one…

A new study at the University of Toronto suggests that family bonds are far more important to adult wellbeing than friendships. Researchers surveyed some 3000 people between 57 and 85, asking about their closest relationships, health, and well-being. They found that those who felt “extremely close” to…

A German undertaker received the shock of his life when a coffin lid at his funeral parlor slid open and the supposedly dead woman inside asked, “Where am I?” The man passed out in shock. The 92-year-old woman had been pronounced dead just hours earlier after staff at her retirement home found her unresponsive,…

Cancer is on the verge of overtaking heart disease as the No. 1 cause of death. Heart disease and cancer are primarily diseases of aging. As we continue to make progress on treating heart disease the reason for death has shifted. Fewer people succumbing to heart disease means more people living long…

Great Britain is debating the legalization of Euthanasia. Professor Theo Boer of Utrecht University in the Netherlands, once a prominent supporter of euthanasia, has changed his mind after seeing its implementation in the Netherlands. He thought the practice would be rare, used only as a last resort.…

On November 11, 2016, many users logged onto Facebook only to find out they were dead. A message at the top of their Facebook page read, “We hope people who love [insert name here] will find comfort in things others share to remember and celebrate [his/her] life.” Some users went to twitter to show that…

Andrew Lloyd-Webber was suffering intense pain in his leg. Fourteen surgical interventions left him in such agony he wanted to die. In his own words he said, “I went through a moment of deep depression—that awful moment when you think you must find a way out.” From there he descended to contemplating…

Theologian Wayne Gruden has announced that he has Parkinson’s and is at peace. He wrote that “he is experiencing diminished fine-motor control, and a neurologist confirmed the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.” Gruden hopes to finish two current writing projects and plans to keep teaching as long as…

The oldest man in modern history died on June 12, 2013. At 116 years old he was the last person living who witnessed the 19th century. Jiroemon Kimura was born on April 19, 1897 and died of natural causes. Some people don’t receive many years, others do. Some even get a 116, but in the end there is death.…

A death simulator called Xinglai is open in China. When you “die,” you lay down on a conveyer belt through a dark tunnel that simulates cremation and then being “reborn” out the other side through a latex womb. The experience “gives you the chance to calm down, give in to some deeper thoughts, and think…

In 2002 Belgium legalized euthanasia for adults. 12 years later they have “extended the right to die” to include children even though “a group of 175 pediatricians urged lawmakers to take longer considering the consequences and said medical advances prevent terminally ill children from suffering before…

The staff at a funeral home in Mississippi says Walter Williams woke up and surprised them. Authorities say the local coroner examined Williams about 9 PM and pronounced him dead because he had no pulse. When William’s body was taken to a local funeral home later than night, workers were getting ready…

Psychiatrist Mark Epstein writing an opinion piece for the Sunday Review of The New York Times reminds us, “Trauma is not just the result of major disasters.” Trauma is a part of ordinary life. “One way or another, death (and its cousins: old age, illness, accidents, separation, and loss) hangs over…

On the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, wtih little more than an hour of daylight remaining, Colonel Isaac E. Avery of hte 6th North Carolina was mortally wounded as he led a brigade up the slope of Cemetery Hill. As he lost consciousness he scrawled a final message: " Tell my father I died with…

Scientists are starting to unlock the secrets of aging and believe we are on the threshold of greatly lengthened life spans. They are holding out the possibility of 150 years. Some scientists just refuse to accept that death is beyond human control. “It’s such a profoundly sad, lonely feeling that I…

Tylenol thinks it may have an answer for the fear of death. A new study shows that the main ingredient in Tylenol can help calm existential dread in the same way it reduces the physical pain of a headache. In the study, those given Tylenol stated they were less upset by thoughts of death than those given…

David Kime was a WWII veteran. After his funeral at age 88, his funeral cortege slowly passed through the drive-thru lane at Kime’s favorite Burger King. Each of the 39 mourners had a burger and a 40th burger was placed on Kime’s casket and buried with him. When I reach the final judgment I hope my life…

In our human condition, the specter of death is ever-present and with all our might we resist it until the very end. Part of the reason for this resistance is fear of the unknown – our lack of knowledge about heaven. What happens to us after we die? Is that the end? Where do we go and what will we be…

Have you ever heard of Thomas Jonathan Jackson? You may not recognize the name, but I’m sure you’ve heard of him. You probably know him better as General “Stonewall” Jackson. A newspaper reporter described him as immovable as a stone wall in battle. He was fearlessness drew the attention of many. After…

Woody Allen does not like getting old. “It’s a bad business,” he says. “It’s a confirmation that the anxieties and terrors I’ve had all my life were accurate. There’s no advantage to aging. You don’t get wiser, you don’t get more mellow, you don’t see life in a more glowing way. You have to fight your…

Published January 26, 2013 Associated Press YORK, Pa. – Mourners at a Pennsylvania fast-food fan's funeral wanted him to have it his way, so they arranged for his hearse -- and the rest of the procession -- to make one last drive-thru visit before reaching the cemetery. David Kime Jr. "lived by his own…

Most people assume that their appointment with death is far in the future. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. For example, each year in the United States 27 people meet their end in an elevator accident. Who knew? --The Week, December 30, 2011, p 18 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell…

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a story set during WWII about a poor German family. While the book is a beautiful picture of the tenacity of life, the narrator of the book is Death. He writes, From Death's Diary: 1942 A SMALL PIECE OF TRUTH I do not carry a sickle or scythe. I only wear a hooded black…

On February 13, 2013, over 4,000 people gathered to mourn a Riverside, California officer killed in a shooting rampage by Christopher Dorner, a former Los Angeles police officer. Michael Crain, described as a model officer, also had a father's heart, coaching his young son's baseball team and dancing…