Why does death hurt so much if it’s not the end?

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Musaazi NAMITI | SUNDAY THOUGHT


Death is one of the things that make living on this planet very difficult. Every day we live brings us closer to it, sadly, even if we are going to live to be 100. Humans call death the Grim Reaper. They could not have chosen a more apt name.

It is one thing we are never going to get used to—because the shock, sadness and grief that follow are unmanageable. Some people just sink into depression.

This week Uganda received news of the shocking and saddening death of Tooro’s king, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV. What made his death particularly saddening is that at 34, he died in his prime. He was only beginning to unpack his potential, so to speak.

In bereavement, many people turn to God. That should make grief manageable. King Oyo was a deeply religious man. In an undated video I was watching before I started writing this article, he says: “I thank God for my life. Just living every day is a testimony of its own. And that’s how powerful God is.”

He goes on: “So many people don’t make it into the new year. Here I am standing, you know, talking to you, and having this opportunity to talk about God […] He’s been faithful—that’s all I can say. He’s been a faithful God. And I love him with all my heart. I continue to serve him both in public and in private.”

If God exists, one would hope that a deeply religious man like King Oyo would have a place in heaven. His family, friends and many Ugandans who only saw him on TV and in photos will no doubt grieve. For those who believe in an afterlife, however, there is at least the hope of another chance to reunite with him.

The problem—and this is why death is always devastating news—is that while in theory many people believe death is not the end, the experience of losing someone can make it feel very much like it is.

The outpouring of grief says it all. If we had irrefutable evidence of an afterlife and that life after can be much better, free of suffering unlike the one we have, we would view death in a completely different way.

For those who do not believe in life after death, the takeaway is that we have extremely limited time. Every second should matter. Make the most of life.


🔴 Sunday Thought cuts through the noise of prayer, piety and superstition to ask the questions most people avoid. It discusses God, faith and religion—not to preach, but to probe, challenge and sometimes unsettle. Whether you believe, doubt or have stopped looking altogether, Sunday Thought will make you think, question and maybe even rethink everything you thought you knew about the divine—and about life itself.

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