I've thought about the deathbed thing on a number of occasions, written about it a few times too. I suppose with the fear of death and it rearing it's ugly head you would be inclined to cling onto any tiny bit of hope that you might not actually be dying. Much easier to believe that when we die we are not like our favourite dog or cat, that when we die we will still be somehow sentient, not gone completely, no, surely not.

Death is something to be afraid of, and deep down we all are. None more so than you religous types, your fear of death is so great that you actually believe you are going to live forever when you die.