It was pointed out, but it was always a cheap parlor trick.
"You cease to exist after death, so what's to fear?"
"Well, my fear is that I will cease to exist, Einstein!"
Fear doesn't have to be with something in the future being painful. We also fear something not being how we want it to be (in this case, we want to continue existing, and death prevents that).
>since once you are dead you cease to exist and no longer care about anything
That's an argument about we wont feel fear after death.
It's not an argument about we can't fear death itself...
"You cease to exist after death, so what's to fear?"
"Well, my fear is that I will cease to exist, Einstein!"
Fear doesn't have to be with something in the future being painful. We also fear something not being how we want it to be (in this case, we want to continue existing, and death prevents that).
>since once you are dead you cease to exist and no longer care about anything
That's an argument about we wont feel fear after death.
It's not an argument about we can't fear death itself...