The Afterlife According to Religious Belief

The different religions have many various beliefs about the afterlife. A lot of the religions believe in different forms of a greater power, some including the belief in only one deity, multiple deities, or no belief in any deities. Their belief in deities affects how their afterlife appears to them, and it provides the basis for which actions they believe will contribute to the outcome of their soul in the afterlife.

Generally, there are three main deity beliefs throughout religion; the belief in only one god (sometimes with multiple smaller deities), multiple deities that coincide together, or no belief in any deities (Robinson). Not only do the various religions have different deities, they also differ on how much their deities are involved with the universe. There are many views on this particular subject. Some believe that their deities created everything and set it in motion, but do not actively meddle, others believe the opposite, which their deities continuously control what happens to everyone and the outcomes are predetermined. Other religions believe that their deity/ deities are actually one being with the entire universe and everyone is a part of that single being. Of course, there are always the religions that are either unsure of their faith, or are completely certain that there cannot be an omniscience presence watching over the universe (Robinson). It is often argued whether or not it is reasonable to believe in such an all-knowing being, and even more so as to whether or not these deities are able to possess the powers that are claimed. With that argument in mind, the question is raised of how much of time do these deities control. Some have said that “God” is timeless and will never grow weak with age, and if ...

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...e what they experience. Religion may just be a way for humans to discover what will inevitably happen, but it seems to be plausible that the ultimate ending is meant to be kept undisclosed.

Works Cited

Ellis, Joseph. “Afterlife”. Britannica. 2014. Web. 30 April 2014.

Encyclopedia of World Religions – Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Zen, Hinduism, Prehistoric & Primitive Religions. London: Octopus Books Limited. 1975. Print

Fairchild, Mary. “What Does the Bible Say About Death, Eternal Life, and Heaven”. Christianity.about. 2014. Web. 30 April 2014.

Gaer, Joseph. What the Great Religions Believe. New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1963. Print.

Liston, Robert A. By These Faiths – Religions For Today. New York: Julian Messner, 1977. Print.

Robinson, B.A. “Beliefs About Deity/Deities In Different Religions”. Religious Tolerence. 1996-2014. Web. 30 April 2014.