Definition Of Death And Life

Society and culture each defines their own belief of death and life the way they see it. Each religion has their own belief system and it varies greatly. The medical community has had to create a clear and definitive definition of death and life to satisfy the masses. Whether it’s a legal, ethical, spiritual, or a religious argument, the definition had to be one hundred percent reliable in its entirety as to whether a person is considered legally dead.

Let me first begin by giving you my own personal definition of life and death, as I thought a little insight as to how this writer feels on the subject will give the reader a better understanding of the writer. I am agnostic by my own admission. I grew up Lutheran; however, I was introduced into Christian teachings as a young teenager and it was not until my early forties as I progressed in my education that I began to see things from a different perspective. I am a nurse by trade and seeing death and life on a daily basis has also helped shape my current opinion.

As I look at science and especially Anatomy and Physiology I have to ask myself, “is there a God, Is there a creator? How can there not be?” There appears to be some strong evidence in the human body to indicate a perfect plan, it’s just too well put together to not have been created by a higher being. I am not a believer in the Big Bang Theory; the anatomy of the human body tells me that we did not explode out of nothing. Perhaps God lives within each one of us, we all seem to have a driving desire and will to live and survive even through the most tragic of circumstances.

Case in point, I have a patient by the name of Miriam Pare who I may mention in this paper because she is a public figure. You can find h...

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... into the remarkable stories and memories of children who have reported previous lives. So maybe there is some truth to the reincarnation theory.

Lastly, Muslims believe that death is not final either. They believe, almost as the Christian, however, when the soul leaves the body it hangs in limbo and waits for judgment day before it goes to the land of milk and honey or hell, based on what the soul did in his/her life. The Muslims do not believe in suicide, nor artificial life support, therefore when Allah decides to take a life he takes it--you do not interfere. Muslims do not believe in Embalming of the body either. So then life to a Muslim is about good deeds--same as the Hindus, but no reincarnation or karma.

Thus the definition of life and death is left up to the individual, their culture, their ethnicity, their belief system, their will to survive or die.