This paper explains how religion and education influenced my beliefs in the afterlife throughout my life. In the beginning, I was born an orthodox Christian and now I believe in a higher power and that our conscience(soul) leaves our body and returns somewhere in the universe as life once again. With knowledge from the coursework, I implemented information regarding how different religions viewed the afterlife as well as the proof and lack of proof of the afterlife. While there are multiple religions that all have some sort of belief in the afterlife there are only so many experiments and results that were recorded to try to show the scientific proof of the existence of the soul which could lead us to infer about an afterlife. There are
“Our sense of self, our sense of humor, our ability to think ahead — gone within the first 10 to 20 seconds” (Shaw, 2017). The afterlife has been questioned so much, especially throughout the thoughts of religion. “Theories abound from logical to irrational, yet there is no concrete evidence about the afterlife.” (Shaw, 2017). The idea of their being an afterlife maybe hard to grasp because it is based on having faith. Due to this, hoping there is a heavenly estate after death is not wrong but there is no significant evidence to supports this idea. Therefore, what waits after death maybe neither heaven nor hell due to the varies influential factors that can contribute to the idea of the afterlife.
Heaven is often only seen as somewhere free from hunger, thirst, pain, deprivation, disease, ignorance, and strife although heaven may be free of all these things they are not the only gifts that await you. Other more rewarding gifts to look forward to are complete contentment, perfect knowledge, everlasting rest, overwhelming peace, communion with God, and ecstatic joy (Zaleski). Most cultures, if not all, have multiple images of heaven, this wonderful place abundant with gifts and happiness is mostly portrayed with order. It contains the blueprints of all the creations on earth, the resting spot for all earthly rulers to direct and govern, and the values by which to determine the beauty, goodness and truth (Zaleski). It’s pretty much safe to say all religions preach that your one way ticket to heaven is through praiseworthy activity such as performing sacrifices, or enduring great suffering. On the other hand, heaven is also understood as the reward for a life well lived, the fulfillment of the hearts deepest desire and the ultimate reference point for all human motivation and hope (Zaleski). Yet many view that heaven is accessible only as the free gift of a divine being. Either way all religions have different understandings of after life, and different beliefs and teachings.
Religion, although very complex, it is something humankind share with one another. Each religion may contain different views or beliefs, all are used for the same purpose. Religion may be used to make sense of the world surrounding us, used for emotional and mental health, or just a way to live life. Religion can be much more than just a daily routine or following a set of rules on how to live life. Religion is faith in a higher or higher powers and it is that belief that influences how we live from day to day.
Death: the final frontier. It is the last great adventure, but, sadly, most people do not know what this last adventure will be like or where they are going. So…what will it be like after death? Will it be torment, bliss, or will it just be nothingness? Fortunately, the Christian Bible will shed some light on this dark subject. The Bible says that after the mortal body is dead, the soul will live eternally in a place called Heaven or a place called Hell. Heaven is a place of eternal life with God where there is no suffering or pain. Hell, on the other hand, is a place of eternal punishment and separation from God. Where will you go? Do you know? The Bible says that wide is the gate to hell, but narrow is the gate to heaven (Matthew 7:13-4) This verse claims that many more people will end up in Hell than in Heaven. Maybe if people understood what Hell really is, what it is like and how to stay out of it, then they might choose to go to Heaven instead. Some people believe that Hell is not real or that it is just a prison for the mind, and some people believe that good works will be sufficient to keep them out of Hell. The Bible says differently though. The Bible claims that Hell is a literal place where souls go after their mortal bodies have died to be eternally tormented. The only way to keep from this eternal punishment is to have a personal relationship with and a belief in Jesus Christ.
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.
One of the greatest and oldest human mysteries on Earth is death, and the fate that lies beyond it. The curious minds of human beings constantly wonder about the events that occur after death. No person truly knows what happens after a person ceases to live in the world, except for the people themselves who have passed away. As a result, over the course of history, people of various backgrounds, ethnicities, and religions have speculated and believed in numerous different possibilities for the destiny that awaits them beyond the world of the living. The great ambiguity of the afterlife is extremely ancient that many different beliefs about it have been dated back to several centuries ago. These beliefs go as far back to the beliefs of Ancient Egyptians, which outline the journey that the dead travels to the land of Osiris; and the belief of Ancient Greeks that all souls eventually find themselves in Hades’ realm, the Underworld. Throughout history, views and beliefs from emerging religions continue to develop as the human conscience persists in finding answers to this ancient, unresolved mystery. Prime examples of the various and separate beliefs regarding death and the afterlife are found in the diverse faiths of Roman Catholicism, Islam, and Buddhism.
The afterlife has fascinated religions since the dawn of time. It has raised many questions, about
In his definition of personal religion, Thorkild Jacobsen tables three elements critical to living a submissive life. Firstly, there is a sense of commitment to one’s religious values that makes religious individuals see themselves as standing in a close personal relation to the divine. Secondly, they rely on the later for guidance and help in personal matters and affairs. Lastly, they expect consequences if they sin, but at the same time profoundly believe in divine love, forgiveness, and compassion love if they sincerely repent. There are many studies examining the idea of innocent suffering and notion of personal piety as they occur in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and in the story of Job in the bible. The question that arises is: how much can human
Throughout the history of the world, religion has been one of the most controversial and sensitive subjects. Many people have died for what they believe in; people feel as though their religious views make them who they are, and could not imagine seeing the world in a different way. Why would people fight and argue about religion? Why are people so entrenched in their views about God(s) and what happens after death? People do not live forever, and religion provides a sort of relief and outlet of knowing that no matter what, there is a comforting light at the end of that tunnel. Religious beliefs are seen as dividers; these barriers society builds to put people into categories. Delving in more educationally and learning that despite the title