Compare and contrast two beliefs about life after death. Assess which of these two views may provide a stronger philosophical basis for belief in life after death?

Death, as some may say is a must. Every human being on this planet is going to experience death and afterlife once their soul leaves their body. But this concept of death differs from one religion to the next. Some believe it is the permanent ending of soul while others believe it gives us a new beginning. As per to our class discussion, many different cultures hold different beliefs regarding life after death, burial, rebirth and incarnation of soul. In this paper, I will first describe what Hinduism and Islamic rhetoric say about death and after life, and secondly, compare and contrast how their practices differ from one another.

The certainty that an indispensable part of one's self endures after the decease of the physical body is called the afterlife. The belief in extinction after death is in contrast with the conviction in the afterlife, which many perceive as supernatural. In Christian religion they believe that human can be reborn into the same world with different identify they will begin an new cycle all over again for them (Gray 14). They believe that this rebirth and death continues until the individual gains access to the spiritual dominion. According to the biblical aspect of life after death, the demise of an individual

There is survival after death where the death becomes parts of the soul and the body.

The concept of life after death has been around practically as long as life itself. Our beliefs about life after death can have a profound effect on our attitudes toward life. Most individual's beliefs about life after death are directly related to their cultural or religious affiliations. According to Montagu, "Of all the many forms which natural religion has assumed none probably has exerted so deep and far – reaching an influence on human life as the belief in immortality" (1955, p.15).

Life after death is a very controversial topic around the world and in society. Throughout our lives, we often wonder ‘what happens when we die?’. There are many different beliefs as to what happens to our bodies and to our souls after we die. Religion provides answers to this question, however different religions offer different beliefs and answers to this question. There are two basic kinds of religion in this world: Eastern and Western. Through learning about the key beliefs of Catholics and Hindus I have been able to learn some similar and some different perspectives on the forever debatable question ‘what happens when we die?’.

There is belief of life after death. The soul of a dead person first lingers around the earth for three days as a result of separation from its body. On the third day, the soul is judged by its doings an is either taken to paradise (heaven) or to the world of punishment (hell).

2. There seems to be a contradiction in his thought, according to his theory, will he be reborn or will he have an

Eastman, Roger (1999). The Ways of Religion An Introduction to the Major Traditions, 3rd edition. New York, Oxford

Individuals die and there is no afterlife, but their memory and ideals can live on in the works that they created and the people that they touched. Everyone leaves an impact in this world and it is what we do while we are alive that will determine what we become when we die. Every living individual is a conglomerate of the thousands of humans that have lived and died before them, passing their genes, values and ideals on. Perhaps when we look into each other we see not only ourselves, but our shared history, ancestry and experiences. This is the true essence of

Death is defined as the end of life; the cessation of all vital functions in an organism indicated by a loss of heartbeat, breathing and brain activity. Although this translation is more than adequate, technical references to death and dying fail to capture the essence and impact of our eternal and inevitable demise. In every era in human history, cultures have exhibited fascination in death and the afterlife. All over the globe nations practice rituals and ceremonies for their recently deceased loved ones, while other unclaimed cadavers are thrown into incinerators like useless waste material. As human beings, we all face the uncomfortable and unavoidable fact that, someday, our life will come to an end. Nonetheless, the primary hurdle that still remains is fully understanding what it means to die - which is perhaps one area of inquisition that science fails to complete.

The definition of death is another issue paramount to this discussion. Robert Rakestraw, professor of theology at Bethel Theological Seminary in his article on this very subject

Immortality has been a major subject of philosophical contemplation throughout the history of written language, but even with its popularity it has been held for the most part as impossible. Likewise, most cultures in the past and present acknowledge the fact that physical bodies have limits and will never be able to transcend to the level of immortality. In spite of these commonly held beliefs, many societies have some presence of belief that there is life beyond the physical realm that we are all accustomed to. In today’s society, a majority of people believe that there is life after death in the form of the soul living on, based on the dominant religions of the world (Lugo 9-13). Looking at Christian scripture, it can be seen that immortality of the soul is possible. 1 Corinthians 15:53 says, “ For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: Death has been swallowed up in victory.” This transfiguration from death to immortality has been present for

The idea of the soul varies widely in religious tradition. While these variations exist, its basic definition is unvarying. The soul can be described as the ultimate internal principle by which we think, feel, and will, and by which our bodies are animated. The soul is seen as the core principle of life or as the essence of a being 1. Views on the permanence of the soul vary throughout religious tradition as well. While some view it as a mortal entity in flux others believe the soul is an immortal and permanent unit. These interpretations vary from time period to time period and between religions. These characteristics of the soul are interpreted differently through an Eastern or

Life after death is a concept that has been around for many centuries. Many philosophers came to the idea that there had to be something after our life ends. For some, they believe in the afterlife. Another concept is that of reincarnation. Reincarnation is the believe that once the physical body dies, the soul is then reborn as a different being. Some religious teachings are actually said to have skewed some of the details about reincarnation.

Many different religions around the world see the importance in life after death but these beliefs do vary a lot and each religion will believe completely different things. Two core religions in this essay that will be looked into are Islamic and Catholic. What do they believe will happen when someone dies? Is there another life after they die? Heaven? Hell? Or Paradise? Through this you will the importance in the belief of life after death, and the practices, rituals, and prayers that provide evidence and physical proof of how they show this belief. Then to go onto to discuss the wider implications holding onto these beliefs can have.