Cross Cultural Beliefs About Afterlife

Every culture has a unique ideas of the afterlife. This paper will compare how two ancient societies viewed the afterlife. The ancient societies to be discussed are the Egyptians and the Chinese. This paper will compare and contrast the two views in a limited way. It will consider what this suggests about the two cultures. Lastly, it will consider which is closer to modern American beliefs.

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).

Austrian-British philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein once said, “The real question of life after death isn 't whether or not it exists, but even if it does what problem this really solves.” The idea that death is inevitable is well known by everyone, yet no one is certain as to what happens afterwards. Even though the subject of life after death has been argued for centuries by many philosophers and theologians. In the article Sign Here If You Exist, Jill Sisson Quinn adequately employs figurative language, rhetoric questionings, and personal anecdotes to demonstrate a controversial argument on the topic of life after death.

First, the religious concept views death as the commencement of a new life (Campione, 2004). Next, the

From the moment of conception to the day people die, there are life choices that are made through certain religious beliefs, this may have an impact on how life is in the afterlife. For Christians and Buddhists the purpose and meaning of their life and how it is lived out is determined by what they believe they will encounter in the afterlife. Through the divergent views of their beliefs, the two religions have different views on what the afterlife is for them. Because of this opposing view it reflects on how their life is lived out. Before we delve into a closer look at each faith it is important to understand the terms used within each religion as they also associate with differing terms about the afterlife.

How would it feel to know that after you died, you would be reborn into a new body? That the deciding factor in what you would become was how you lived your life? Beliefs like these have existed for at least 3,000 years. Originating and commonly practiced in Western countries, this is called reincarnation. To know that you have lived many lives before this one and that there are many more to come is a very attractive perspective from which to judge the meaning of life. It can be a great comfort for those who seek liberation on the exclusive basis of their inner resources. While the general concept is present in a number of religions, there are also significant differences between the various belief

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).

These ideals are very different from modern-day beliefs about death. Christian views about the afterlife include the two options for our souls after death: heaven- the happy, safe, and comfortable place where the good people go, and hell-the fiery, and dangerous place some go to if they made bad choices on Earth. Others believe in reincarnation, where a person’s soul lives on and takes the form of something else. Many people, no matter their religious stance, want to believe that there is something else after death, because it makes it easier when the time comes. It certainly eases some of the grief and anxiety that people face over death, and is far more comforting than the beliefs that ancient Mesopotamians held about death.

belief that a person will be born again following the death is linked with the

In class we discussed the existence of God along with life after death. Having a religious background allows me to understand metaphysics and reality, considering my faith revolves around the existence of God and life after death. Being Lutheran, I do believe in God and the powerful gifts/events that are intertwined with God. Life after death is a sore subject for many individuals regardless of their religious beliefs, but I believe that people either are sent to heaven or hell.

The Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England both have passed resolutions on the subject of abortion. If the pregnancy is not threatening the life of the mother than it is strongly thought that you must have the baby considering the baby has a life that god gave as a gift. If the parents choose to terminate the baby than they are believed to be committing a grave moral wrong. Louise states, “There are days that define your story beyond your life.” Some people believe that there is an afterlife; the people who have passed away come back in different forms, like a dog. It is also conjectured that the afterlife has no pain; loved ones who have passed are meant to watch over the people they left behind like a guardian angel. On the other side of the perspectives, others believe that once someone has passed, it is the end of their story, there is nothing more to come after death. People who want to know their life from start to finish may change how they act, so that they are remembered for the acts of kindness they made, or they may embrace each day a little

There are a few different worldview concepts in hope for the afterlife. Christians believe in recantation. They believe that once you have died you spirit will come back and become something else. Whereas, Atheism do not believe in a God or an afterlife. Once you have decease you gone.

There are many different religions in the world and every religion has a specific set of beliefs surrounding life questions. One of the most commonly asked questions is ‘is there life after death’. Almost all religions would have the same answer which is yes, but each religion has a different answer to what actually happens after death. In this essay I will compare the beliefs between Catholicism and judaism surrounding their beliefs on the topic of life after death, I will also look into the similarities between both religions beliefs of what happens after death.

Life After Death All of the major religions believe in life after death. However the ideas from religion to religion can vary greatly. I am going to look at Hinduism and Christianity, two religions that I have been surrounded by all my life, and the different perceptions they have of life after death, and then I will give my own view. "For certain is death for the born and certain is birth for the dead; therefore, over the inevitable thou shouldst not grieve.

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.