Life After Death Essay, Research Paper

Life After Death

As the irritating, yet humdrum bleeps of the life-monitor in the

exigency room began to slowly decease off, George struggled to hang on. It & # 8217 ; s non

my clip yet, he thought. Please, give me merely one more twenty-four hours? The bleeps shortly

became progressively far in between, while the physicians madly bustled on in

a ineffectual effort to stabilise the deceasing adult male like a clump of panicking bees

seeking to salvage their doomed hive from a pouring rain. The universe turned brumous,

so wholly dark, as George felt himself easy drifting into the darkness.

He flew and flew without terminal. Then there was the light & # 8211 ; that ill-famed & # 8220 ; visible radiation

at the terminal of the tunnel. & # 8221 ; ( Randles 2 ) It gave out a strange, soothing heat

that enveloped him, easing his frights and alleviating all uncertainties. George somehow

cognize what to make & # 8211 ; to merely allow travel. He felt rather at place.

Back on Earth, the rhythmic, mechanical bleeps all of a sudden turned into a

solid, uninterrupted high Tocopherol, signaling the terminal. George was about to traverse over.

Bing bathed in the strangely comforting visible radiation, he was shortly greeted by his long-

lost friends and relations, waving for him to come, come fall in them. George

wanted to remain. More than anything he cared for, George wanted to remain right

here, enjoying in the visible radiation of love. But he felt something pull him back. Wait,

non yet, he thought. It & # 8217 ; s non my clip yet & # 8230 ; The following minute, George was

someway reunited with his physical organic structure, lying on that uncomfortable infirmary

bed, amidst the physicians suspiring in alleviation, surrounded no longer by that soft

freshness, but once more by that rhythmic bleep, bleep, bleep?

Is there a analogue between George & # 8217 ; s history of a near-death experience

( NDE ) , and what truly happens when we ourselves decease? Is at that place so a portion of

us that conquers decease and continues to populate a different sort of being where

it has new powers and undergoes unfamiliar experiences? Is there truly a

heaven, or legion celestial spheres, full of blissful joys expecting some of us and a

snake pit, or countless snake pits, full of different penalties for others? Or is

physical decease, in fact, the terminal of life as we know it? Such inquiries about

decease and death has intrigued humanity since the morning of clip. One country to

which we might look for some replies to this mystifier is faith. Unlike scientific discipline,

covering merely with the stuff and touchable, traditional faith takes another

position of our world by acknowledging the cogency of metaphysical experiences.

World & # 8217 ; s major faiths, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity, every bit good

as cardinal heathen 1s, such as the Greek and Roman mythology, although rather

different in basic basicss of belief, all effort to give its followings an

account of the universe on the other side of life.

In Greek and Roman mythology, Hades is the God of the dead. He was the

boy of the Titans Cronus and Rhea and the brother of Zeus and Poseidon. ( Cumont

34 ) When the three brothers divided up the existence after they had deposed

their male parent, Cronus, Hades was awarded the underworld. There, with his queen,

Despoina, whom he had abducted from the universe above, he ruled the land of

the dead.

The underworld itself was frequently called Hades. It was divided into two

parts: Erebus, where the dead base on balls every bit shortly as they die, and Tartarus, the

deeper part, where the Titans had been imprisoned. It was a dim and unhappy

topographic point, inhabited by obscure signifiers and shadows and guarded by Cerberus, the three-

headed, dragon-tailed Canis familiaris. Sinister rivers separated the underworld from the

universe above, and the aged boater Charon ferried the psyche of the dead across

these Waterss. Somewhere in the darkness of the underworld Hades & # 8217 ; castle was

located. It was represented as a many-gated, dark and glooming topographic point, thronged

with invitees, and set in the thick of shadowy Fieldss and an apparition-haunted

landscape.

To Greeks and Romans, life after decease was non a pleasant thing. Hades,

a dark and glooming topographic point, was originally the evident finish for all & # 8211 ; the

good and the bad. Possibly with the unintended influence of the incipient

modern-day Christianity, Hades was mollified into a much more organized topographic point,

giving wagess to the good and penalties to the wicked. One noteworthy facet of

this mythology is that Greeks, much like most of the major faiths today,

believed in an ageless, undying ego in each of us that conquers decease and

carries on another life after a physical decease.

Today, unlike the Greeks and Romans, Hindus do non believe in a set

topographic point where our undying egos end up after the inevitable physical decease.

Personal eschatology is concerned with the immediate destiny of righteous and

unrighteous psyches following decease, and the conditions regulating each class of

psyches between decease and the cosmopolitan Resurrection of humanity. General

eschatology, on the other manus, considers the concluding fate of the whole homo

race, particularly the events of the last yearss, that is cosmopolitan Resurrection and

concluding judgement. Hinduism, nevertheless, is merely concerned with personal eschatology.

( Ma & # 8217 ; sumian 2 )

As with any facet of Hinduism, the instructions of life after decease must

take into consideration the many different sectarian beliefs. ( Smith 26 )

Different doctrines of Hinduism hold divergent positions about what happens after

decease, but the duplicate philosophies of karma and samsara are at the centre of the

eschatological beliefs of most Hindus. Harmonizing to the samsara ( literally & # 8220 ; the

unit of ammunition of being & # 8221 ; ) philosophy, the present life of each individual is shaped by the

fruits of the Acts of the Apostless he or she performed in old lives. Karma can be defined

as the jurisprudence of automatic justness. For every action, there is a wages or

requital ; all our present pleasances, strivings, and agonies are the direct

consequence of our past actions. ( Ma & # 8217 ; sumian 4 )

Equally long as our karma consequences in wickednesss and imperfectnesss, we will go on

to be reborn into other beings. More than probably, these consecutive metempsychosiss

will non be on the same plane of being & # 8211 ; they may happen in any of a figure of

impermanent celestial spheres or snake pits, or on Earth. Human metempsychosis is considered most

important because merely in human signifier can we roll up good karma. ( Smith 27 )

Traditional Hindu literature such as the Puranas identify legion impermanent

celestial spheres and snake pits that are set aside for karmic requital. Once the

effects of virtuous or evil workss are exhausted, the psyche is reborn as a

human being on Earth. The intent of life is to interrupt the barbarous rhythm of

birth-death-rebirth and emancipate one & # 8217 ; s psyche, but really few of us can make this at

any given clip. ( Ma & # 8217 ; sumian 4 ) Once plenty good karma is collected, the psyche is

so transmigrated to & # 8220 ; the land of unlimited visible radiation, & # 8221 ; as mentioned in Rig-

Veda. ( Ma & # 8217 ; sumian 5 ) The Vedas are the full organic structure of Hindu sacred Hagiographas.

( Ma & # 8217 ; sumian 3 ) The Rig-Veda notes that the manner to heaven is parlous and

trusters will hold to confront many dangers before acquiring at that place, including devils

who are ready to devour them should they roll from the right way. To assist the

faithful in this unsafe journey, the Rig-Veda identifies a colourful God named

Yama, who was the first adult male to decease but is now the God of the dead and the swayer

and justice of the departed. ( Ma & # 8217 ; sumian 5 ) It is the duplicate philosophies of samsara

and karma that make the significance of decease and the hereafter in Hinduism really

different from the positions offered by most other faiths.

Another major universe faith, Buddhism, is besides from the East. Like

Hindooism, the term Buddhism refers to a diverse array of beliefs and patterns

and implies a grade of uniformity that does non be. ( Noss 157 ) After

arising in India, Buddhism shortly spread to assorted parts of Asia and

finally reached the western hemisphere in the 19th century.

Like Hinduism, Buddhism is merely concerned with personal eschatology ;

there is no reference of a corporate fate for humank

ind. Because Buddhism is

basically a reform motion within Hinduism, Buddhists maintain beliefs in the

duplicate philosophies of transmigration ( Hindu samsara ) and karma. Harmonizing to these

beliefs, each individual is born-again infinite times and lives through different types

of being. The quality of his current life is a contemplation of present and

past karma. Hence, if the person now lives a comfy life, this is the

wages of good workss performed in present and past lives. In contrast, those

sing wretchedness can merely fault themselves for evil workss they are perpetrating

or have committed in old beings. Therefore the person is held wholly

responsible for the quality of the life he is now sing, and indicating the

finger of incrimination at external forces such as a divinity, devils, or destiny is non

acceptable. ( Noss 164 )

Both Buddhists and Hinduists view the existence as a phase for countless

metempsychosiss of human existences in a spectrum from immorality to goodness. Nonetheless,

there are noteworthy differences between the two readings of the

transmigration, or reincarnation, philosophy. For case, the Buddhist belief

system rejects the Hindu impression of atman ( the human psyche ) , the undying ego.

( Ma & # 8217 ; sumian 44 ) In fact, Buddhist definition of human being leaves out any

mention to a psyche. The properties of a individual are carried on to the following life

through one of the five elements ( physical organic structure, feelings, senses, will, and

consciousness ) that make up a human entity: the consciousness. Passages from

Buddhist literature acknowledge the endurance and immortality of this portion of the

personality:

The head takes ownership of everything non merely on Earth, but besides in Eden,

and immortality is its unafraid treasure-trove. ( Buddhist Catena, Anathapindika-

Jethavana )

In another text, Buddha defines consciousness ( Vijnana ) as that entity

which is & # 8220 ; unseeable, unbounded, all-penetrating, and the land for Rupa ( former

organic structure ) , Vedana ( esthesis ) , Samjna ( perceptual experience ) , and Samskara ( will ) . & # 8221 ; ( Noss 164 )

The Buddhist component of consciousness or head appears to replace the Hindu

impression of atman as the lone immortal substance in worlds.

As with its parent faith Hinduism, belief in the duplicate philosophies of

transmigration and karma makes Buddhism really different from western faiths.

The chief subject of Buddhism is that life is enduring, and the best manner to

eliminate agony is to accomplish withdrawal from the universe and stuff

ownerships. However, most people continually fail to go degage, commit

immorality, and are therefore condemned to consecutive metempsychosiss.

Unlike the two personal eschatological faiths from the East, the New

Testament of Christianity, which deals chiefly with the topic of life and decease,

has small to state on what happens to single psyches after decease. Alternatively, the

major focal point of the eschatology of many New Testament books is general.

The concluding fate of human sort and dramatic events such as the return

of Christ in glorification in the afterlife are major subjects in the Synoptic Gospels

( the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke ) . Here can be found a figure of

transitions that refer to the return of Christ as an unexpected event predating the

concluding judgement. ( Badham 85 ) While in some transitions the Synoptic Gospels nowadays

God as the justice of the universe, more frequently it is Christ who is expected to

dispatch the responsibilities of the justice. For case, in Matthew & # 8217 ; s scene of concluding

judgement ( 25: 31-32 ) all the states of the past and present are brought before

Jesus: & # 8220 ; When the Son of adult male comes in His glorification, and all the angels with Him,

so He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the

states, and He will divide one from the other as the shepherd separates the

sheep from the goats. & # 8221 ; ( Badham 86 )

Jesus will utilize the trusters & # 8217 ; earthly deeds as the chief standard for

judgement. The batch of the righteous will be ageless life in the Kingdom of God

while the evil-doer & # 8217 ; s destiny is ageless penalty: & # 8220 ; And they [ the wicked ] will travel

off into ageless penalty, but the righteous into ageless life. & # 8221 ; ( Matt 25:46 )

For centuries, Matthew & # 8217 ; s vision of the after life, every bit good as similar

prognostications from other writers of the Bible, including the Book of Revelation,

inspired many Christian painters including Michelangelo, Giotto, and Moschos to

create singular ocular representations of the events of the last yearss. ( Badham

146 ) In most of their images Jesus is glorified in beaming Godhead visible radiation,

surrounded by angels. Such images over clip became the recognized images of

heaven, the concluding fate for the righteous. On the other manus, in other

images, terrorizing Satans continue to torment evildoers, whose names are losing

from the Book of Life. It is here that the wicked will fire and be tortured for

infinity.

The New Testament contains small specific information on the sate of

the psyche after decease. However, like most of its philosophies, the personal

eschatology of Christianity revolves around Jesus. Possibly the major

part of Christian eschatology is the significance it attaches to belief

in the individual of Jesus as world & # 8217 ; s merely hope for redemption. ( Badham 172 ) Our

ageless cloud nine or damnation in the hereafter depends on whether we accept or

reject Jesus as our personal Jesus.

Subsequently Christian learning related Christ & # 8217 ; s redemptional function to the

philosophy of & # 8220 ; original wickedness, & # 8221 ; which states that, as posterities of the fallen Adam,

the first adult male created by God, all work forces are iniquitous and deserve ageless penalty.

However, in His loving kindness, God sent Jesus to expiate for our wickednesss by

giving His life for us and deceasing in our topographic point. Those who choose to believe

in this and accept Jesus as their lone Jesus will come in Eden and experience

ageless life. Those who reject Jesus are condemned to hell-fire and ageless

damnation.

Evidence of belief in an hereafter can be found since the beginning of

recorded clip in many civilizations. Since so, faiths have tried to give its

followings an account of the universe on the other side of life. Greeks and

Romans believed in an hereafter where the God of the underworld, Hades,

tormented all dead in his spiritual kingdom. Buddhists and Hindus believe in

reincarnation of single existences, continued on by an deathless ego, a psyche or

his consciousness, and his karma. Christians believe in the coming of a Jesus

of world, Jesus Christ, whose followings will travel to ageless cloud nine and life,

while whose rejecters will everlastingly fire in snake pit. Although really different in

inside informations of our future life, all of these religious counsel Teach and rede its

followings good actions and purposes in this life so that one may be rewarded a

good life in the following universe, whichever it may be. Likewise, the wicked shall be

punished in the most unsought ways for infinity.

Plants Cited

Badham, Paul. Christian Beliefs about Life after Death. London: Harper & A ; Row

Publishers, Inc. , 1976.

Cumont, Franz Valery Marie. After Life in Roman Paganism ; Lectures Delivered at

Yale University on the Silinam Foundation. New York: Dover Publications, 1959.

Mann, A. T. The Elements of Reincarnation. Rockport, MA: Component Books, Inc. ,

1995.

Ma & # 8217 ; sumian, Farnaz. Life After Death ; a Study of the Afterlife in World

Religions. Rockport, MA: Oneword, 1995.

Meek, George W. After We Die, What Then? ; Evidence You Will Live Forever.

Columbus, Ohio: Ariel Press, 1987.

Noss, D. S. and Noss, J. B. A History of the World & # 8217 ; s Religions. New York:

Macmillan Publishing Company, 1990.

Randles, Jenny. The Afterlife: an Investigation into the Mysteries of Life

After Death. New York: Berkeley Books, 1994.

Reanney, Darryl. After Death: a New Future for Human Consciousness. New York:

W. Morrow, 1995.

Smith, Huston. The Illustrated World & # 8217 ; s Religions. New York: Labyrinth

Printing Ltd. , 1994.

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