Although death is a common natural phenomenon, its ominous approach has always frightened people, who have associated it with macabre connotations and dark forces. Perhaps it is this fear that has made humanity look at death from a different point of view, one that is less intransigent and hopeless. Irrespective of their gods, religions all suggest the idea of continuity, of life after death, trying to diminish the implacability of death by saying that after it occurs the soul goes into another dimension, which can be good or bad, depending on one’s deeds. In the past, the idea that the soul lives on into eternity was undisputable; today, however, things are different and there are countless arguments that suggest that there is not heaven, hell, purgatory or nirvana: there are only physical reactions and the natural death of a being so that another one can be born. However, no concept can be remonstrated against without being understood and nothing can be understood without research. That being said, everyone should learn more about death, as seen by two of the most major religions: Christian and Buddhist philosophy.
As one of the most widespread religions in the world, Christianity sustains that there is life after death and that after the soul exists the body, it goes either to heaven or hell. There are many Bible verses about death, this topic being given considerable importance in the holy book, all of them saying that a man’s deeds while he is alive will be judged by god on doomsday. The simplified version would be that decent behavior and faith will send the soul to heaven, while immoral deeds, more commonly known as sins, will bring eternal damnation into the pits of hell. But these two options leave room for interpretation: what is right and what is wrong? Are the two notions absolute or relative, depending on each age and culture? For example, several bible verses about death caused a lot of controversy: according to Christianity, a man who kills his wife because god dictated it is not a sin, therefore that man’s soul will not go to hell.
Buddhist philosophy has several notable differences when it comes to life after death. This religion says that after a person dies she is reincarnated into another being, superior or inferior, depending on her deeds. More specifically, if you are morally intact when you die, your next life will be happy and fulfilling, but if your spirit is stained with anger, hatred and envy, you will find only disappointments in the next life. Just like Christianity, Buddhism does provide an explanation, but it is closer to what actually happens and expresses in other words what is commonly know: what goes around comes around.
Although they are still accepted, these two beliefs have raised a lot of questions, such as why modern people should believe in something that stands on a flimsy logical base. Instead, there are more supporters who claim that these beliefs are an elaborate and spiritual version of Newton’s third law of motion, which says that there is an opposite reaction for every action. Briefly, every action has consequences, but before thinking what might or might not happen after death, people should concentrate on reality instead and act in a socially responsible way.
Keywords: bible verses about death – http://noneism.org/who_is_the_god/
Buddhist philosophy – http://noneism.org/karma/