RELIGION AND LIFE 

2 - MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH

Christianity - 

Why they believe in life after death -

• Jesus rose from the dead - recorded in Gospels and New Testament 
• St Paul, 1 Corinthians - people will have a resurrection like that of Jesus
• Major creeds of the Church - Jesus rose from the dead and there will be life after death, Christians should believe the creeds 
• Christian Churches teach that there is life after death 
• Gives their life meaning and purpose - will be judged on how they have lived this life 

How this affects their life -

• Will get judged after death - should live good Christian life (follow teaching of Bible and Church) 
• Good Christian life - living God and loving your neighbour, will pray and worship on Sundays 
• Parable of the Sheep and Goats (Jesus) - Christians should feed the hungry, clothe the naked, befriend stangers, visit the sick and those in prison 
• Good Samaritan (Jesus) - loving your neighbour means helping anyone in need = working for charities such as Christian Aid, CAFOD etc 
• Sin can prevent people from going to heaven/those who die with unforgiven sins will go to hell - will avoid sinning in lives 

Judaism - 

Why they believe in life after death - 

• Teaching of the Tenakh (inspired by God) 
• Teaching of the Talmud (teaching of rabbis) 
• One of the Thirteen Principles of Faith (in Jewish creed) 
• Gives lives meaning and purpose - get judged on how they have lived this life (rewards/punishment) 

How this affects their life - 

• God will judge how they have lived their life after they've dies - must try to live good Jewish lives 
• Good Jewish life - observing Torah and halakhah, praying 3 times a day, fasting on Yom Kippur, keeping Shabbat, celebrating festivals etc. 
• Following mitzvot, keeping kosher, observing dress laws, not be involved in lending at interest/receiving interest etc. 
• Orthodox - confess sins before they die, help with funerals, keep shiva - (always aware of death) 
• Gives meaning and purpose - suffer less form depression than atheists and agnostics 

Non-religious (atheist) - 

1 - Near-death experiences 

• Someone is clinically dead for a period of time and then comes back to life and can remember what happened 
• Feelings of peace, floating above the body, seeing a bright light, entering a heavenly place (see dead relatives) 

2 - Evidence for spirit world 

• Ghosts, ouija boards 
• Mediums - someone who claims to be able to communicate between or material world and the spirit world (where the spirits of the dead live) 
• Mediums - claim religious leaders (Jesus, Muhammad) were in touch with spirit world 
• Mediums - spirit world gives people a second chance at life
• Mediums - contact dead relatives, give information that they wouldn't know without contact with the dead 

2 - Evidence of reincarnation 

• Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists believe in reincarnation and have evidence 

Not believing in life after death - 

• No God - no spirit world for life after death to occur 
• Different religions contradict each other (eg: Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism say reincarnation - Christianity, Islam and Judaism say resurrection/immortality of the soul)  - if it was true then they would all say the same 
• Evidence based on holy books - they contradict each other (no way of deciding which are true/false)
• Evidence of paranormal challenged by scientists 
• Most life after death beliefs revolve around mind/soul surviving without the body - science shows the mind can't live without the bran (body dies, mind dies) 
• No place where life after death could take place - space travels shows it is not above the sky 
• Brought up by atheists - won't believe