Category: Religion

What Happens When We Die?

Death is a part of everyone’s life. When you are young, it might be a family pet or an elderly relative. Your first experience with seeing someone die can happen at an early age.

As we get older, we see it everywhere: on the way to work, you get stuck behind a funeral procession. A news report about a fatal accident. A rock star has an overdose. A friend dies from cancer. A beloved cultural icon dies at an old age. Perhaps you even have a traumatic incident in your own life, with parents or siblings dying.

Which leads to the obvious question: What happens to all those people when they die? And what will happen to me when I die?

Obviously, any guess about it is pure speculation. While there might be hints, like a person reporting on a near-death experience, there is no direct evidence.

Some religions offer some sort of reward (or punishment) for belief (or disbelief).  So what you think about death might be influenced by that: ascending to heaven, being reincarnated, and so on.

No doubt there is also some wish fulfillment. If a loved one dies, the grief can be overwhelming. It is a nice thought that when you die, you will be reunited once again.

Or if someone wrongs you, it is nice to think of some sort of cosmic justice being done in an afterlife even if there was no accountability here and now.

You’ve probably thought about this, one of the classic questions to ponder: what happens when we die? Do you have any thoughts?

Related questions: Why are people afraid of death? How do you remember someone who has died? What arrangements do you want when you die? Why are we sad when someone we don’t know dies?

Are Religion And Morality Linked?

It is conventional wisdom that religion and morality are inextricably linked together. But is that really true?

Many people define themselves, at least partially, by their faith. This makes sense. What you believe is often learned from family members. Your place in the community might very well be based on attending religious services.

Naturally, people of faith tend to think that what they believe is superior to other faiths or beliefs. After all, if they thought something else was superior, they would believe that instead.

That sense of superiority sometimes takes the form of moral superiority. Your religious text teaches the proper way to behave and to act if you want to be rewarded when you die. The rites that you follow and the sacrifices you make lead you to a better life.

And yet, we all know religious people who are not, in fact, morally superior. They might do horrible things, in service of themselves or justified through their religion. Being religious, by itself, is not enough to be a good person.

However, there are moral lessons to be learned from any religious text. Religious leaders do have wisdom to impart. Religion can teach us how to treat our neighbors, our family, and our community.

Is it true that religion and morality are linked? If so, then, how can it be that each faith and each sect thinks that it is the one, true path? They can’t all be right, can they? And what about people who do not follow any particular belief system?

Related questions: What does spirituality mean to you? Are science and religion compatible? What beliefs do you have that might be wrong? What do you believe?

How Does Christmas Impact You?

The Christmas holiday has a huge cultural footprint, for Christians and non-Christians alike. How does it impact you?

For Christians, the Christmas holiday holds special significance as the birth of Jesus Christ. But for people who practice a different religion, or even no religion at all, December 25th is still a significant day.

Many of the trappings of Christmas, as it is celebrated today, have little to do with Christianity. For example, Santa Claus is mentioned nowhere in the Bible. In fact, many of the ways of celebrating the holiday are borrowed from other cultures. This includes the decorated tree, the giving of gifts to family members, Santa Claus, and other parts of today’s holiday.

Regardless of the origins, however, Christmas decorations start to appear in stores months in advance. Many towns decorate outdoor trees and shrubs with lights, usually starting in early December. Some may also have a town Christmas Tree with an official lighting ceremony.

Christmas music can be heard in some places as early as October. It is almost inescapable for the week or two prior to the 25th. Carolers may even go from door to door singing holiday songs.

On the commercial side, retailers try to entice buyers with sales. Of course, the discounts are available to anyone, Christian or not.

On Christmas Day itself, most businesses are closed, so most everyone gets a day off, regardless of religious affiliation. In Jewish communities, for instance, it is common to have “December 25th concerts” (for obvious reasons, they are not called “Christmas concerts”).

What are some ways the season impacts you? How do you suppose it is different for people with different religious beliefs? Different economic backgrounds?

Related questions: What does the holiday mean to you? Does your holiday fill you with wonder? What makes a tradition?

 

Religious, Agnostic, Or Atheist?

Would you describe yourself as religious, agnostic, or atheist? How does it compare to how you were raised?

Share why if you wish.

Religious, Agnostic, Or Atheist?
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Do You Pray?

For some, prayer is almost a second language. For others, to pray might be inconceivable. Where do you stand? Do you pray?

It might seem at first that prayer is reserved for the religious. For those who believe in a deity, it is only natural to offer up a thought, or wish, to that higher power.

However, anyone can pray. Even if you are not a member of an organized religion, you might still believe in something larger than yourself. Even an atheist might see the value in putting out good vibes to the universe in some sort of structured way.

Of course, different people view prayer differently. For some, the way that many approach prayer — asking for material wealth or good fortune for you or a loved one — seems downright silly. Even if there is someone listening, why would they care if your favorite sports team beats it’s cross-town rival? Why should your plea for a better job, newer car, or winning the lottery matter?

So a secondary question might be: How do you pray? Is it asking for favor for yourself and misfortune for those you don’t like? Is it an attempt at a conversation with someone that isn’t there? How about an attempt to understand the world and your place in it? Would you consider that praying?

What does prayer mean to you? Do you practice it, and if so, how?

Related questions: Are science and religion compatible? What does spirituality mean to you? What do you believe?