Running head: WORLD VIEW VIEW OF THE AFTERLIFE 1

World View View of the Afterlife

Anthony A. Pangilinan
Strayer University
Religion 212046VA016-1146-001 (World Religions)
Professor Muhammad
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Abstract
World View View of the Afterlife is a critical analysis of the origins of the concept of the
Afterlife as it applies to the various religions of the world. The analysis contains opinions on the
significance and impact of having a view of Afterlife as it relates to each of the religious
traditions. This expository will also cover the aspects of the Afterlife as it relates to social and
work experiences and will help bridge the gap in understanding the fact that many religions exist
outside of the traditions and norms of those found in the United States which began from the
trappings of Christianity as its base.
Keywords: Religion World View, View of the Afterlife, Theology
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World View View of the Afterlife
The world is full of very diverse belief systems, however, of the major religions that have
been studied, it can be observed that one concept prevails: Human beings and their spirit are
derived from that of a divine world and may eventually return to that world.
The lifeway of indigenous people differ from the Christian understanding of the afterlife.
Fisher (2014) states that most indigenous peoples have traditionally been taught that they
must develop right relationships with everything that is. Their relatives include the unseen world
of spirits, the land and weather, the people and creatures, and the power within. (p. 40) The
relationship that indigenous people have with spirits illustrates the belief of an otherworldly
existence beyond death itself.
According to the Smithsonian Institute (2014) Our ancestors often buried the dead
together with beads and other symbolic objects. Burial rituals heightened the groups memory of
the deceased person. These rituals may imply a belief that a persons identity extends beyond
death. In my own experience, and in the cultural upbringing of being a first generation Filipino-
American, some lifeways combined with that of Catholicism tie back to rituals that were
practiced by Filipinos. In my family, one such belief is conducting a forty day prayer vigil for the
deceased to ensure their passage to the afterlife in Heaven and to provide closure to those who
grieve their loss. The vigil is not a traditional component of Catholicism although it is influenced
by it since the prayers are derived of Christianity including the recitation of the rosary novena.
In Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, the soul is seen as part of a human being which
survives death and is the very essence of a person who must answer to their deeds of good or ill.
Hindus view the spirit as the divine piece of a living being which is eternal and seeks to be
eventually united with the Brahman. In contrast Buddhism seeks to be liberated from mental
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afflictions, suffering, and rebirth by achieving nirvana. (Fisher, 2014, p. 186). One common
theme of all major religions is the belief that after the spirit has left the mortal body, it moves
onto another type of existence.
When a person dies, may of the major world religions such as Christianity, Islam, and
Judaism believe that the persons spirit will be evaluated and eventually judged for the deeds be
it good or ill that they have done during their time in the world. After this judgment occurs, the
spirit is sent off to an eternal place of paradise or to damnation. According to Muslim belief
Hell is the grievous destiny of unrepentant nonbelieversthose who have rejected faith in and
obedience to God and His Messenger, who are unjust and who do not forbid evil. (Fisher, 2014,
p. 390)
The ultimate reward of paradise or Heaven as seen in some world religions can differ
greatly in interpretation. Confucians believe that Since we help Heaven to realize itself through
our self-discovery and self-understanding in day-to-day living, the ultimate meaning of life is
found in our ordinary, human existence. (Fisher, 2014, p. 217) In contrast it is the belief in Islam
that what we experience in the afterlife is a revealing of our tendencies in this life. We
awaken to our true nature, for it is displayed before us. For the just and merciful, the state after
death is a Garden of Bliss. (p. 390)
One contrasting point is the Roman Catholic doctrine of purgatory which serves as
the intermediate place of purifying suffering for those who died in a state of grace but who
were not yet sufciently stainless to enter heaven. (Fisher, 2014, p. 335) provided an
opportunity for a persons spirit a way to atone for their sins before entering into paradise. In my
own personal belief I took purgatory as a second chance to redeem yourself based on lessons
learned after a sin was committed.
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It was unclear to me, however, how purgatory would be effective if the sin that was
committed was egregious enough that there would not be a possibility of achieving any type of
forgiveness. According to the Bible 31 And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be
forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word
against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not
be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. (Mathew 12:31-32 New International
Version), which in short demonstrated that if a person commits blasphemy against the Holy
Spirit, then the ability for forgiveness of sins is not possible.
Even though the many world religions may differ in belief systems and traditions, there
are commonalities amongst them all which show that the human thought processes in fathoming
what occurs beyond the life we live in this consciousness, extends across all and serves to answer
the true mystery of our existence with the hope of an afterlife.


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References
Biblica, Inc. (2011). Matthew 12 New International Version | Bible.com. Retrieved from
https://www.bible.com/bible/111/mat.12.niv
Fisher, M. P. (2014). Living religions (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Smithsonian Institute. (2014, September 4). Burial | The Smithsonian Institution's Human
Origins Program. Retrieved from http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/behavior/burial