Death and then what?

With the approach of Samhain, the Day of the Dead, it's not surprising that I would be considering some of the big questions in life. Is there a god? Is there one true religion? Who created this earth or did it just happen from nothing? Pretty much all are the questions that go beyond biology and try to explain existence. Don't all of them come back to one core question which we all might eventually ask ourselves: Does our personal being go on after our body dies?

If our inner being doesn't die, if the soul/spirit can leave the no longer functioning body, then the question becomes what happens to it next. I think answering this is why there are so many religions, why so many people need religion. People hope somebody has figured it out even if they have not. They seek some kind of security in a world that offers very little. In reality, since nobody who is dead can write up a new religion, most count on channeling (by themselves or a founder) to get their information and followers have to trust that they really are connecting with the other side to believe in what they claim.

There are, of course, reasons people choose to be in a religion besides the question of eternal life. Some are born into one. Others may seek a community. They could be searching for the answers to life. Major health problems or some emotional trauma can lead people to hope a power beyond theirs can protect them, heal them, or at least explain it all.

With a myriad of religions from which to choose most people will end up with one approved by their family or local community. When they go against those traditions, it can be hard-- even dangerous in some cases. If you don't have much choice, then there's not much point in considering the wisdom of the choice.

(This was an interesting debate between an atheist and a pastor exploring these questions: [Christopher Hitchens-- Collision: Is Religion Absurd or Good for the World?])


When we see something like what happened recently with people perishing in [a sweat lodge spiritual retreat experience], many wonder what the heck? Why would someone put themselves through something so miserable? I am guessing as to the reasons, since I have never felt the need to do anything like it, but it might be done to transcend the body and hope to get their soul/spirit to a place where it can see into the netherworld. Or they might see it as a test to prove their worthiness for achieving 'enlightenment.

It sounded, from what I have read, as though the leader of this particular sweat lodge led them to believe that those who stuck out the suffering would receive an emotional and spiritual breakthrough. Were those followers so under his spell that they quit thinking for themselves? While this event was part of what most would consider New Age religion, many religions practice some kind of bodily denial (usually to lesser degrees) like fasting.

To me it's a mistake to breeze into another religion's traditions with no preparation, no real understanding of its rules, powers or limitations. In the case of this particular sweat lodge, the man running the program was making many dollars from pushing people past their limit. He took something (vision quest and sweat lodge) from another religion with likely (giving him the benefit of the doubt) little understanding of with what he was tampering. Most likely he didn't expect anyone to die (which should not excuse him from potential manslaughter charges).

At the beginning of October, Farm Boss and I were at a graveside service for a man, younger than us, who died shockingly fast but after a long illness. Most people there were from the church where we used to go and most of them, if not all, believe in the truth that church teaches.

In some ways, I envied them their faith. It helps when tragedy strikes, if we can think it has meaning. If we have to lose someone we love, it's helpful to think they are happy where they are. If I could still believe that way, I probably would, but I have looked at it from a logical, emotional, and yes, spiritual point of view and it stopped registering for me as truth. I recognize the comfort they get, but I can't lie about what I believe-- although I kept my mouth shut there. I was there as a neighbor, providing support to those still living.
The argument goes that religions are about faith. If you don't have it, it was your doing. So that's it? No evidence. No proof. Just faith and that faith can go against all practical considerations. That faith could tell you to kill your son (as it did Abraham) and you'd be willing to do it? That faith tells you certain things are sin even if your inner voice says that doesn't make sense.

Faith isn't supposed to make sense. With proof, there'd be no need for faith. Faith tells you to ignore inconsistencies in what you believe so you concentrate on the ones that build up that faith. Have faith and it will all work out. If it doesn't, you will get your reward on the other side.

Faith lets religions ignore what they do, what they actually illustrate by their lives, and justify ignoring what the believer sees around them. Logic would not send someone into a steaming hot tent crowded with other people and then stay there even when they clearly, factually know their body is in trouble. It's easy to point out what seems the lunacy in that but there are similar things, if less risky, in many religions if not all.

When someone dies suddenly as did the people in that sweat lodge and as did our younger neighbor, I always wonder what they find. Is it what they expected?

(more to come on this)

[The roses were a garden surprise as I had thought the freezes ended their blooming until next spring. These were somewhat protected under a pine tree and because I planned to let the sheep clean up the garden, they were brought into the house where they were appreciated. The sheep wold have appreciated them also-- one or two bites worth. Do any roses smell so sweet as the last roses?]