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Death is part of life and should be dealt with a positive attitude.
It’s impossible to talk about life and not to talk about death. And there wouldn’t be death without life.
Let’s get to the basics. Our body is formed by a large accumulation of highly specialized and sophisticated cells. All other animals, plants and fungi are cell accumulations, varying in complexity and highly adapted to the most diverse environments. In its most primitive configuration a cell is formed by a membrane that separates an inner fluid (plasma) from the outer environment. The most elementary life expressions are forms of osmosis, fluid/ionic exchanges between the inside and the outside. Breathing is osmosis transferred to the realm of gas exchange.
In summary life is an exchange between our inside and our outside. The first cells, and living beings, originated in the ocean. Why? That’s what science has shown in the light of well-documented evolution and fossil records. Our human blood is chemically so closely related to ocean water, that our organism can survive running on it for a while, instead of blood. Cells also contain genetic information enabling reproduction.
Birth/genesis is when a spiritual force (called life, God, mana, etc) merges with an accumulation of cells. Death is when the same spiritual energy separates from the cells.
Let me add a few more bullet points aiming at critical questions.
- Many people (often atheists) believe that all life ends with the disintegration of the body. This opinion is fairly naïve, and not well analyzed. If our mind energy isn’t felt in the rotting corpse, it must have gone somewhere, the same way it came from somewhere at conception.
- This suggests that our human body is kind of a temporary prototype or test-design. Good for certain life experiences, but vulnerable, with limited warranty, design flaws and leading to a fatal demise. Our physical body serves as a temporary tool for temporary applications and experiences.
- A process called aging describes the gradual breakdown of our physic body, as worn-out cells fail to be rejuvenated or to be replaced.
Death is commonly associated with pain and suffering. Indeed,
- Dying is a painful process, when command over our body is gradually lost;
- Going to another world being a hazardous and uncertain journey, without the buffer of a physical existence;
- Leaving behind everything we cherish can be a painful experience;
- Loosing a relation with a loved one is felt as a loss, as a painful void.
Some religious traditions, however, point out that death can be a staircase to heaven (or to hell):
- After a physical-body life, the information of our spiritual being (soul, and other terminology) has changed due to experiences and the mind energy resulting from our body-related activities. Christian and other traditions elaborate on the purification aspect of life, meaning that suffering purges one’s soul.
- Some people believe that by causing misery and suffering (9/11, Madrid etc) the entry to paradise is gained. Here again, we are dealing with an extremely naïve if not outright stupid concept. How can happiness ever result from acts-of-evil? Evil acts can only lead to a temporary, but nevertheless long-lasting state called hell.
How should one deal with death? I believe death should be a moment of celebration – at least if a fruitful life has come to a happy ending:
- Death is a moment to reflect on a person’s achievements during his or her lifetime.
- Even a moderately successful life (whatever that may be) is a story to be commemorated and to be appreciated.
Leaving this world should be an act of peace and harmony.
It is wonderful to experience the richness of one’s life journey reaching an end. The true story, however, is that there is no end to our spiritual essence. As one current in the ocean ceases, another current takes over and leads to another existence, hopefully a happy one.
© 2004 by Franz L Kessler
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I am not sure whether this is 'God's' attempt at comedy at my expense but ...
I agree mostly with what you say. I think you have addressed a difficult topic with aplomb!! It makes one think!