Comparative Views of the Afterlife: Reaction Sheet

Gary DeLashmutt, Facilitator

SECTION #1: The Big Picture

This chart is a distillation of the main beliefs about the afterlife. There are obviously many sects within each main world-view that have slightly different views.

WORLD-VIEW	Atheism	Pantheism	Spiritism & Polytheism	Monotheism
EXAMPLES	Existentialism; Marxism; Secular Humanism	Hinduism; Buddhism; some aspects of New Age Consciousness	Tribal/oral religions; occultic spirituality; some aspects of New Age Consciousness	Judaism; Christianity; Islam
WHAT IS ULTIMATE REALITY?	Impersonal matter, time, and chance	Spiritual, eternal, impersonal, unknowable: undifferentiated oneness	Spirits who populate the material world & govern its events	Infinite, personal, moral creator God who has a purpose for humans & is knowable
WHAT ARE HUMAN BEINGS?	Material only; no immortal soul	Spiritual, eternal, and ultimately impersonal	Spiritual & material beings who can learn to cooperate with &/or use spirits for their own ends	Made in God's image: personal, spiritual & eternal
WHAT KIND OF AFTERLIFE?	Continuation of physical components, but annihilation of personal consciousness	After reincarnation according to karmic law, union with the One & annihilation of personal consciousness	Personal (sometimes disembodied) consciousness: favorable or unfavorable based on class status, spiritual knowledge, etc.	After physical death, judgment by God & either everlasting, conscious communion with or alienation from God

SECTION #2: For Discussion

These questions are intended to help you clarify your own view on this subject. Share them in our discussion if you wish.

How have Americans' beliefs about the afterlife changed over the last twenty-five years? What views have increased in popularity? What views have declined? How would you explain this change?
Have your beliefs about the afterlife changed over the last several years? If so, describe that change. What factors influenced this change?
Do you think that all of the above views about the afterlife can be somehow be true at the same time? Even if they contradict one another?
Do our beliefs about the afterlife determine what afterlife we will experience? For example, suppose I believe in reincarnation leading to nirvana, while you believe in a final judgment leading to heaven or hell. Will I be reincarnated and ultimately reach nirvana because I believe in it? Will you be judged to heaven or hell because you believe in them?
On what basis should we decide what to believe about the afterlife? What our family or closest friends believe? What appeals to us most? Intuitive hunches? What the majority in our society believes? What has the most evidence? Some other basis?
If evidence is an important basis for your beliefs about the afterlife, what kind of evidence carries the most weight for you? Your own or others' personal experiences? Historical documentation of life after death? Religious leaders' authoritative declarations? How much evidence is enough to make a responsible choice to believe?

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