Notes

Manuel Paula
Professor Chris Durante
Death as a Fact of Life
January 30, 2017

Death is an eventual part of all our lives but what exactly is death? Some say its a tragedy, a loss, a fear but others think that its the beginning of a new type of life. Most major religions believe that death is a crucial moment in our lives. Not simply because we die but of the belief that there is something else after we die. Religions preach that when we die our physical body dies but our spirit or soul or non physical body continues to live on. This is seen in many different ways such as reincarnation for Hinduism and Buddhism or heaven and hell in Christianity. The afterlife is seen as a state of complete serenity that we all must strive to go and this is accomplished by living a moral life and doing your religious duties. This is the reason that moments before death are seen as a moment where we as human beings can reflect on our lives and be at one with our spiritual self. The concept of death and the afterlife is also used as an incentive to make sure we live a good and moral life. If we live a bad life the afterlife will be a nightmare and we will be punished for the actions we committed while alive.
Many find comfort with the idea that we will find peace after we die but Campbell's article does not talk about the other people affected by deaths such as loved ones. Ones own death is a scary thought but losing someone you love is also a heavy loss especially if it is someone you have known for a long time. After a loved one has passed we must attempt to live a normal life but that is sometimes very difficult as there might be a void in that life. We can try to assure ourselves that our loved one is in a better place but that does not always work. Religion treats death as a sacred event in our lives and because of this the way we die is very important. When it comes to someone who is near death the question is always whether we should try to extend this person's life even for a bit or let them die by eliminating medical support or quickening the death process. The reason we would end someones life is in order to end their suffering and let them die in peace. It is difficult to endure so much pain in your last moments and it is hard for loved ones to see you suffer and this is one of the ways the topic of euthanasia and assisted suicide arise from. Another situation is where the patient is no longer able to communicate and will most likely never be able to again either due to being brain dead or a serious coma. In this case the decision is left to loved ones and doctors to decide whether to pull the plug or not. Religion for the most part is against this form of death and is seen as a form of murder. Death is sacred to religion and many believe that a person should be left to die a natural death without the interference of anyone. Some religions do not believe in brain death such as Orthodox Judaism and other believe that if a person's life can be extended then it should be. There are some exceptions depending on the religion such as some forms of Judaism believe it is okay to pull the plug if death is visibly near. Islam believe that extending a life that is obviously gone is pointless and allow a withdrawal from the process. Christianity on the other hand sees euthanasia as a sin and is generally prohibited.
It is understandable why religions do not like the idea of euthanasia but we are ultimately in control of our own lives. Death is seen as the step before a spiritual awakening but it is also seen as a release of pain and suffering. There are moments where a human being is perhaps better off dead than being alive and this idea is very morbid which is why many either do not like to talk about it or try to avoid it or criticize it. We usually associate negative attributes to death for obvious reasons but there are some positives that can be seen in our physical world unlike reincarnation and heaven. Without death our world would be massively overpopulated to the point where it would be impossible to live in this world. Most importantly we are able to see how valuable our lives are and we are reminded not to take it for granted. Many live their lives without appreciating their lives until the moment comes where our lives are near the end. At that moment we begin to remember our past and appreciate the small things we had that were otherwise ignored or taken for granted before. This is similar to the religious perspective where we use our last moments to reflect on our lives and reach a state of peace and serenity until we die. We see how valuable our lives are through death and because of this death is also valuable.