Glimpses of the Afterlife - Condensed from THE LIGHT BEARER* - Richard W Brooks

Nearly all the world’s religions proclaim some form of conscious existence after the death of the physical body. But it has become fashionable in recent history to question the truth of such beliefs. After all, there is considerable divergence of opinion among the religions—and among theologians expounding those religions—as to the nature of this post-mortem existence. In fact, the beliefs are sometimes referred to by debunkers of theology as "mythologies" in an effort to discount them, to suggest that they do not warrant serious attention from scientifically minded people. All human behavior, they say, including our mental life with its religious beliefs, can be explained in terms of neuro-physiology. This is reductionism. When the neurons stop "firing," life ceases, mind ceases, consciousness ceases. Hence, there is nothing after death. The optimistic religious beliefs may be comforting, may even have some social value, but they aren’t true.

Or, so they say.

Death, they argue, is a fact of life. It should be calmly and objectively accepted. As a former biologist, a colleague of mine once put it, "we are all programmed to die." That is, the body can regenerate itself by cell division only up to a certain point; after that, there is a gradual decline until death sets in. This inevitable end could be delayed – that is, one’s life could be prolonged – by eliminating disease, lowering one’s body temperature a degree or two, eating a sensible diet (he recommended vegetarianism), breathing more slowly, etc. But it cannot be avoided, and therefore should be rationally and dispassionately accepted.

But then what? Most of us have certain beliefs, but we would have to admit that we do not really know. And what we do not really know, we fear. It is difficult calmly to accept something we fear. That fact, as Shakespeare put it in Hamlet’s famous soliloquy, is what "makes us rather bear those ills we have, than to fly to others that we know not of."

© "Theosophical Digest" (2nd Quarter 2002) published by Theosophical Publishing House, 1 Iba Street, 1114 Quezon City, Philippines. Website: www. theosophy.ph. Reprinted with permission.

* The Light Bearer, Fall 2001. The Canadian Federation of the Theosophical Society. 158 Crescent Road, Apt. 311, Toronto, Ont. M4W 1V2 Canada.

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