by Joyce Beckman

Created on: August 08, 2008   Last Updated: August 11, 2008

People have been trying to answer since we`first came on the scene whether one believes in creationism or evolution.

The scientific definition of death is that all life functions cease to exist. We lose all ability to feel pain, etc. If one has been suffering from a debilitating, painful, or terminal illness, death can be a wonderful release for the family as well as for the one suffering. There is some scientific evidence that immediately upon death, the body weighs less than when the person was alive, thus giving some credence to the existence of spirit.

Let's examine this topic from a theological standpoint. Most major faiths believe that the soul, or spirit, leaves the body upon death and has some form of continued existence. Before the time of Christ and for a while after that, one particular sect of the Jewish faith, the Sadducees believed that there was no life after death; that group ceased to be. The Pharisees believed in spiritual life after death.

Some pagan groups, or animists, believe that upon a person's death the spirit will inhabit a rock, a tree, perhaps an animal, etc. How long they believe that spirit stays there I do not know. Some Eastern faiths believe in reincarnation unless the soul of the person who died had existed on this earth either for a certain number of cycles, or until he/she finally "got it right" and could be reunited with the overarching life force, in other words, having reached Nirvana. Remember, these groups also believe in multiple gods.

So, of the three monotheistic world religions, all believe in the existence of spritual life after physical death. All three, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam believe in a judgment day of various sorts. The Koran pretty much states that (with perhaps a few exceptions) Muslims do not sin and get an automatic pass into heaven, which differs for male spirits and female spirits. The Koran says that all nonbelievers are infidels and will burn in Hades.

I find no comfort in that belief, first of all because I am a woman and would be considered much inferior to a man, and secondly because I will never convert to the Islamic faith, so if they are correct, I WILL burn in he*.

I find the most comfort in believing Christ suffered and died to cover my sins. We have several eyewitness accounts that he performed many miracles, including raising Lazarus and others from the dead. We also have many witnesses (their accounts found in the Bible), that saw Jesus in His resurrected form and spent 40 days with

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