Comparative Afterlife Beliefs - Essay Example

Comparative Afterlife Beliefs There are different beliefs on life after death, immortality, or eternal life depending on cultural orientation. For the Sikhs, there is a firm belief in immortality, as learned from the article entitled “What do Sikhs believe about the afterlife?” written by Daniel Burke in August 9, 2012 and published online in Religious News Service (RNS) (Burke). The Egyptians, likewise, have more intricate beliefs of the afterlife, as shown from the documentary video entitled “Egyptian Secrets of the Afterlife” posted by Yuna Raven on January 18, 2012 and shown in YouTube (Raven).

The current essay hereby aims to provide a comparative analysis of these two distinct beliefs of the afterlife. There are disparities in the Sikhs and Egyptians beliefs in the afterlife in terms of focus, scope, and details. For Sikhs, it was specifically indicated that “Sikh scriptures don't dwell on what happens after death” (Burke par. 2). This is very contrary to the Egyptian’s beliefs of the afterlife that is most intricate, detailed, and comprehensive. As indicated from the video, due to their focus and relegating importance to the after death, the idea of immortality and afterlife enabled them to create great architectural structures which detailed guidelines for the dead pharaohs to be resurrected and reborn to their own bodies (Raven).

Likewise, the Sikhs’ regard for conformity and compliance with earthly duties, much more than focusing on the afterlife, was manifested in terms of their practice for cremation (Burke par. 1). In contrast, the Egyptians believe that the dead’s soul would eventually get to be reunited with their physical bodies; as such, their belief in mummification (Raven). It was disclosed that it was important that their physical bodies be preserved so that their spiritual souls would recognize it and enable the resurrection (Raven).

Finally, the Sikhs’ believe that it is only through Divine Power and grace that allows the deads’ souls to be reborn; and does not depend on the meditation or virtues of human during their life on earth. On the other hand, the Egyptians believe that it is up to the Pharaoh’s ability to read the Pyramid Texts in the journey through the afterlife that would enable the soul to be resurrected, reborn, and reunited to their own body. Eventually, by the 12th hour through the journey in the afterlife, it was believed that pharaohs were actually merged with the Sun God and enabled them to become Gods themselves; who assist and ensure that the sun would shine throughout eternity.

In sum, one learned from the comparative analysis that different cultures have varied beliefs of death, immortality and the afterlife. Some focus more on the life on earth and belief that it is up to God to accord eternal life, as deemed worthy, like the beliefs of the Sikhs. Others have more complex and intricate beliefs of the afterlife; going through the extent of detailing a journey that spans 12 hours, like the Egyptians, who needed to preserve their bodies to enable resurrection, immortality and eternal life.