The Relationship Between Death Concepts in American and Arabic Cultures - Research Paper Example

?Human behavior Numerous studies have established that death and its rite do not only depict social values of human behavior, however, there are significant forces that shape the two. These rites and values have necessitated wide pronged studies of human beings in their cultural context. Death-related behavior has been of great significance to most of the central theoretical developments in human behavior (Stephenson, 1985). This paper extensively discuses belief and practices in both American and Arabic cultures and it aims to highlight on cultural characteristics in regard to these cultures both theologically and secular approaches. The Relationship between Death Concepts in American and Arabic cultures While working hard to avoid the reality of death, the American culture as compared to Arabic society seems to esteem violence. Considerable number of social scientists observes that as Americans have soared to repress from their conscious minds the reality of death (Stephenson, 1985). Theological Concepts of death in American Culture According to Stephenson (1985), the eschatology Puritans, was a subdivision of their theology concentrated with matters regarding death. This group positioned the individual in a worrying position at the end of life. This Puritan wing observed belief structure upholding that the fate of all men and women besides that of children was destined to burn in hell forever. It believed that very few people chose by God and known only to Him would go to Heaven. Therefore, there was little that an individual could do except to live as good a life as he or she could. Theological Concepts of death in Arabic Culture The Muslim Holy book establishes the basic premise of Islamic teaching regarding death and that it is of Allah’s omnipotence. Allah makes human beings decide their life span and makes them to die. "It is written." This theory of predestination is fundamental. Orthodox Muslim believes consider that when a person dies, the Angel of Death (malak al-mawt) comes immediately and sits by the head of the deceased and speaks to each soul according to its recognized status. Evil spirits are commanded "to depart to the wrath of God," and good spirits are asked "to depart to the mercy of God." Therefore, both spirits are eventually returned to their bodies and experience everlasting salvation or damnation. The Muslim regard towards dead bodies considers cremation as abhorrent. This approach has had empirical outcomes in accordance to medical education. It is almost impossible to carry out medical postmortems in many Islamic countries. The Avoidance of Death in Contemporary American In America death is often avoided by putting the institution between the family and the dying. Stephenson (1985) cites that George Foster (1979) also established that very few Americans conceive alternative ways of dying. At death, Americans have relinquished care and decision making to healthcares and medical experts. Truly, considerable majority of people find the subject of death to be an unbearable one to tackle and therefore they work hard to avoid even mentioning it. Unlike Arabic, Americans believe in progress. Americans consider that time is linear and believe in progress. Therefore, in this observance they regard and believe that life has a particular direction. Time is very significant to Americans and they quantify themselves in terms of it. The Secularism of Death in Arabic Cultures The Arabic secular culture is similar to the American culture. This Secular Arabic culture has significantly affected Arabic death values; however, the effects are quite different. There have been tremendous effects that Secularism has dealt on the Arabic cultures. For instance, particularly in large cities most people who used to visit graves during days of Moslem feasts are no longer observing the feast (Hofstadter 1955. Observing the forty day period of mourning has become less intense as a result of Secularism in Arabic culture. There are instances of elderly people being sent camps offering home nursing. This development has weathered away concrete relationship between people of the Arabic culture that advocated for caring for ones elderly within the family unit. Secularism has contributed to materialism therefore causing Arabic societies to be consumer oriented. However, unlike in the American culture which has suffered greatly from Secularism, the Arabic culture has received lesser negative effects because the predominance of Islamic values despite attempts to separate the state from religion (Stephenson, 1985). . The Secularism of Death in American Cultures Stephenson (1985) in his findings noted that due to Secularism, death has become less of a spiritual matter among the American cultures. It has also become more avoided than it was previously. Secularism brought about institutionalization of death in American society therefore leaving the hospitals and home nursing facilities to care f or the dead. It also resulted in grief and mourning periods to be viewed as time consuming and therefore a waste of time and resources. Funeral Practices in America Some scholars have articulated astonishment over the consistency and overall acceptance of institutionalized funeral observances in America, based on the racial and cultural heterogeneity of the US. The general form of funerals is standardized and generally involves instant removal of the corpse to a funeral parlor, embalming, institutionalized "viewing" and disposal through burial However, while there is general consistency, one of the exceptions might be the observance of traditional Jewish practices as stipulated by Jewish law (Hallacha). This Jewish practice, unlike other Western society, approaches death directly and considers it to be a complete family and community incident (Stephenson, 1985). The Jewish rite offers the dying person the opportunity to bless his family, make peace with God and set his house in order. Friends and family members keep a bedside vigil as an assurance to the dying as a way of solidarity. Immediately after death, funeral arrangements are made. Another Jewish rite allows full expression with a celebration known as Kriyah unlike cultural American funerals which performs sedation on loved ones so that they can not to express their emotions. During this ceremony, tearing of clothing is symbolic of the internal breaking apart and separation from the loved ones (Stephenson, 1985). Eulogy is said with intentions of provoking tears making the survivors to beware of what they have lost. In Jewish ceremony, mourners help shovel the soil into the grave and are not allowed to leave the graveside before any soil is thrown in, just like in most American burials. Funeral Practices in Arabic Cultures According to Stephenson (1985), like in most cultures today, preparing the corpse for final disposal is the commonly used form of disposal of the corpse among the Arabic culture. The corpse is first cleaned by specially trained embalmers then body is wrapped in white linen. However, unlike in the American culture, there is no "viewing" of the corpse by the general public except only by family members. In the contemporary Arabic world bodies are not embalmed. The Arabic culture observes laying the bodies into the graves with cloth wrappers only. They are also not put in caskets like it is done in Western culture. As a way of receiving rewards from God, the entire community participates in the funeral rites. The Arabic people who observe Muslim practices place their loved ones according to religious observances that the body should face the holy city of Mecca (Stephenson, 1985). In the Arabic culture death is accepted unlike in the American culture. Its occurrence is accepted and understood. Among the Arabic death is part of their faith in God. It is fascinating to establish that there are similarities between the Arabic language in death practices and practices observed in the Solomon Islands of the central Pacific Ocean. For instance, in the Arabic language, the term "mate" is the past tense of the term "maut" which means "death." A widow in the Arabic culture does not avoid reminders of the departed husband. However, after the death of her husband she safely maintains the Husband’s belongings as opposed to the American culture (Stephenson, 1985). Significance of the Comparison of the Two Cultures According to extensive researches by Hofstadter (1955) and cited by (Stephenson, 1985), similarities between the American and Arabic cultures regarding their beliefs about death and dying might reasonably be credited to the instinctive denial or incapacity in man to admit that death is the definitive destiny of human life. Various observations which reflect this tendency in man demonstrate the differences between cultures besides being of a particular culture. Despite the existing similarities in the tendencies toward secularism in death values among the American and the Arabic cultures, there is need for one to be considerately cautious when considering these cultures. Other studies indicate that the parallel rise in secularism in the Arabic culture has been an equally significant rise in Islamic development. However, even the secularist leaning leaders cannot ignore the aspect of religion. For instance, one political leader in the Arab culture observed that secular values will continue to hold the Arabic culture to the extent that it has done in America cultures. Conclusion Finally, from the identified practices between Americans and Arabic cultures on issues regarding death it is always important to have in mind that irrespective of the variances in practices from these societies, there are similarities. These concrete similarities embedded in these cultures therefore convincingly indicate the inherent denial or incapacity of man to accept death as the destiny of human life. Reference Stephenson J., (1985): Death, Grief and Mourning. London: Collier MacMillan Publishers. Read More