Is There Life After Death?

It's safe to assume that at some time or another, each of us has pondered what happens to us after

our physical bodies perish. Is there any life after death? Is it the end when we die? If it is the end

then what is the purpose of our creation? What were we before birth? These questions knock the

thoughts of almost every human being. The curious nature of humans demand answers to these. I

will only be presenting you some facts from science and religion and the decision will be yours

about is there life after death?

Scientists have found evidence that the Neanderthals, a now-extinct variety of primitive humans,

performed burial rituals that suggest they may have believed in an afterlife. As Homo sapiens

took over the planet, our early ancestors developed a similar belief. Most ancient cultures had

religions built around some version of immortality, in which the soul -- that is, our individual

consciousness -- survived after the flesh perished, either as an individual spirit or part of some

greater consciousness. Some believed that the spirits of dead ancestors remained in the places

they'd lived, while others thought that they journeyed to a realm of the dead, or eventually were

reborn, though not necessarily in human form. Others believed that after death, a person's

essence merged back into a great spirit, just as his or her body was absorbed by the Earth.

Gradually, as civilizations evolved, humans developed more elaborate beliefs, ranging from the

Hindu samsara, which is the cycle of birth-death-rebirth from which souls ultimately can escape

by becoming more spiritually advanced, to the Christian and Islamic concept of heaven and hell.

The question of whether or not life continues after physical death, however, has been a very

difficult one to answer, and it may always be. Some point to near-death experiences, in which

people who've recovered from cardiac arrest recount memories of leaving their bodies,

encountering bright lights or tunnels and speaking with ethereal beings as an indication that an

afterlife exists. Oncologist Jeffrey Long, author of the recent book "Evidence of the Afterlife:

The Science of Near Death Experiences (NDEs)" has studied 1,600 such incidents across the

globe, and says that despite extensive scientific research on NDEs, there's no conclusive

explanation to refute the notion that they provide a glimpse of the next world.

While the religious would argue that life on earth is a mere warm up for an eternity spent in

heaven or hell, and many scientists would dismiss the concept for lack of proof – one expert

claims he has definitive evidence to confirm once and for all that there is indeed life after death.

The answer, Professor Robert Lanza in his book “Biocentrism: How Life and Consciousness are

the Keys to Understanding the True Nature of the Universe” says, lies in quantum physics –

specifically the theory of biocentrism. The scientist, from Wake Forest University School of

Medicine in North Carolina, says the evidence lies in the idea that the concept of death is a mere

figment of our consciousness.

Professor Lanza says biocentrism explains that the universe only exists because of an

individual’s consciousness of it – essentially life and biology are central to reality, which in turn

creates the universe; the universe itself does not create life. The same applies to the concepts of

space and time, which Professor Lanza describes as “simply tools of the mind”.

Professor Lanza says biocentrism is similar to the idea of parallel universes - a concept

hypothesized by theoretical physicists. In much the same way as everything that could possibly

happen is speculated to be occurring all at once across multiple universes, he says that once we

begin to question our preconceived concepts of time and consciousness, the alternatives are huge

and could alter the way we think about the world in a way not seen since the 15th century’s “flat

earth” debate.

Professor Lanza explains that, when we die, our life becomes a “perennial flower that returns to

bloom in the multiverse”. He added: “Life is an adventure that transcends our ordinary linear

way of thinking. When we die, we do so not in the random billiard-ball-matrix but in the

inescapable-life-matrix.”

In 1991, Atlanta, Ga. resident Pam Reynolds had a near-death experience (NDE). Reynolds

underwent surgery for a brain aneurysm, and the procedure required doctors to drain all the

blood from her brain. Reynolds was kept literally brain-dead by the surgical team for a full 45

minutes. Despite being clinically dead, when Reynolds was resuscitated, she described some

amazing things. She recounted experiences she had while dead -- like interacting with deceased

relatives. Even more amazing is that Reynolds was able to describe aspects of the surgical

procedure, down to the bone saw that was used to remove part of her skull.

Dr. Pim van Lommel, a cardiologist in the Netherlands, conducted the largest hospital-based

study of NDEs (Near Death Experiences), years after hearing a patient report seeing a tunnel, a

light, and beautiful colors and hearing wonderful music during a clinical death in 1969. Dr.

Lommel was inspired to research the matter further after hearing a detailed near death experience

of someone who had been clinically dead for six minutes.

“After reading [this] book I started to interview my patients who had survived a cardiac arrest.

To my great surprise, within two years about fifty patients told me about their NDE…. So, in

1988 we started a prospective study of 344 consecutive survivors of cardiac arrest in ten Dutch

hospitals…. 62 patients (18%) reported some recollection of the time of clinical death…. About

50% of the patients with an NDE reported awareness of being dead, or had positive emotions,

30% reported moving through a tunnel, had an observation of a celestial landscape, or had a

meeting with deceased relatives. About 25% of the patients with an NDE had an out-of-body

experience, had communication with ‘the light’ or observed colours, 13% experienced a life

review, and 8% experienced a border…. Patients with a NDE did not show any fear of death,

they strongly believed in an afterlife, and their insight in what is important in life had changed:

love and compassion for oneself, for others, and for nature. They now understood the cosmic law

that everything one does to others will ultimately be returned to oneself: hatred and violence as

well as love and compassion. Remarkably, there was often evidence of increased intuitive

feelings.” (David Wilcock’s ‘The Synchronicity Key: The Hidden Intelligence Guiding the

Universe and You’)

Evidence of life after death continued to rise with the ground-breaking addition of work from

hypnotherapists such as Dolores Cannon, Dr. Ian Stevenson and Dr. Michael Newton. With over

50 years of client-session information documenting people’s subconscious memories of past

lives and even memories of the time in between two lives, something has to be said about

evidence from the doctor’s research supporting reincarnation. Dr. Newton explains that people

under hypnosis are not dreaming or hallucinating— and in this state they are not capable of

lying. They report whatever they see and hear in their subconscious minds as if everything is a

literal observation. While under hypnosis, it is possible for them to misinterpret something they

are seeing, but they will not report on anything they do not feel to be the literal truth.

Millions of people have reported a Near Death Experience (NDE) since ancient

times. Data shows that 774 NDEs occur daily in the United States.

There are numerous consistencies in the vast majority of NDEs regardless of the age, sex,

nationality, religion, ethnicity, culture, etc of the person.

Young children under the age of 5 years who are too young to have internalized

expectations of death or the afterlife report consistent experiences.

People who have never before heard of them also report similar experiences.

People who have been blind since birth relate similar visual accounts of their NDE.

Deathbed stories (where the person is not revived) contain similar themes.

Hundreds of NDEs have been verified. (i.e. Pam Reynolds) who had a severe brain

aneurysm so they lowered her body temperature to 60 degrees, her heartbeat and

breathing stopped, her brain waves flattened, and the blood was then drained from her

head. She experienced an NDE while her body was in this “standstill” plus she also had

an out of body experience (OBE) that allowed her to report in detail what was going on in

the operating room that was verified later by those present.

Research in resuscitation now shows that you can be technically “dead” –no heart rate or

brain function and if kept under the right circumstances (body & brain kept cool and

oxygen levels monitored) your character, your memories (your soul) can be revived

several hours later proving that your consciousness exists separate from the workings of

your brain.

These are just a few of the facts and experiences about life after death. Now let’s see some

religious facts about life after death in bible.

On the third day after His Crucifixion, Jesus Christ became the first person to be resurrected. His

spirit was reunited with His glorified, perfected body and He could no longer die. When Christ’s

friends went to visit His tomb, angels said, "He is not here: for he is risen, as he said" (Matthew

28:6).

Most of us would probably say we want to live forever. That’s exactly what God gave to each of

us when He sent His son, Jesus Christ, to earth to die for us and to atone for our sins. It’s called

resurrection and everyone born on earth, even wicked people, will receive this gift of immortality

(1 Corinthians 15:22).

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet

shall he live. (John 11:25)

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy

both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28).

And the Islamic views about life after death also claim life after death.

And he (i.e. man) presents for Us an example (i.e. attempting to establish the finality of death)

and forgets his [own] creation. He says, “Who will give life to bones while they are

disintegrated?” Say, “He will give them life who produced them the first time; and He is, of all

creation, Knowing.” [It is] He who made for you from the green tree, fire, and then from it you

ignite. Is not He who created the heavens and the earth Able to create the likes of them? Yes, [it

is so]; and He is the Knowing Creator. (Quran, 36:78-81)

And they say, “There is not but our worldly life; we die and live (i.e. some people die and others

live, replacing them) and nothing destroys us except time.” And they have of that no knowledge;

they are only assuming. And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, their

argument is only that they say, “Bring [back] our forefathers, if you should be truthful.” Say,

“God causes you to live, then causes you to die; then He will assemble you for the Day of

Resurrection, about which there is no doubt,” but most of the people do not know. (Quran,

45:24-26)

But those who disbelieve say, “The Hour (i.e. the Day of Judgment) will not come to us.” Say,

“Yes, by my Lord, it will surely come to you. [God is] the Knower of the unseen.” Not absent

from Him is an atom’s weight within the heavens or within the earth or [what is] smaller than

that or greater, except that it is in a clear register - That He may reward those who believe and do

righteous deeds. Those will have forgiveness and noble provision. But those who strive against

Our verses [seeking] to cause failure (i.e. to undermine their credibility) - for them will be a

painful punishment of foul nature. (Quran, 34:3-5)

Then is he whom We have promised a good promise which he will meet [i.e. obtain] like he for

whom We provided enjoyment of worldly life [but] then he is, on the Day of Resurrection,

among those presented [for punishment in Hell]? (Quran, 28:61)

All these evidences from Science, Bible and Quran show there is life after death. Our creation is

not without purpose. Death is not an end. There is life after death and there was life even before

Big Bang. Scientists do not know what was exactly before Big Bang. It is the religion which tells

us the story of before Big Bang and after the death. There will be eternal life after death where

we all will live forever. I strongly believe that death is not the end its just the beginning of the

real life which will remain ever after.