Life after death is one of the main issues that excite the minds of mankind. To answer it, various religions were created. Each teaching in different ways substantiates the need for a righteous life and outlines the pictures of the afterlife.
Heaven and Hell are opposite worlds
The most popular is the concept of hell and heaven. In different religions they are called differently, but the essence is the same. Even the ancient Greeks had the radiant Champs Elysees and the dark kingdom of Hades, and the Scandinavians had the bright Valhalla and the underground Hel. Now heaven and hell are present in Christianity, Judaism, Islam. As a rule, paradise is presented as a heavenly abode, and hell as an underground place. To get to heaven after death, you must follow religious precepts, be humble, grateful and humble. Sinners, blasphemers and criminals go to hell. In Catholicism, there is also purgatory - a place where souls are purified who are not yet worthy to go to heaven, but who are not too sinful for hell. It is believed that all souls will be in hell or paradise until the Day of Judgment, when each will be separately judged according to his deeds.
The doctrine of rebirth
In religions like Hinduism, Jainism or Buddhism, there is no afterlife per se. According to these teachings, the soul experiences an eternal journey through various living organisms. In one life, it can take up residence in a person, in another - in a cat, in the third - in an ant or even in a stone. To ensure your subsequent rebirth in the human body, you need to live a righteous life, be merciful, just and not complain about fate. The behavior in which a person was reborn also depended on the caste - the social group. If a wealthy merchant or nobleman behaved too arrogantly, then, following religious teachings, in the next life he could well become a servant. Also, past lives - karma - also affect rebirth.
Other forms of the afterlife
The Japanese religion Shinto combines the teachings of the afterlife and reincarnation. Followers of the doctrine believe that after the death, the soul goes to the souls of the ancestors and becomes something like a deity that can help its descendants and guide their path. However, after 49 years, this state is lost, and the soul can again enter a person, but only from a kind. In Chinese Taoism, people differ in their degree of activity. Those who have not done anything useful and have lived their lives in vain, go into oblivion, where they unite into one common soul, mix and are reborn again. People who have done many good deeds accumulate spiritual energy and rush to the sky. In Taoism, a person's life affects the existence of his descendants. The children of the sinner will constantly be sick and fail, and the descendants of the righteous will live their lives in peace and happiness.
