"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; love leaves a memory no one can steal. (explosionhub.com)" Determining whether a person has died is more complicated today than it was twenty-five years ago. The cessation of breathing, blood pressure, and the appearance of rigor mortis were definite signs of death (Santrock, 2012). Today, most physicians consider a person dead when both the higher and lower cortical functions cease to have any electrical activity, also known as brain death (Santrock, 2012). No matter the definition of death, all people and all cultures are touched by death in some way. All people and all cultures grieve over the loss of their loved ones. Not all people and all cultures have the same beliefs, customs, ritual, …show more content…
However, the Islamic faith teaches that the soul remains in the grave, instead of the soul instantly leaving the body and going to Janna, paradise, or to Jahannam, hell (religionfacts.com, 2004). On the other hand, Christianity teaches that once a person dies, their soul leaves the body, and is immediately taken to either heaven, or hell. Both the Islamic and the Christian faiths believe in a "final judgment," in which Allah, for the Muslims, and God for the Christians, will judge them for their deeds. For the Muslims, they believe Allah will grant them entrance to Janna based on the balancing scale of good deeds to bad ones (religionfacts.com). If a Muslim person has done enough good to outweigh the bad, then entrance into Janna is granted them. On the other side, any Muslim whose bad deeds outweigh their good ones will be immediately sent to Jahannam. There are two exceptions to this rule stated in the Qur'an. The first being that warriors who die fighting in the cause of God, or Allah, is immediately ushered into the presence of God, or Allah, and the second being that enemies of Islam, are sentenced immediately to hell upon death (religionfacts.com). Christians believe that at the "final judgment," that deeds are not what earn them a place in heaven. The Bible states, "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith, not by works…" Rather, it is believing that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our …show more content…
Religious cultures are no exception. In the Islamic culture, the funeral must take place twenty-four hours after the person has died (Striepe, 2011). Before the funeral takes place, however, the deceased person's body is washed. A Muslim of the same sex as the deceased usually does this traditional washing. The one exception to this rule is in the case of a dead spouse or child (Striepe, 2011). The body placed on a high table, and after the washers say "In the name of Allah," they begin to wash the body methodically. The body is washed from top to bottom, and then left to right, three to seven times until the body is clean (Striepe, 2011). After the body is thus cleaned, the Muslims shroud the deceased person's body. Male corpses are wrapped in three white linen sheets and four ropes (Striepe, 2011). Female corpses are shrouded in much the same way, excepting that they are dressed in a sleeveless dress, a head veil, and a loincloth (Striepe, 2011). After the shrouding is complete, any Muslim person may take part in the Salatul Janazah, a traditional prayer said over the body of the deceased. This usually occurs outside the mosque at dusk or sunset (Striepe, 2011). The Muslims gather in a group and prays that Allah will have mercy on the dead person, as well as other deceased Muslims (Striepe, 2011). During the funeral, attendees stand in three horizontal rows, facing
“In most human society's death is an extremely important cultural and social phenomenon, sometimes more important than birth” (Ohnuki-Tierney, Angrosino, & Daar et al. 1994). In the United States of America, when a body dies it is cherished, mourned over, and given respect by the ones that knew the person. It is sent to the morgue and from there the family decides how the body should be buried or cremated based on...
When someone dies their bones are burned and crushed into ash and consumed by the relatives. It puts a persons soul at peace to find a resting place within their family, it would be an abomination to bury them in the ground. Once this ceremony is finished the person is gone. Their name or person is never to be mentioned again.
As all humans are well aware death is inevitable. Human cultures and death have always been closely knit together. Varying between location, time, and struggles you may notice societies adopt and update their cultures and as these cultures change it sometimes if reflected by how a civilization honors their dead. In fact, the way a civilization’s way of honoring their dead is very important to historians and archeologists as they help put together pieces regarding religion, the civilizations stance on mortality, art style and tell stories that can further clarify history. The topic of death is an extremely broad subject having many confusing and sometimes hard to notice difference that are hard to distinguish. An example of this might be Greek
These two religions’ are both monotheistic and believe in a single God. In the Muslim religion God goes by the name of Allah. However, there is controversy over the idea of God. The Christians believe God to be composed of 3 main parts: The father, the son, and the Holy Spirit. The Muslim Religion believes God is only one thing. The Muslims believe Allah has no equal, no parents, and no children. God or Allah is the deity that will determine if a person will go to heaven or hell. He is the source of all Justice and morality. Judgment day is also an idea that is present in both of the religions. On Judgment day it will be decided if a person is allowed passage into heaven or damned in
Therefore, Muslims believe that they can ascend to heaven by following the Islamic laws and being obedient towards God. The Quran states, “Those who believe, do good deeds, keep up the prayer, and pay the prescribed alms will have their reward with their Lord: no fear for them, nor will they grieve” (Sura 2:277). In comparison of the two religions, Christians are saved by accepting and believing in what has been done in the past. Whereas Muslims are saved by practicing their religion and believing in God. Islam and Christianity may differ in different symbols or worship, but they have the same intention and meaning towards it. For instance, Muslims perceive the prophet Muhammad as holy. Not in a god like saviour symbol, but a person to look
A ¡§melting pot¡¨ is an accurate description of America¡¦s cultural diversity. Everywhere across the country many people from different countries and cultures have migrated to the United States. Some form subcultures or communities while others are dispersed and isolated. Over time, many of the ceremonies and traditions, such as funerals, associated with a particular culture have been influenced by or mingled with Euro-American customs, causing people to loose touch with the context of their own traditions. For example, some conform to American burial customs and adopt secular attitudes about bereavement, which tend to underestimate the power of grief and the impact of loss. This is particularly true with younger generations born in the United States. Also, ¡§¡K uniquely American is the mass use of embalming, as it is the base of the American economic funeral industry.¡¨ (Mitford ¡V 1998, Introduction) However, many prideful people keep the traditions and customs of their indigenous cultures alive, retaining their distinct ethnic or religious traditions. This paper will compare the similarities and differences in funeral practices between two large populations and sub-cultures of the United States; African Americans and American Jews, and also how American influences have affected their traditional funeral customs.
"Grieving and death rituals vary across culture and are heavily influenced by Religion (Medscape)." Cross cultural beliefs, ceremonies, and rituals allow for the deaths of individuals to be encompassed in a more organized social order (Death and Dying, A sociological perspective). The religious rituals encountered are often influential in funeral arrangements and grieving behaviors. On a sociological level, we can interpret these things in a more objective way. I believe that in order to understand religion and culture: we must first understand the concepts that may be seen as highly influential. These concepts include religion and culture in association with social class, social norms, social reality, and class systems. The two religions I found most interesting were Hinduism and Buddhism.
For example, to prepare for one's passage into the spirit world, they must be buried in their type of Hmong clothing either if they are white, green, stripe, etc. For the Hmong men, they are usually buried in a suit. While the Hmong women are to be buried in a traditional Hmong white or pleated skirt, wearing the shirt of their type along with a turban hat of their kind. It is traditional for the dead to wear Hmong clothing when buried in Laos because it show respect and it shows guidance for the soul to enter Heaven. Lengths of traditional Hmong funerals in Laos lasted up to almost a week, but here in America today, it lasts three days (Yang 254). Hmong funerals last long because it is to choose a good day for the dead to be buried. In the Hmong community, Hmong clothing is also used for traditional Hmong weddings. As the daughter of a family gets married, the mother in law is to prepare traditional Hmong clothing of their type for the daughter in law to wear as she goes back home for the wedding that is held at the daughter in laws house. The best man and the maid of honor will be dressed exactly the same as the newly wedded couple. After the wedding ceremony at the daughter in laws when the daughter is given away to the new son in law, the daughter is to wear the clothes that her mother had prepared for her to represent what type of Hmong her family is to
Death has a great impact on people's lives in such a way that they learn to value life or even live it to the fullest. But what happens to us after we die? Many religions have answered this question for us according to their faiths. Buddhism is a religion where Buddhists believe in the concept of death and reincarnation or rebirth. On the other hand, Christians believe that after you die you go into a period of dormancy and until the second coming of Jesus will you be woken up and decided your fate whether you go to heaven or hell according to how you have lived your life. Christianity teaches salvation from sin through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Through Him, the gift of eternal life is also attained.
After the death of a person the eyes are closed, so the person can finally rest in peace. Some Jews place the body of the deceased on the floor immediately after death. This is done to cool the body to slow the deterioration of the body and also fulfill the biblical prognostication "for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return"(Genesis 3:19). A candle is then lit and placed near the corpse head to show respect to the soul that departed. In the past twenty-six candles were light around the body; twenty-six is the Jewish numerical number meaning "God." Today this is done only to show respect to the dead. Jewish people treat a close family members death similar to Americans. Relatives and friends of the deceased feel great distress, sorrow, and pain.
Furthermore, when an individuals dies in Liberia, the deceased family washes the body while the mourners lay their hands on the departed (NewsHour Productions LLC, 2015). Once the ritual ceremony begins the entire community pay homage to the deceased. Women "wail" for the deceased as the men contribute the ceremony by singing and dancing (Minnesota Public Radio, 2015). Just prior to the ceremony ending a bowl is passed around to all the individuals present at the ceremony, fill with water used as ritual hand washing, and each individuals is to kiss the deceased on the forehead. Once the ceremony has ended, the dead body is then wrapped in cloth and buried on the land that adjoins the deceased 's house. The family believes that burring a loved one close to ones home will keep ones spirit alive, and will not be forgotten (Minnesota Public Radio,
According to Leming and Dickinson, Hindus believe that cremation is “an act of sacrifice” because they are offering their bodies to God. The body is usually cremated on the bank of a sacred river. The book, Understanding dying, death, and bereavement offers an “invocation” that would be close to what a priest would recite, “Fire, you were lighted by him, so may he be lighted from you, that he may gain the regions of celestial bliss. May this offering prove auspicious.” Leming and Dickinson (2011) state that between 10-31 days post cremation, a feast (shraddha) is shared among mourners and priests.
Funerals are very important ceremonies in Hindu tradition. Hindus see cremation as an act of sacrifice to God and...
Death is the one great certainty in life. Some of us will die in ways out of our control, and most of us will be unaware of the moment of death itself. Still, death and dying well can be approached in a healthy way. Understanding that people differ in how they think about death and dying, and respecting those differences, can promote a peaceful death and a healthy manner of dying.
Islam and Christianity have a vast amount of similarities and differences. Islam searches for guidance from the Qur’an and Christianity depends on faith in Jesus. Islamic faith believes in the God, Allah. Above anything else, all religious Muslims obey Allah and his commandments to obtain peace. However, Christianity puts faith in Jesus who is the son of God.