Culture, Religion, and Death

Culture, Religion, and Death
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Culture, Religion, and Death
Religion impacts beliefs about death by shaping the way people think and respond to the process of dying. For example, Christians believe in life after death, and as such, true followers of the religion may not view death negatively (Berman, 1974). Death is viewed as a passage to a better life. Additionally, cultural and religious beliefs influence funeral practices. For instance, in ancient Egypt, it was widely perceived that the spirit remained linked with the body after death. In this way, funerals involved mummification and leaving food or other items in the tombs because the spirit may need those in the afterlife (Berman, 1974). Religious practices largely determine how groups or communities approach funerals, such as Christians, who pray for the dead before burial. Religions such as Islam prohi...