Why believe in life after death?

In this lesson you’re going to learn:

• Why Christians believe in life after death• Non-religious reasons for believing in life after

death

Is there any evidence for life after death?

• The paranormal• Near death experience• Religious belief

Non-religious explanations:

The Paranormal

• Unexplained things which are thought to have spiritual causes, for example, ghosts and mediums

Near Death Experience:

• When someone is about to die and has an out of body experience – but then is brought back to life

Why don’t some people believe in life after death?

• If there is no God, nothing is non-material. There is no Heaven to go to after death

• The different religions have different ideas about life after death, whereas, if they were true, they would all say the same things about it

• The evidence for life after death is either based on holy books, and there is no way for a non-believer to decide which holy book should be believed, or the paranormal, which has been criticised by scientists

Reincarnation:

• Children re-calling past lives...

• Several children re-call ‘past lives’

• They explain their parents• They explain places they

used to live• They sometimes even

explain how they died and what their old age was like...

Religious Explanations:

The Bible

• The Bible is the holy book for Christians

• The Bible talks a lot about life after death, including Heaven and Hell

• It also tells us what we have to do in order to go to Heaven

Bible Examples:• “Today You Will Be With Me In Paradise”

(Luke 23:43)• “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of

heaven” (Matthew 16:19) • The Parable of the sheep and goats

The Resurrection of Jesus

• The resurrection of Jesus is a big reason why Christians believe in life after death

• Every time the Apostles’ Creed is said, they state that “I believe in the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting”

• Jesus died, and on the third day he rose – and in this he showed there is a life after death, and ensured we too could have eternal life

Potential Exam Questions:

• B) Do you think Catholics are right to believe in life after death? Give two reasons for your point of view

• C) Explain why Catholics believe in life after death

• D) “Catholics only believe in life after death because they’re scared of dying”i) Do you agree? Give reasons for your opinionii) Give reasons why some people may disagree with you