Throughout time and space, it seems like almost every civilization has had a concept of after-life: heaven and hell, Akhirah, Valhalla, Elysium...
My question is: "does any one have any knowledge of a civilization that did not try to "imagine" what after-life is? A civilization that either didn't even bother to conceptualize life after death, or that was simply convinced that there was nothing after death?"
By civilization, I mean any group of people living in society, with a common sense of history, spirituality, law, etc... In the same way, these can be extinct or modern civilizations...
Thanks...
2006-08-07 01:48:56 · 7 answers · asked by Pat! 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Thank you for your answers regarding Pygmies.
I looked into it and found that during the week long initiation ceremony held by Baka Pygmies, they believe that they are "killed" and that the Spirit of the Forest brings them back to life.
I might be looking for something that doesn't exist, since we are all "mortal" everybody seems to come up with some kind of concept of after-life. Even if it is "nothing" it is still conceptualized (as some kind of sleep without any dreams) and therefore is "something".
If the Baka Pygmies believe that they can be resurected by the Spirit of the Forest, it is safe to say that they beleive in some kind of reincarnation, at least at that level.
As I said, I might be looking for something that isn't possible to define, but I am still open to your suggestions or comments.
2006-08-07 04:24:12 · update #1
By the way, I am in no way an ethnologist, I am not familiar with scientific declinations of ethnology. I am not sure if it shows in what I wrote previously, but I have respect for every beliefs... not only my own.
2006-08-07 04:35:36 · update #2
Furthermore, relating to Pygmies, I just read that:
"the religion of BaMbuti Pygmies does not focus on an afterlife. A person’s life force reintegrates with the general "pepo" (life force of the universe).
The BaMbuti lack the anthropomorphized deities common in most African religions
In a generalized sense, the forest is their parents, lawgiver & chief – their god
In noticing that all good comes from the forest, the BaMbuti exhibit an extraordinary ecological sense.
They say, "when the forest dies, we die."
The forest is benevolent.
BaMbuti religion places humankind in nature, not on top of it"
http://carbon.cudenver.edu/~emendons/durel.html
2006-08-07 04:43:30 · update #3
I don't know if it fits into your category of civilization, but the pygmies -as far as I know- do not have a beliefe of afterlife.
2006-08-07 01:56:32 · answer #1 · answered by Mustail 2 · 5⤊ 3⤋
Mustail is correct. African Pygmy tribes have some very interesting social and religious traditions. Most do not believe in an afterlife.
2006-08-07 02:16:33 · answer #2 · answered by marbledog 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
None that I'm aware of. Human ego is the same everywhere -- we can't imagine the world without us, that's why we make up stories about an afterlife.
2006-08-07 01:53:42 · answer #3 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
NO God has put eternity in the heart of man..that is why even a little child knows and quite often says, "when I come back I want to be ______"
2006-08-07 04:27:06 · answer #4 · answered by candi_k7 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Bible speaks of the Saducees, that didn't believe in an afterlife, or in angels.
2006-08-07 01:53:18 · answer #5 · answered by RB 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes there have been several of these, usually on remote islands free of the contamination from organized religion.
2006-08-07 01:52:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Who would want to have after life, after this one, this worlds bad enough let alone another trial period somewhere else!
2006-08-07 01:53:04 · answer #7 · answered by pathumbert2006 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋