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John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

 

“Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form.”
― Rumi

 

“Each night, when I go to sleep, I die. And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

 

Just recently, I have witnessed how Gods grace envelops people who face trials. One example in particular is from a dear friend of mine who lost her son.

 

First, I want to state that there is never a good time to deal with death but it is unnatural for a parent to bury their child. I cannot imagine that kind of grief and pain. For my friend, one of the ways she has handled the death of her son is by never saying, “he is dead”. What she says instead is; “My son ascended January 5, 2013” and she says it with such love and hope. Thinking of death as “ascension” was mind-blowing and for some reason, it makes me smile. I wanted to share how her words have impacted the way I think about death and I hope they will help anyone who is grieving.

 

So what really happens when we die?  Someday we will all find but for now, according to the handbook of Christian Apologetics there are 6 basic theories of the afterlife. (A brief explanation.)

  1. Materialism: Nothing survives. (Atheist)
  2. Paganism: Ghost survives and goes to the place of the dead, the dark, gloomy Underworld.
  3. Reincarnation: The individual soul survives and goes into another body.
  4. Pantheism: Death changes nothing, for what survives death is the same as what was real before. ( Hindu & Buddhism)
  5. Immortality: The individual soul survives death, but not the body. (Platonism, often confused with Christianity.)
  6. Resurrection: At death, the soul separates from the body and is reunited at the end of the world to its new, immortal, resurrected body by a divine miracle. (Christian)

 

The majority of these theories show a definite bias towards the body changing form and it supports my friend’s belief.  So now when someone tells me that a person has died, although I immediately offer my sympathies, love and support, I cannot help but think to myself; “they are not dead…  they have ascended!”

 

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at, change! Death creates a feeling of hopelessness and loss. Knowing someone has ascended, on the other hand, creates a feeling of joy and even celebration.

 

Not everyone is ready for this view but perhaps someday we will lose the fear of death and can truly rejoice at the ascension of our loved ones.

 

As the song Karma of John Lennon; states;  “We all shine on… Like the moon and the star and the sun!”

 

One final quote:  “If you’re really a mean person you’re going to come back as a fly and eat poop.”  ― Kurt Cobain     Needless to say…  Karma is a bitch! 😉

 

What do you believe?

 

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