LAfter life, After death, After all, is this it?

This is a big question, and like all big questions, leads to much thought and often some soul searching, and prompts debate, like a good question should. This question is one that for now, we can't have a definitive answer for, what we can have however is opinion, and this is what is what I will express in my writing.

I never used to think about life, or what happens when this life comes to an end, that is until I met a very profound University Lecturer called Dave who, like a good teacher got me thinking, and with the help of some friends, some beers and a campfire I really delved into what I thought.

What I found when I delved was an array of different ideas, I found myself questioning all that I believed trying to sift though all my thoughts and find what it is a truly believed, in the end, I found that I didn't believe in an after -life, nor did I entirely dismiss that one could exist, the logical part of me wanted to, but just like with superstitions, a little part of me couldn't help but say, there might just be...

I am a man of science and logic, I need evidence, and it is for these reasons, predominantly the last reason, that I am not a follower of any religion and belief as such. I do not however disregard the views, beliefs and faiths of others, I merely choose not to adopt them, I do, of course have questions and hold my reservations about religion, but I find that questioning a person's faith is a bad road to go down, and on the whole unfair, and so what I write in the following passages is not meant to offend or turn people from their beliefs in what lies after life.

For me, religion, superstition, ethereal beliefs, such as those regarding life after death and primitive magic are all very much interlinked. I recently read a book on a tribe based in South America, The book being 'Getting to know Wai wai' written by Alan Tormaid Campbell, this book coupled with the ideas and thoughts of Dave and my friends, many who were well travelled and older, got me thinking about primitive magic and how it might be a simplified version of religion. Magic for many primitive cultures is a mainstay of their society, much as religion can be in our society, there are many similarities between the two, such as the need for deities, ritual and what is termed theatre by one sociologist, theatre referring to the daily practices of cultures be it religious or magical/spiritual, such as morning prayer or refraining the hunting of a particular animal because of the beliefs surrounding it.

It may sound as though I'm diverging from the subject but, it is linked, a belief in the after-life is expressed in both religious and magical/spiritual societies, admittedly often through different mediums, for example, the Christians believe that the after-life is heaven, where you spend eternity in the embrace of god, whereas in the cases of magical/spiritual societies the after-life is often expressed through the belief in reincarnation, the idea that the soul is reborn as another person, or animal and in some beliefs any living thing. This belief is also common among many people in the west.

Western society tends to be very ethnocentric and dismissive of the views of those deemed primitive, and the west is predominantly a religious society, and when compared are the beliefs so different? I think not, and though I don't believe either or any views on the after -life I do find it interesting looking into other beliefs, and I think were I a person of faith, I could believe in an after-life.

These ideas I have were no doubt influenced by the people in my life, and I have no doubt that as I live my life more people will give me ideas, but I will leave the serious questions in life for when I have the time for them, however for now, I am content with knowing that I have this one, amazing, life, and I aim to live it to the fullest.

I am safe in the knowledge that it will be the longest thing I ever do.