With the onset of Halloween and all the spookiness it entails, an emphasis is put on death and often those who have died. This is a stem of a major question common among all human experience.

What happens when one dies?

The soul is considered to be eternal by definition, but who is to say it exists? The presence of a conscience, of a sense of right and wrong all indicate its presence. What separates human from animal if not this?  Beneath genetics and experience, there is something that makes you who you are. For instance, when someone loses their memory, they do not necessarily become a different person.

This possession of a soul raises new questions, such as to what end this soul is given to humanity. A common idea is that a God or gods created all that exists today. As self described Christian apologist Charlie Campbell said, “Well, think through this with me: If nothing cannot produce something, and yet something exists (e.g., the universe), then a creative agent must have always existed. Why? In order to bring that which exists into being.” This is about the most simple argument one can find for the existence of a Creator outside of a five-pound book on theology.  

In the days when Christ walked the Earth, the Roman Empire covered much of the known world. They kept meticulous records, many of which are still around today. The original 12 disciples of Christ also are kept in the records of many early historians. They themselves knew with absolute certainty whether Jesus was all he claimed to be, for they had witnessed all he did during his ministry. None of them changed their story and all but one were eventually martyred for their teachings. Would they put themselves to this fate for something they knew to be a lie? Certainly not.

In addition to these points, people who claim to speak on behalf of God corroborate the presence of a life beyond death as it is commonly perceived. Pastor Mark Terry of Bethany Chapel said, “The Apostle Paul states that those who believe when they die are physically absent from the body but they are present with the Lord.” From the breadth of human experience to the narrower scopes of individuals speaking on behalf of the divine, the message remains consistent — the end of a person’s life is not the end of their experience.