Death, for both the living and the dying, means many different things. To some extent, the meaning is different from person to person, but many times our thoughts are based on our religion. Every religion around the world has its own views on death, the process of dying, and what to do after death. These perspectives help those who believe to make death more acceptable. Many credit their faith with helping them deal with a mortality issue and others look to their faith to help them understand the passing of loved ones. Grief is a powerful emotion, and how we deal with it can have a lot to do with our faith.

The Christian perspective

The Christian grievance process is generally guided by the scriptures of the Bible because there are statements such as, “There is a time to be born and a time to die.” This gives believers the knowledge that we all have our time. For Christians, death is a part of life and many Christians believe that it is their duty to care for the dying while they await the return of Jesus. Christians have a wide variety of after-death beliefs, but most believe that death is just another part of the journey, as we all experience eternal life as long as we believe in Jesus Christ.

The Islamic Perspective

In the Islamic faith, grievance is something that involves both the person who dies and those around him. When someone is dying in this faith, it is the job of friends and family to rally around the sick person and help them remember their commitment to God. Muslims believe that death is the will of Allah. After death, the body is washed and wrapped in a shroud. There are specific prayers to be said and the body should be placed on the right side facing towards Mecca. In the Islamic faith, family members must pay the debts of the deceased shortly after death, as they anticipate that the person will be judged after death and want the process to be as favorable as possible. Mourning in this faith is often accompanied by constant prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage.

The Hindu Perspective

Many people have commented over the centuries that handling complaints seems much easier for people of this faith. While this may or may not be true, it could be due to the fact that those who practice this religion believe in both rebirth and reincarnation of souls. Practitioners believe that death is simply part of the experience, and that after a while the soul will adjust and return to its physical form again. There are two paths that the soul must take after death; the path of the sun and the path of the moon. Those who take the path of the sun will never return, but those who take the path of the moon will return. Many different rituals have been practiced for thousands of years and can help with the grievance process.

The Buddhist Perspective

The Buddhist view of death is quite interesting and is said to make grieving less of a problem for those who have suffered a loss. Practitioners of this faith do not see death as a sad event, but as the rupture with the material world and the material of which we are composed. A Buddhist believes that the soul awakens at death. Before death, friends and family like to be with the person to help them get into the right state of mind as they approach death. One needs to think of death as one’s rebirth in another, and perhaps greater, realm than the human world has to offer.

The Jewish Perspective

Like Christians, Jews tend to view death as a natural experience. Many Jews believe that death gives life more meaning and that since we all must die at some point, we should spend each day living the purest and most ethical life possible. Unlike many religions, Judaism is a bit different in that they don’t believe that all believers will simply go to heaven or hell based on their beliefs or lack thereof. Instead, each individual will be judged on his or her ethical behavior throughout life. For this reason, the Jewish people see death as something natural but as their final judgment by God.

Religious Perspective and Complaint Management

As you can see, each religion has its own view of death and this perspective is often what gives people the ability to get over the loss of loved ones and still have a zest for life. While religion can help comfort those left behind after death, it does not mean that the loss of a loved one will be easy. Grief, no matter what faith you believe in, is a very real and necessary part of the death experience for those still living. Strive to comfort yourself with faith-based knowledge, but also indulge in depression and grievance counseling if you feel you need it, or just surround yourself with supportive friends and family.