Afterlife Concepts
🌟In Mormonism, souls go to paradise or spirit prison based on earthly behavior, then are assigned to one of three degrees of glory: Celestial, Terrestrial, or Telestial, with outer darkness reserved for exceptional cases.
🌙Old Norse religion introduced the concept of "hell," but lacks direct practice guides, with archaeological sites and literary hints providing limited insights into ancient practices.
Salvation and Damnation
🔥Mormonism struggles with the tension between faith and works for salvation, with interpretations ranging from "no grace" to "saved by grace despite all we can do."
⚡To be condemned to outer darkness in Mormonism, one must reject the Holy Ghost after receiving a confirmation of the gospel and a spiritual experience involving God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit.
Cultural Perspectives on Death
🌸Shinto focuses on life-affirming practices rather than death, with the afterlife concept of Yomi (land of darkness) being ambiguous in early sources.
🕉️Jainism emphasizes a karma-based system of punishment and reward, with actions determining rebirth in heaven, hell, or the middle realm, and a strong focus on non-violence and compassion.
Ethical Systems and Afterlife
☯️Zoroastrianism's dualism divides reality into Asha (order, justice, truth) and Duš (lie, deception), with souls crossing a bridge to determine their afterlife fate based on earthly actions.
🍃Shinto ethics center on gratitude and pleasing the deities, rather than avoiding punishment, with a shift towards viewing deities as happy and fuzzy beings to be pleased for their help.
Religious Influences and Evolution
🌠Zoroastrianism significantly influenced Abrahamic faiths, with concepts like heaven, hell, final judgment, angels, and demons being borrowed by Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
🏛️Old Norse afterlife concepts include Valhalla for men who die in battle, while women generally go to hell, highlighting gender-based distinctions in the afterlife.