Notes:
Egyptian book of the dead is guidebook for the afterlife
Book of the Dead was mostly for the wealthy
Egyptians mummified because they wanted to have a vehicle to use in the afterlife (the body)
Aim: How does Ancient Egypt’s perception of the dead illustrate their philosophies of life?
Google Classroom Writing: Answer the Aim + add your own personal reflection on death and dying.
The Egyptians believed that death was simply a moment where the body transitioned into the afterlife. This can be represented in the placement of scarab beetle amulets on a mummy’s chest; the scarab beetle, representing the rising sun, was placed on the heart, thought to be the most essential organ in Ancient Egypt, to protect the body as it made its way into the afterlife. In the afterlife, the newly deceased would be on a journey in a new territory that they had to prepare for while they were alive; the wealthiest Egyptians could commission a “Book of the Dead” that would guide them in the afterlife. In other words, life was merely for preparing for eternal life in the afterworld.
Like many others, I do not know for certain what awaits me after death. While I do believe that my consciousness does not end after I am killed, I do not conform to the belief that if I believe in God while I am alive, then I can enjoy an eternal paradise in Heaven, which is something that I was taught growing up. I do not believe in an afterlife; rather, part of me believes that my consciousness will be transferred to a newborn baby when I die with no recollection of my past life.