Death, consciousness and the physical body
God's law: There is no death ...... (Wittbrot 2024)
Om mane padme om / Help me be the best I can (Tibetan Buddhist mantra)
Contents
- Life
- The Body
- Death
- Suicide vs. Euthanasia
- There is no Hell
- References
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1. Life
A Catholic friend recently suffered through the voluntary euthanasia of a close relative. This caused the present writer to deeply consider aspects of, and connectivity between, the physical body, consciousness and death, both within and beyond the theological constraints of the Catholic Church on Earth and the teachings of the Buddha. In order to do so, however, it was necessary to get back to first principles, or origins, and define personal beliefs, for with age comes the realisation that to mindlessly follow doctrine which does not resonate will not lead to a peaceful death. Also, a path can only be identified, and taken, by the individual, not by the collective. Finally, the starting point must be the essence of being, i.e., consciousness.
Consciousness, which is Life, is eternal. It is non-physical, non-material and exists external to the body. It is commonly referred to, in part or whole, as the soul, spirit, essence, or fractal element of the Cosmic Consciousness, which in turn is termed God, the Creator, or Source. The reference to individual consciousness being a fractal element of the Cosmic Consciousness is both descriptive and pointing to the origin of consciousness. Every person knows what consciousness is, yet no so-called experts (e.g. scientists and philosophers) are able to define or adequately describe it. Scientists refer to consciousness as a "hard problem" because the cannot solve it, as though it were a simple equation; whilst ordinary people see no reason to even think about it. "Why bother?" they ask. To most, consciousness and Life just is. Sure, we might ponder the meaning of Life, but not its essence. It is as though such a revelation is beyond us. But, if one were to consult 14th century friar William of Ockham, he would probably say: "You are overthinking it, my friend. The answer is simple! Remove the complexity, and look at what remains."
First off: consciousness is not a product of the brain. Science emphatically tells us that it is, and will not consider any alternative. However, the physical body - of which the brain is just one part - is an organic machine which, like a smartphone or radio receiver, is a mere transducer or receptor. It receives information from the non-material individual consciousness and manifests that information in order for sentient beings, such as humans on Earth, animals, plants, amoeba, etc., to operate in the specific Earth dimension. Therein it provides an ability for humans to see, hear, touch, feel (physically) and exist for a period of time. The body is merely a means of expressing Life in the physical realm that is Earth. The body is not Life itself. Only Consciousness is Life.
Individual consciousness manifests through the physical body both consciously and unconsciously, or subconsciously. We accomplish many tasks without thought. Our consciousness is expansive beyond that physical realm and the body is limited therein to what the physical brain and organs can accommodate, interpret and implement. The potential of one's individual consciousness is almost unlimited, as it is a fractal element of the God consciousness, which is, in turn, unlimited and infinite. With such a direct link between individual consciousness and cosmic consciousness, there is no requirement for an intermediary such as a temporary physical body.
Advice and wisdom can be sought throughout the journey of Life. However, the ultimate path chosen is an individual one, by an individual possessing the free will which is an integral part of that Life, and God-sourced. Evidence for some of this potential can be seen in the metaphysical experiences of human reality and abilities of individuals to perceive and interact on a non-physical plane, such as in remote viewing, precognition, extrasensory perception, near death experiences, psychedelic experiences and encounters with extradimensional beings such as ghosts, Aliens and faeries, and in belief and faith. Love, for example, is an inexplicable, metaphysical thing beyond the realm of scientific or philosophical explanation. All such elements of human reality are rejected by the materialist-base scientific regime which denies the existence of the metaphysical realm as it cannot be placed in a box, or replicated in a laboratory ad infinitum, or defined within a human theory of everything. Our metaphysical world is unique and subjective, whereas science is reproducible and objective. Never the twain shall meet, supposedly, though in fact there is frequent overlap. The metaphysical is just as real as the physical, with both vital elements of reality.
As a Jewish rabbi recently pointed out, "Life cannot die", thereby highlighting the immortality of one's consciousness, or soul (Friedman 2019 & 2023). This foundational statement regarding Life is expansive and does not impact upon the subject of reincarnation, though it does affect, in a significant way, one's view of the physical body and consideration of the meaning and importance of an individual period of existence on Earth. Like the smartphone or radio receiver, the body is a temporary device which is cast aside upon becoming redundant, broken, or otherwise no longer operational, such as when one gets old or has a terminal illness. For an organic machine, the extinction of the individual body is referred to as death. For an individual consciousness, however, there is no death. Just as God cannot die, so then individual consciousness, which is a fractal element of the cosmic consciousness, cannot die.
The above perspective, though relatively simple and logical to the present writer, is a radical one, for it goes against the teachings of the Catholic Church, though it does align with a variety of religious, spiritual and personal beliefs and doctrines of other faiths and paths in life. It is an amalgam of all of those, and of the author's personal experience during 68 years of life on Earth. It did, however, only arise late in the day (circa 2023) upon personal consideration of mortality and the possibility of imminent death. The view evolved from a number of core elements and belief systems encountered or experienced, including the following:
- Catholicism - arising out of being raised a Catholic and upholding its theology without question, and without much thought, through to about the age of 40 (circa 1996);
- Buddhism - introduced to the writer around the year 2000 (when aged 44) and remaining under consideration to the present day; and
- UFO / Extraterrestrial studies - first encountered early in 2024.
The latter category was key, as it moved the post-COVID consideration of the meaning of life beyond Earth, into the realm of the greater universe. This, in turn, opened up thoughts around creation and, ultimately, the role of the God as Cosmic Consciousness, Creator or Source. All of this new thinking led from the extraterrestrial realm back to those other two Earth-bound belief systems, aka Christianity and Buddhism. The two significant elements therein were the teachings of Jesus in relation to the development of the Catholic Church on Earth following the Crucifixion, and its theology, and the belief in reincarnation which was a core element of Buddhist teachings, as was the concept of karma. Reincarnation was a belief which was only declared a heresy by the Catholic Church on Earth in 553AD, though it was a common belief during the time of Jesus and continues to be accepted by most other religious and spiritual belief systems. For the present writer, reincarnation was key for a number of reasons:
- It was a logical belief arising from the Life cannot die statement regarding non-physical immortality, offering a path to enlightenment and self improvement over many reincarnations, eventually obtaining a state ever closer to the Cosmic Consciousness (God);
- It rejected the pronouncement that, "you have but one chance, during your life on Earth, to attain enlightenment (i.e., reach heaven), and if you fail you will suffer eternal damnation."
Of course the latter "fire and brimstone" scenario - which is a core teaching of the Catholic Church - is objectionable in the extreme in that it presents the Blessed Trinity (God the Father, God the Son (Logos / Word of God / Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit) as vengeful and heartless, lacking the core elements of love and compassion which are the very essence of the Cosmic Consciousness.
God is Love is the ultimate truth, and option one is a obvious corollary. If God is not, then option two applies, and eternal damnation on offer for those who slip up. The writer therefore naturally deferred to option one when a sincere and deep meditation on the subject of death was undertaken, and the writer was not alone in this realisation, though did come somewhat late to it. Rejection of the teachings of the Catholic Church by Christians has proven death by a thousand cuts over the last century, as many former believers and adherents abandon dogma and some, though not all, look to the words and actions of Jesus Christ on Earth for ultimate guidance, just as others look to applying the teachings of Buddha or Mohammed is finding a path from life to death. The so-called infallibility of the Catholic Church and its leaders is now widely questioned and rejected by those who remain Christians (i.e., followers of Christ) but not Catholics (i.e., adherents of the teachings of the Catholic Church). All of this then leads to consideration of the role of the non-physical consciousness, or soul, in regards to the physical world, of which the body is a significant part, for unless one is an atheist, a non-physical spiritual belief is a necessary element of Life.
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2. The Body
The physical body is not immortal or eternal. It is not Life, but merely an organic machine, a receiver and interpreter of information. It is vulnerable to physical, chemical and germ attack; it naturally wears out; and with it ultimately comes what is referred to as death. But death is not the end of Life; it is not the end of individual consciousness. How, then, should we assess the role of the body in the context of the gift of Life provided to us by God / Creator / Source and its role as a temporary physical enabler and means of expression for the individual consciousness / spirit / soul / essence? The inclination of the present writer, in light of the aforementioned discussion, is to treat the body with due respect, but as merely a temporary vessel and one which is repeatedly discarded as the journey of Life proceeds through various reincarnations. Whilst this aligns with many spiritual beliefs, it does not align with that of the Catholic Church. This is revealed in the Church's harsh decrees regarding euthanasia, as discussed in a section below. Basically, the Church prescribes that the physical body will reunite with the soul at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. In the interim, the soul (i.e., individual consciousness), after a single life on Earth, will reside in Heaven, Hell or Purgatory, whilst the physical body will rot and turn to dust. This scenario does not resonate with the writer, whereas reincarnation and immortal Life does.
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3. Death
Death is usually defined as the point in which the physical body no longer operates. This can happen due to natural causes, or unnatural causes such as the turning off of artificial life support machines in a hospital environment. It is this latter circumstance which can give rise to issues regarding euthanasia (discussed below).
What happens after death is both known and unknown. According the the records of countless personal near death experiences (NDEs) individual consciousnesses can travel to a different dimensional realm of light or dark, where family and friends are met or not and where decisions can be made in regard to reincarnation. This can be an immediate return to one's physical body, or delayed pending return in a new body. The multiplicity of such after death experiences indicates that there is no single path followed or offered. There may even be encounters with God, and conversations therein, prior to final determination of one's fate (Wittbrot 2024). This is a view of the afterlife similar to that seen in Hollywood films such as A Matter of Life and Death (1946), It's A Wonderful Life (1946), Beetlejuice (1988) or What Dreams May Come (1998).
The Catholic Church refers to three options available upon death: Heaven, Hell or Purgatory. Buddhism offers an indistinct intermediate realm which leads to reincarnation. Judaism and other religions and spiritual belief systems do not refer to the the Christian trilogy, or Hell, though they usually present a vision of peacefulness and enlightenment after death, along with intermediary stages and sometimes hellish stages. As noted below, the Christian concept of Hell is a post-Jesus creation by the Catholic Church, based on the interpretive teaching of Paul (Abke 2024).
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4. Suicide vs. euthanasia
The Catholic Church has an extremely punitive position in regards to suicide and what it perceives as an equivalent - the process of euthanasia. As of September 2024, its view is as follows:
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II. Catechism of the Catholic Church:
Euthanasia
2276 Those whose lives are diminished or weakened deserve special respect. Sick or handicapped persons should be helped to lead lives as normal as possible.
2277 Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable.
Thus an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator. The error of judgment into which one can fall in good faith does not change the nature of this murderous act, which must always be forbidden and excluded.
2278 Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of “over-zealous” treatment. Here one does not will to cause death; one’s inability to impede it is merely accepted. The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be respected.
2279 Even if death is thought imminent, the ordinary care owed to a sick person cannot be legitimately interrupted. The use of painkillers to alleviate the sufferings of the dying, even at the risk of shortening their days, can be morally in conformity with human dignity if death is not willed as either an end or a means, but only foreseen and tolerated as inevitable. Palliative care is a special form of disinterested charity. As such it should be encouraged.
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As can be seen from the above, the Church considers euthanasia objectionable in two way: (1) a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and (2) to the respect due to the living God, with no equivocation. The very act brings about the "eternal damnation" so often raised by the Church in seeking to enforce its theology through fear. Eternal damnation is the ultimate terror.
Herein the human body is referred to as the human person. Yet, as argued above, the body is not the person, or the soul or the spirit or the fractal element of God. The body is much less than that, just as consciousness or Life is much greater than the physical body. Arguments based on emotive, diffuse and subjective terms such as dignity and respect are ultimately hollow if they do not resonate with the individual. Whilst both terms have inherent weight, in regard to Life they are secondary at best and appear to mask what the Church is attempting through the "eternal damnation" rhetoric. Yet, in the following paragraph, it completely flips and states the true position facing many people at the end of their life:
The use of painkillers to alleviate the sufferings of the dying, even at the risk of shortening their days, can be morally in conformity with human dignity if death is not willed as either an end or a means, but only foreseen and tolerated as inevitable.
Within this statement is buried the ultimate truth regarding the love and compassion of God as Cosmic Consciousness. However, on the surface, it is another defence of the eternal damnation stance. What is the difference between death being welcomed or willed (unacceptable according to the Church) or tolerated (acceptable to the Church) in such circumstances? There is no difference. Where the operation of the physical body is being artificially maintained by medical intervention, then the removal of that intervention is not murder. Death occurs naturally. As the author believes that the majority of euthanasia cases operate under such circumstances, the blanket decree equating euthanasia with suicide is rejected. If euthanasia is merely the enabling of the natural death of the physical body, then it cannot be equated to murder and the Church should not proclaim eternal damnation for those who follow that path. As ever, the devil is in the detail, and each case needs to be considered as unique.
Death is often willed by an individual, and in a manner that the Church does not recognise or accept. For example, the author's 89 year old mother had a fall, become unconscious, spent two days in hospital without "regaining consciousness" (though she was still conscious whilst unconscious), and only passed away following the arrival at the hospital of a beloved niece who had travelled there from far away. It was as though she was waiting for her niece, and then departed this Life when the niece had the chance to say goodbye. This was not suicide; this was not euthanasia by the medical staff; this was, in all likelihood, an individual (a Catholic) making a conscious decision to leave. For all we know, she may have discussed that decision with God whilst unconscious in the hospital.
The above scenario is both real and fantastical. But it does point to the fact that we cannot, and should not, impose restrictions on an individual's right to self-determination in regards to the end of a life and the ongoing process of Life. The author does not support suicide, but does not simply believe that it is a matter of Hell or nothing. Once again, God is love, and often what drives an individual to take their own life can be beyond the understand of anyone, apart from God.
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5. There is no Hell
"Believe this, or burn in Hell!" (Abke 2024)
The author was raised in the Catholic Church, a Christian sect. The majority of Christian sects adhere to the teachings contained not only within the Bible, but also to recent and ongoing theological interpretations - dogma - arising out of the selected and edited texts contained therein. Many of the original teachings of the early Christian Church, the followers of Christ and of Christ himself have been censored in order to conform with an accepted theological strand. Unfortunately much of that theology distorts or wavers from the teaching of Jesus. One of those unfortunate outputs is the creation of the concept of a post-death punitive realm called Hell. This arose from a misinterpretation of the recorded words of Jesus. The prominent "fire and brimstone..... Hell and damnation" aggression at the heart of the teachings of the Catholic Church is a lie, and as such impacts upon the aforementioned attitude towards death, the human body and the rules regarding suicide and euthanasia. The problem is outlined in the following discussion from 2024 around false teachings by the Church, as initiated by the Christian heretic Paul and subsequent mysoginistic and narcissistic groups such as the Council of Nicaea and the Vatican as a political entity operating over, and outside of, the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Aaron Abke, Ex-preacher exposes the false teachings Christian are unknowingly following, Next level Soul, 5 September 2024, YouTube, duration: 136.03 minutes.
This discussion highlights the falsities promoted by the Catholic Church in order to sustain its control over Christians. The recent rejections of its teachings by Christians are in turn profound in the fact that they lead individuals not necessarily away from the Church, but instead towards a deeper understanding and acceptance of the teachings of Christ and God which, in many instances, are at odds with the theology of the organisation. The church is conservative, mysoginistic and spiteful. Jesus Christ on Earth was none of these, just as God is none of these. As the interviewee in the above noted:
I don't think there's ever been a person who's genuinely, authentically, left the Christian faith because of a teaching of Jesus. (Abke 2024)
As an example of this censorship, the circa AD30 Indian / Tibetan manuscript known as the Life of Saint Issa (Jesus Christ) is ignored by the Catholic Church, yet amongst its 244 lines are numerous direct quotes from Christ and his teachings. It is therefore the earliest such document, pre-dating the New Testament texts found in the Bible.
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6. References
Abke, Aaron, Ex-preacher exposes the false teachings Christian are unknowingly following Next level Soul, 5 September 2024, YouTube, duration: 136.03 minutes.
Friedman, Rabbi Manis, The Journey of the Soul: Pre-life, Life and After-life, YouTube, 2019, duration: 58.02 minutes.
----- Life Can't Die, YouTube, 26 April 2023, duration: 57.49 minutes.
What is the Catholic Church's position on suicide and physician-assisted suicide [euthanasia]?, Institute of Clinical Bioethics, St. Joseph's University.
Wittbrot, Penny, Nurse dies and encounters God, Beyond the Veil, 21 August 2024, YouTube, duration: 30.32 minutes.
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Last updated: 25 September 2024
Michael Organ, Australia
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