How might a Jew respond to the argument that there is no evidence for life after death?

A Jew might say the afterlife is spiritual and cannot be tested by science. The Tenakh's teaching and trust in God's justice give reason enough.

Why do some people point to fraudulent mediums as an argument against life after death?

Some mediums have been exposed as fakes who trick grieving people for money. Critics say this shows claims of contact with the dead are unreliable.

How might a Jew respond to fraudulent accounts of the afterlife?

A Jew would agree that fraudulent mediums are wrong, since the Torah already forbids consulting them. Fraud by some people does not disprove what God has promised.

Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B 1RB0

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Catholic Christianity: Marriage and the FamilyPaper 1

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Catholic Christianity: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1

Topic overview Catholic responses to the origins and value of the universe The sanctity of life in Catholic teaching Catholic responses to evolution and survival of the fittest Catholic teaching on abortion Catholic arguments for life after death Catholic responses to arguments against life after death Catholic teaching on euthanasia and hospice care Catholic responses to the environment and animal rights

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Catholic Christianity: Philosophy of ReligionPaper 3

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Christianity: Living the Christian LifeAny paper

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Christianity: Marriage and the FamilyPaper 1

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Christianity: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1

Topic overview Christian responses to the Big Bang and the value of the universe The sanctity of life in Christian teaching Christian responses to evolution and the origins of human life Christian attitudes to abortion Christian arguments for life after death Christian responses to non-religious arguments against life after death Christian attitudes to euthanasia and hospice care Christian responses to environmental issues and animal rights

Christianity: Crime and PunishmentPaper 2

Topic overview Christian attitudes to justice Christian attitudes to crime and the work of Prison Fellowship and Street Pastors Christian teachings about good actions, evil actions and why people suffer Christian attitudes to punishment and Luke 12:35–48 Christian attitudes to the aims of punishment Christian teachings on forgiveness and restorative justice Christian attitudes to the treatment of criminals Christian attitudes to the death penalty

Christianity: Peace and ConflictPaper 2

Topic overview Christian attitudes to peace and Jesus as a peacemaker Christian peacemaking and the work of Pax Christi Christian attitudes to conflict and its causes Christian pacifism, passive resistance and Martin Luther King Christian attitudes to the Just War theory Christian attitudes to Holy War Christian attitudes to weapons of mass destruction Christian responses to violence, war and terrorism

Christianity: Philosophy of ReligionPaper 3

Topic overview Revelation as evidence for God in Christianity Visions as evidence for God in Christianity Miracles as evidence for God in Christianity Religious experience and the burning bush Answered prayer as evidence for God The design argument and Christian belief The cosmological argument and Aquinas's First Three Ways Religious upbringing and belief in God

Christianity: EqualityPaper 3

Topic overview Christian teaching on human rights Christian attitudes to equality Christian attitudes to religious freedom Christian attitudes to prejudice and discrimination Christian attitudes to racial harmony and the work of Desmond Tutu Christian attitudes to racial discrimination Christian attitudes to social justice Christian attitudes to wealth and poverty

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Islam: Living the Muslim LifeAny paper

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Islam: Marriage and the FamilyPaper 1

Topic overview The purpose of marriage in Islam Muslim teaching on sexual relationships The purpose of the family in Islam How the ummah supports Muslim families Muslim attitudes to contraception Muslim teaching on divorce and remarriage Men and women in the Muslim family Muslim teaching on gender prejudice and discrimination

Islam: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1

Topic overview Muslim teaching on the origins and value of the universe The sanctity of life in Islam Muslim responses to evolution and scientific views of human life Muslim attitudes to abortion Muslim responses to arguments for life after death Muslim responses to arguments against life after death Muslim attitudes to euthanasia Muslim responses to issues in the natural world

Islam: Crime and PunishmentPaper 2

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Islam: Peace and ConflictPaper 2

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Islam: Philosophy of ReligionPaper 3

Topic overview Revelation as proof of the existence of Allah Visions and the existence of Allah Miracles and the existence of Allah Muslim attitudes to religious experience The design argument in Islam The cosmological argument and al-Ghazali's kalam Suffering and Allah as compassionate Muslim responses to the problem of suffering

Islam: EqualityPaper 3

Topic overview Muslim teaching on human rights Muslim attitudes to equality Muslim attitudes to religious freedom Muslim attitudes to prejudice and discrimination Muslim teaching on racial harmony Muslim responses to racial discrimination and Malcolm X Muslim attitudes to social justice Muslim attitudes to wealth and poverty

Buddhism: Buddhist BeliefsAny paper

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Buddhism: Living the Buddhist LifeAny paper

Topic overview Buddhist meditation: samatha, metta bhavana, vipassana and zazen Buddhist chanting Mantra recitation, mala beads and offerings Buddhist places of worship: temples, viharas and gompas Buddharupas and other objects of devotion Buddhist puja in the vihara and the home Buddhist death and mourning rituals Buddhist festivals and retreats

Buddhism: Marriage and the FamilyPaper 1

Topic overview The purpose of marriage in Buddhism Buddhist teaching on sexual relationships The Buddhist family and its purpose How the Buddhist sangha supports families Buddhist attitudes to contraception Buddhist attitudes to divorce and remarriage Men and women in the Buddhist family Buddhism, gender prejudice and discrimination

Buddhism: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1

Topic overview Buddhist teaching on the origins and value of the universe The sanctity of life in Buddhism Buddhist responses to evolution and survival of the fittest Buddhist attitudes to abortion Buddhist teaching on death, rebirth and the afterlife Buddhist responses to arguments against life after death Buddhist attitudes to euthanasia and hospice care Buddhist responses to the environment and animal rights

Buddhism: Crime and PunishmentPaper 2

Topic overview Buddhist attitudes to justice Buddhist attitudes to crime and its causes Buddhist teaching on good, evil and suffering Buddhist attitudes to punishment Buddhism and the aims of punishment Buddhist teaching on forgiveness and restorative justice Buddhist teaching on the treatment of criminals Buddhist attitudes to the death penalty

Buddhism: Peace and ConflictPaper 2

Topic overview Buddhist attitudes to peace Buddhist peacemaking and the Buddhist Peace Fellowship Buddhist attitudes to conflict and its causes Buddhist pacifism and passive resistance Buddhist responses to the Just War theory Buddhist attitudes to war Buddhist attitudes to weapons of mass destruction Engaged Buddhism and Buddhist responses to violence and terrorism

Buddhism: Philosophy of ReligionPaper 3

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Buddhism: EqualityPaper 3

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Hinduism: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1

Topic overview Hindu responses to the origins and value of the universe Hindu teachings on the sanctity of life Hindu responses to evolution and the origins of human life Hindu attitudes to abortion Hindu teachings and arguments about life after death Hindu responses to non-religious arguments against life after death Hindu attitudes to euthanasia Hindu responses to the natural world and animal rights

Hinduism: Crime and PunishmentPaper 2

Topic overview Hindu attitudes to justice Hindu attitudes to crime and its causes Hindu teachings on good, evil and suffering Hindu attitudes to punishment: danda and prayascitta Hindu attitudes to the aims of punishment Hindu teachings on forgiveness and restorative justice Hindu teachings on the treatment of criminals Hindu attitudes to the death penalty

Hinduism: Peace and ConflictPaper 2

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Hinduism: EqualityPaper 3

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Judaism: Jewish BeliefsAny paper

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Topic overview Jewish public worship and synagogue services The Tenakh, the Talmud and kashrut Jewish prayer three times a day and in the home The Shema, the Amidah and the mezuzah Jewish rituals of birth, coming of age, marriage and mourning Shabbat in the home and the synagogue Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot The design and objects of the synagogue

Judaism: Marriage and the FamilyPaper 1

Topic overview The purpose of marriage in Judaism Jewish teachings on sexual relationships The purpose of the Jewish family How the Jewish community supports families Jewish attitudes to contraception and family planning Jewish teachings on divorce and remarriage Men and women in the Jewish family Judaism and gender prejudice

Judaism: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1

Topic overview Judaism, science and the origins of the universe The value of life in the Tenakh Jewish responses to evolution Jewish attitudes to abortion Jewish arguments for life after death Jewish responses to arguments against life after death Jewish attitudes to euthanasia Judaism and the environment

Judaism: Crime and PunishmentPaper 2

Topic overview Jewish attitudes to justice Jewish attitudes to crime and its causes Jewish teachings on good, evil and suffering Jewish teachings on punishment The aims of punishment in Judaism Jewish teachings on forgiveness and restorative justice Jewish teachings on the treatment of criminals Jewish attitudes to the death penalty

Judaism: Peace and ConflictPaper 2

Topic overview Jewish teachings on peace Jewish peacemaking Jewish attitudes to conflict Judaism, pacifism and passive resistance Milchemet reshut and Just War in Judaism Milchemet mitzvah and Holy War in Judaism Jewish attitudes to weapons of mass destruction Judaism, violence, war and terrorism

Judaism: Religious ExperiencePaper 3

Topic overview Revelation in the Tenakh Visions in Judaism Miracles in Judaism Jewish attitudes to religious experience The design argument and Judaism The cosmological argument and Judaism Suffering and the nature of the Almighty Jewish responses to the problem of suffering

Judaism: EqualityPaper 3

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Sikhism: Sikh BeliefsAny paper

Topic overview The nature of God in the Mool Mantar God as Creator (Karta Purakh)Human life as the chance to unite with God Sikh beliefs about karma, rebirth and mukti Gurmukh, manmukh and haumai The oneness of humanity in Sikhism Sewa: tan, man and dhan The sangat and Sat Sangat

Sikhism: Living the Sikh LifeAny paper

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Sikhism: Marriage and the FamilyPaper 1

Topic overview The purpose of marriage in Sikhism Sikh teaching on sexual relationships The purpose of the Sikh family How the sangat supports Sikh families Sikh attitudes to contraception Sikh attitudes to divorce and remarriage Men and women in the Sikh family Sikh opposition to gender prejudice

Sikhism: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1

Topic overview Sikh responses to the origins and value of the universe Sikh teaching on the sanctity of life Sikh responses to evolution Sikh attitudes to abortion Sikh responses to arguments for life after death Sikh responses to arguments against life after death Sikh attitudes to euthanasia Sikh responses to the natural world and animal rights

Sikhism: Crime and PunishmentPaper 2

Topic overview Sikh attitudes to justice Sikh attitudes to crime and the Five Thieves Sikh teaching on good, evil and suffering Sikh attitudes to punishment Sikh views on the aims of punishment Sikh teaching on forgiveness Sikh teaching on the treatment of criminals Sikh attitudes to the death penalty

Sikhism: Peace and ConflictPaper 2

Topic overview Sikh teaching on peace Sikhs and peacemaking Sikh attitudes to conflict Sikh attitudes to pacifism and passive resistance Dharam Yudh: the Sikh Just War The saint-soldier and Sikh views on holy war Sikh attitudes to weapons of mass destruction Sikh responses to violence, war and terrorism

Sikhism: Philosophy of ReligionPaper 3

Topic overview Gurbani and Guru Nanak's revelation at the river Visions and mystical experiences in Sikhism Numinous experience, vismaad and enlightenment in Sikhism Miracles and Sikh belief Sikh attitudes to religious experience The design argument and Sikh belief The cosmological argument and Sikh belief A Sikh upbringing and belief in God

Sikhism: EqualityPaper 3

Topic overview Sikh teaching on human rights Sikh attitudes to equality and solutions to inequality Sikh attitudes to religious freedom and a multi-faith society Sikh attitudes to prejudice and discrimination against religions Sikh teaching on racial harmony and Begampura Sikh responses to racial discrimination Sikh attitudes to social justice and Deg Tegh Fateh Sikh attitudes to wealth and poverty

Judaism: Matters of Life and Death

Jewish responses to arguments against life after death

3 things to know
Paper 1

Overview

The comfort argument, the evidence argument, fraudulent mediums and the social-control critique, a Jewish reply to each, and Isaiah 25:6–9 and its promise about death.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started

Key term

Why do some non-religious people say belief in life after death is only a source of comfort?

Key term

How might a Jew respond to the claim that the afterlife is just comfort?

Key term

What do Humanists say about the lack of evidence for life after death?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
Why do some non-religious people say belief in life after death is only a source of comfort?
Model answer
Some atheists argue people invent an afterlife to cope with the fear of death. Sigmund Freud saw such beliefs as wish-fulfilment.
2
How might a Jew respond to the claim that the afterlife is just comfort?
Model answer
A Jew might reply that Judaism focuses on duties in this life, not on escaping death. Belief in the world to come rests on God's promises, not on wishful thinking.
3
What do Humanists say about the lack of evidence for life after death?
Model answer
Humanists argue there is no scientific evidence that anyone survives death. The mind depends on the brain, so consciousness ends when the brain dies.
4
How might a Jew respond to the argument that there is no evidence for life after death?
Model answer
A Jew might say the afterlife is spiritual and cannot be tested by science. The Tenakh's teaching and trust in God's justice give reason enough.
5
Why do some people point to fraudulent mediums as an argument against life after death?
Model answer
Some mediums have been exposed as fakes who trick grieving people for money. Critics say this shows claims of contact with the dead are unreliable.
6
How might a Jew respond to fraudulent accounts of the afterlife?
Model answer
A Jew would agree that fraudulent mediums are wrong, since the Torah already forbids consulting them. Fraud by some people does not disprove what God has promised.

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