POETRY CORNER: It's time to retire ancestors and spirits and face the finality of death

It's time to retire the ideas of ancestors and spirits and confront the finality of death. Despite our inclination to cling to an afterlife, we must acknowledge the finality of loss. Whether it's the loss of a parent, progeny, sibling, or close friend, the pain is profound. This is because we intuitively know deep down that we won't see them again.

The notion of "passing away" is a comforting fabrication of our Homo sapiens nature. When we're gone, we don't know it, just as we never knew we were "dead" before our parents had us.

Professor Richard Dawkins was asked about his thoughts on what happens after death and replied, "I die." When pressed further, he stated that he thinks his body will decay and there will be nothing beyond that. This is why humans created the concept of religion and an afterlife, but there's no evidence to support these beliefs. Charlatans and mediums prey on this belief.

It's high time we grew up and moved beyond voodooism and fetish witchcraft. We live in a natural world where we can explain natural phenomena, and there is no supernatural lurking under anyone's bed. However, the longing for a connection with the deceased is real and does not mean that anyone waits on the other side. Poets may express our grief through metaphors, but they cannot provide any facts about what happens after death.

Religion should adopt a similar position, acknowledging the lack of evidence for claims of resurrection and life after death. Many ancient traditions describe holy death, restoration, rebirth, or return from the underworld, but these stories vary and often lack reliable historical records. It's doubtful that Jesus Christ or other gods ever died and returned to life. Mourning is a natural response to loss, and it's crucial to give it room without any accompanying promises of eternal life.