Death is part of life; it is inevitable. The perception held by modern societies differs from traditional one. Attitude toward death differs among cultures. Culture is dynamic; people’s views, attitude and belief change with time. People’s culture determines their attitude towards social and natural occurrences.
Traditionally, death was seen as end of life of the deceased whereas in modern society death is taken as a transition period from life on earth to life after death. Traditionally, the rate of death was higher than it is in modern life, people had become “used to” death, and it was seen as part of collective destiny of the species.
Through it was treated dispassionately; it was a ritual rather than a period of sorrow and tears. In modern life, proper medication and improved lifestyle have reduced death rate; however, at one particular time everybody will have to die. When a person dies, he is given prestigious ceremony in the name of “last respect”; he should be treated decently. Although people have the sorrow and feeling of loss, they are consoled by the belief that death is not the end of life but a promotion to another glory.
Which way seems better
Modern attitude, belief and perception of death is better than the traditional method; possible efforts are undertaken in the efforts of safeguarding life, they include proper medication. After death, the body is taken to a mortuary where a postmortem operation is conducted to establish the reason for the death.
Finally, the person is given a decent burial. Modern perception of death has more respect to humanity that the traditional system. In old days, a number of countries had death penalties as part of their punishments while in modern days there are high numbers of advocates against the deals (Quadagno, 2011).
My religion
I am a Christian of Catholic faith; in my culture, there have been changes in perception about death. Traditionally death was feared; people could mourn for a number of days and talked about it in low tones. Currently, there has been the acceptance of death as part of life. When a member of the society dies, family members and neighbors mourn for the death for a lesser period than in the traditional system, they console the family of the deceased. In the community, life is holy; it should be respected and protected.
Mourning ceremonies take place at the home of the deceased or at a family member’s close to the deceased. In cases where the person was a church member, there are mass services in the home of the deceased with the aim of spreading the gospel to the people.
Members of the society consoling family members of the deceased cater for burial expenses; the culture expects that neighbors give financial aid, labor and foodstuffs. When burying the deceased, it is a ceremony with rituals taking place to cleanse and give a decent burial and console the family members of the deceased.
When a family member becomes sick, efforts are taken to ensure that proper medication has been given; the move is in the effort of saving life. When death occurs, the body of the deceased is preserved at a mortuary affordable by the family/ community that the deceased comes from. Mourners, friends and relatives of the deceased meet mortuary charges.
References
Quadagno, J. S. (2011). Aging and the life course: an introduction to social gerontology. New York: McGraw-Hill.