Is there a Life after Death?

Innaiah Narisetti

The majority of people believe in an after-life. If there is something after death, what is it? 

After death, the body is buried by some, cremated by some others, donated to hospitals by a few. These practices are common. When a person dies, along with other parts of the body, the brain also dies. That is the end of it. Now the question arises. If there is something after death, what is it that survives death?

Religions jump into the fray to answer this question. They say that there is a soul that is subtle, that goes to heaven or hell or takes rebirth. The believers in rebirth, reincarnation, heaven, and hell have to accept this concept. Otherwise there is no meaning in an after-life. Who decides the fate of the soul after the death of the body?  All religions have created the concept of God to sustain this belief.

Burning Ghats - Varanasi

What is soul? You can’t touch it nor is it visible to you. Where is it in the body? In the brain? The Brain is filled with neurons well connected to one another. The thinking, memorizing and related functions are done by the brain. Thus, the brain plays a vital role in the body. With death, brain ceases functioning. There is nothing to function after death. There is no separate existence for mind without brain

Then, where is the soul? It is only a blind belief. All religions survive on the believers’ blind faith in soul, god, heaven, and hell. Once the belief in soul is accepted without question, then the game starts. Stories are woven around soul, which has to be saved through prayer - how to pray, what to pray, and whom to pray. These are the monopoly of religious priests. To sustain this belief system, holy books are created. Though the so-called holy books are written by people at various ages, they are propagated in the name of god because only then the believers accept it. Priests are the middlemen to interpret the meaning of holy books on behalf of god.

Parents give their religious beliefs to children. There is no choice for children to opt for their own religion or non religion. Since birth, children are brain washed with the belief system of their parents. Hence it is very difficult for persons to come out of that belief which is inculcated since birth. That is how the children of Muslims become Muslims; those of Christians become Christians, and so on. Even the educated persons are not able to come out of this childhood influence.

The concept of soul, god, heaven and hell and life –after-death cannot stand in front of rational questioning and scientific evidence.

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Philosophy Is Dead: Long Live Science

Innaiah Narisetti

In their latest book, The Grand Design, Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow declare positively that philosophy is dead. Alarming to philosophy lovers, of course.

During 1940s, M.N. Roy, the humanist philosopher, warned that unless philosophy took into consideration the philosophical consequences of modern science, it would not survive. That is exactly the reason why Stephen Hawking emphatically says that philosophy is dead.

Philosophy has to answer the questions faced by modern world but fail to do so. What are they?

“Why is there something rather than nothing?

Why do we exist?

Why this particular set of laws and not some others?”

Hitherto people thought that everything was created by god. They did this out of ignorance. For every natural event like thunder, lightning, rain, fire, oceans, earth, planets, or stars, ancient people imagined gods behind them. Hence they worshiped them to get favors and to escape calamities. Many gods were created and several religions emerged out of people’s ignorance.

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Why I Am A Humanist?

Innaiah Narisetti

During my childhood I was exposed only to religious custom, traditions and beliefs. This was between 1937-1950. When I entered college at Guntur town in Andhra, India, I come across two persons who influenced me. One is Yelavarthi Rosaiah, my teacher in English at Andhra Christian college, Guntur and another Avula Gopala Krishna Murthy (AGK), a humanist and follower of M .N. Roy`s Radical Humanism. They introduced to me the literature of M.N.Roy, R.G.Ingersoll, Charles Braudlaugh,  and  B.R.Ambedkar. That was a turning point to see the rational outlook in life.

Then came Professor A.B.Shah whose book Scientific Method had great impact on my life and thought. I translated it into Telugu later. Prof Shah was systematic in exposing ideas and he was a great teacher in humanist study camps. His critical outlook towards alternative medicines like Ayurveda and Homeopathy impressed me. The alternative medicines must prove themselves as scientific, which practitioners of these systems still refuse to do under some pretext.

I had come across several humanist, atheist, agnostic, and skeptic leaders in India with whom I had personal rapport. They are Gora, the atheist leader, Abraham Kovoor, the great challenger of cult babas, Premanand the great debunker of frauds of holy mathas and babas, Abraham Solomon, the secularist, Justice V.M.Tarukunde, Prof Sibnarayan Ray the intellectual follower of M N Roy, Premnath Bazaz the great critique of Gita,  V R Narla the editor and journalist under whose guidance I worked in Andhra Jyothi, the  Telugu daily, Ms Indumati Parekh, and others. All these acquaintances helped me to develop as  a humanist and at the same time apply thought to action in life.

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11 July: International Day Against Stoning

Prof Innaiah Narisetti has forwarded the following mail to us:

Dear friends

11 July, the International Day against Stoning, will soon be here.

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani

As you know Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani is still languishing in prison. The authorities recently mentioned her case saying that no final decision had yet been reached on her stoning sentence and that Sakineh must remain in prison. Falsely accused of murdering her husband, her only crime is that she is a woman in Iran. Her lawyer, Sajjad Houtan Kian, also remains in prison for having had the courage to defend her and other women with stoning sentences in Tabriz prison; he has been sentenced to four years imprisonment, been put under a lot of pressure and lost 20 kilos (44 pounds) as a result.

The campaign to Save Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani has been an important one. It has spoken out in defence of humanity, and against the barbaric punishment of stoning everywhere. It has mobilised immense pressure against and condemnation of the Islamic regime of Iran from millions across the globe. These are accomplishments we must all be proud of.

On 11 July 2011, the International Day against Stoning, let’s once again step up the pressure to demand Sakineh’s immediate release and an end to stoning. Join us by either standing in a city square with a photo or poster of Sakineh, tweeting, or by organising an act of solidarity or a flash mob to raise awareness and attention. On 11 July, in 100 cities worldwide, let us once again raise the banner of humanity against one of the barbarisms of our time.

We look forward to your action and support.

Warmest wishes

Mina Ahadi, International Committee against Stoning and Execution

Patty Debonitas, Iran Solidarity

Maryam Namazie, One Law for All

PLEASE ACT NOW!

1. Post your 11 July action and upload photos here on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/search.php?q=11%20july%202011%20internatoinal%20day%20against%20stoning&init=quick&tas=0.6320757414119951&ref=ts#!/pages/11-July-2011-International-Day-against-Stoning/237122256317387 or email to actionforsakineh@gmail.com with details for posting. You can also tweet on the day (#sakineh #IDAS #11July #iran #humanrights).

2. Send letters of protest to the Islamic regime of Iran:

Head of the Judiciary

Sadeqh Larijani

Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh (Office of the Head of the Judiciary)

Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri

Tehran 1316814737, Iran

Email: info@dadiran.ir or via website: http://www.dadiran.ir/tabid/75/Default.aspx

First starred box: your given name; second starred box: your family name; third: your email address

Head of the Judiciary in East Azerbaijan Province

Malek-Ashtar Sharifi

Office of the Head of the Judiciary in Tabriz

East Azerbaijan, Iran

Ali Khamenei

The Office of the Supreme Leader

Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street

Tehran, Iran

Email: via website: http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=letter (English)

http://www.leader.ir/langs/fa/index.php?p=letter (Persian)

Secretary General, High Council for Human Rights

Mohammad Javad Larijani

Howzeh Riassat-e Ghoveh Ghazaiyeh

Pasteur St, Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhuri

Tehran 1316814737, Iran

Fax: +98 21 3390 4986

Email: bia.judi@yahoo.com

3. Write to government officials, heads of state, MEPs and MPs in your country of residence and the UN calling on them to intervene to demand Sakineh and Houtan Kian’s release and to cease recognition of a regime that stones people to death in the 21st century.

4. Donate to the Save Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani campaign by making your cheque payable to ‘Count Me In – Iran’ and sending it to BM Box 6754, London WC1N 3XX, UK. You can also pay via Paypal (http://countmein-iran.com/donate.html). We also are looking for volunteers to help with design, graphics, fundraising, and outreach so please contact us if you can help at actionforsakineh@gmail.com.

5. For more information, contact:

Mina Ahadi, International Committee Against Stoning and International Committee Against Executions, minaahadi@aol.com, 0049 1775692413;http://notonemoreexecution.org/; http://stopstonningnow.com.

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