Life, Death, and Beyond Trivia Quiz

Answer: Apocalypticism

The Greek work 'apokalypsis' can be translated as 'revelation', and is the source for the English word apocalypse. The term originally referred to an unveiling of God's will, but has come to be associated with catastrophic events, and often with a confrontation between the forces of good and evil.

Some religions view the apocalypse they anticipate as being a positive stage in human development, some see it as destructive, some see it as just happening.

Answer: Olam Ha'zeh

Olam Ha'zeh (This World) is the focus of most teachings in Judaism, but this world is expected to end, leading to Ha-'olam Haba (The World to Come), which will contain Gan Eden (the heavenly, rather than the earthly, Garden of Eden) and Gehinom (the place to which the wicked will be condemned). According to most Judaic sources, these are not exclusively for Jews - all who live their lives in accordance with the Laws of Noah will find a future in Gan Eden.

Answer: Messiah

The word messiah (anointed one) was originally used more widely to refer to kings and priests, both classes of people who are anointed with oil as part of the rituals conferring their status. In eschatological writings, the term is applied to an anticipated Jewish king descended from the line of David who will rule during the age when God's rule over the world is reestablished.

Some expect this to be a military leadership, others consider it to be performed in the guise of enlightened teaching which will restore rightness to the world. Over the years, there have been many who claimed (or were claimed by their followers) to be the Messiah, one of the more familiar being Jesus of Nazareth, whose adherents separated themselves from mainstream Judaism to form the new religion of Christianity.

Answer: Book of Revelation

The "Book of Revelation" is also called the "Book of the Revelation of Saint John the Divine", the "Apocalypse of John", the "Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ", "Revelation", "Revelations", and the "Apocalypse". It is the only New Testament book that focuses on eschatological issues, and was written by John of Patmos, the island where the author says he received his first visions. It is unclear whether John of Patmos, John the Apostle and John the Evangelist (who wrote the Gospel of John and the Epistles of John) are the same person or two or three different ones. It has also been suggested that the author was actually basing his writings on the prophecies of John the Baptist, and that the author's use of the name John was in reference to him, not a statement of the author's own name.

Christian eschatology also draws on passages in other parts of the Bible, especially the Old Testament books of Isaiah and Daniel, and Chapter 24 of the Gospel of Matthew.

Answer: Eastern Orthodox

Traditionally, Christians have preferred burial in the earth or a tomb, for a number of reasons including Jesus' example and a sense that the sanctified body should not be destroyed. There are also many who feel it is more consistent with their doctrine of bodily resurrection at the time of the second coming of Christ.

However, it has never been an article of faith, and attitudes are changing.

Answer: Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism is based on the teachings of Zoroaster (also known as Zarathustra), who lived in the region now called Iran sometime between 3000 BCE and 400 BCE. His existence is primarily known through the texts, written in the Avestan language, which form the basis for Zoroastrianism. Ahura Mazda, the Creator, is entirely good, and is opposed by the forces of evil which try to destroy what has been created. Eventually, good is expected to triumph over evil, and the original state of perfection will be restored.

This final renovation of the world will be brought about by Saoshyant (literally 'one who brings benefit'); it will involve resurrection of the dead followed by a final judgment in which each individual will be tested by the ordeal of walking through a river of molten metal which will destroy the wicked and leave the righteous unscathed to enjoy the eternally good world in which they will find themselves.

Answer: Mahdi

A large part of the Qur'an deals with eschatological issues. Among these is the idea of the Mahdi, who, it says, will be a descendent of Muhammad. His coming will be recognized by a number of signs, and he will overcome the injustice and oppression which fill the world, ushering in a world of justice and equity.

After a reign of some years (different traditions give different lengths of time for his rule), al-Qiyamah will arrive, and all souls will be judged. After bodily resurrection, the righteous will go to Jannah (which translates as Garden), a place of bliss; the unrighteous will go to Jahannam, equivalent to the Judaic Gehenna and Christian Hell.

Answer: Hinduism

According to Hindu eschatalogy, each universe cycle (Divya Yuga) is composed of four yugas. Each yuga has increasing degeneration of moral virtue and shortening of the human life span, leading to increased suffering and strife. Satya Yuga (sometimes called the Golden Age) lasts for 1.6 billion years and humans live for 10,000 years; Treta Yuga (Silver Age) lasts for 1.3 billion years, Dwapara Yuga (Bronze Age) for 884 million years, and Kali Yuga (Iron Age) for 448 million years. We are now in Kali Yuga, associated with the demon Kali, not the goddess whose name is sometimes spelled similarly.

This cycle will end when Sri Kalki, final avatar (physical manifestation of a god on earth) of Vishnu, will battle Kali to destroy all evil and start a new cycle.

Answer: Siddhartha Gautama

Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha ('Enlightened One') of our age, is the originator of the current religion of Buddhism, and is considered a significant religious figure in such other religions as Hinduism (where he is considered an avatar of Vishnu), Ahmadiyya Islam, and Baha'i. Buddhists have developed a view that we live in a deteriorating world, due to increasingly ignorant behaviours. Lives get shorter (from the original 100,000 years to the current 100 or so, to an anticipated 10 years in the future) as morality gets worse. Eventually, we will arrive at a time of barbarity during which humans will hunt each other, and only a small number will survive by escaping from civilization.

When they rebuild a world of virtue, life spans will start to increase again.

Answer: Baha'i

The adherents of Baha'i believe that creation has neither a beginning nor an end, although there are times of transition. God has revealed himself progressively via a series of prophets, including Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad. The arrival of each prophet provides a Day of Judgment - accepting the new religious revelation allows one to move forward closer to God; rejecting it leads to estrangement from God. Baha'u'llah is the latest prophet, but not the last - there will never be a last one, as God will continue sending prophets with messages that are appropriate for humanity at that time.