How My Childhood Experiences Shaped My Belief in Spirituality and the Afterlife.

Our rationality is merely thoughts to justify the preconceived opinion that had long been molded into us by our environment and genes (forces of nature and nurture)

I had a short time to reflect after a Jehovah’s Witness preached to me, sharing some of their beliefs and referencing the bible. I was wondering why the idea of a Sentient being losing consciousness was acceptable to anyone. I can’t think of nonexistence just the way we cannot picture infinity. Then it occurred to me that I did not choose to accept all I believe. It all just happened.

My questioning of life, death, and the afterlife started when I was merely five and growing up in Nigeria. Perhaps it was because of the fear the environment had put in us, the young ones. They linked every death to witchcraft or evil perpetrated by someone who disliked the deceased (this still happens today in Nigeria).

Even the television programs continually reminded us that some evil people wanted us dead. My siblings and I had no restriction on what we could or couldn’t watch on television. I was terrified of death. I still wonder why I thought of death so much at that age, considering I had lost no one to death. In hindsight, I watched a lot of death-related content that ware inappropriate for my age. Perhaps that is to blame.

I was an introvert and a loner. I was always with my thoughts, so it had time to wander to the darkest of places.

One day, my mom and I were walking on a lonely road. It was dark, and not even the moonlight was visible. We could only see about a meter or so ahead as we walked hand in hand. The road slopes to the left. For a while, we were still walking. Where to? I can’t tell. As much as I can remember, I slid towards the sloppy left and died. While my mom was wailing in tears, I was crying too (the dead me). I told her I was still alive and that she shouldn’t cry. She…

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