[Serious] Literal and Not Literal

[Acrobat]

Except there one glaring issue.

Most religious scriptures, christians or pagan, etc..., especially in the Ancient world are not that consoling, and more often then not, don't offer any sort of rosy afterlife, and many Jews didn't believe there was one. The OT almost has nothing to say about life after death, let alone painting a comforting picture of what awaits.

The NT sure, has an idea of heaven, though it's quite vague. When folks ask Jesus about the nature of it, he's quick to be dismissive.

Generally speaking, it applies to most popular religions. Exceptions may exist, but such consoling myths do exist in most religions which include the primitive ones. Myths about death is an example, which is why "death" was preceded with "like."

This doesn’t seem to be even generally true. People in practice generally are consolatory when dealing with death, we pretty much tell everyone grieving over loss, something like he’s in a better place, or he’s no longer suffering, etc...

But religious myths, even as Belaqua pointed out, that have an after life of some sorts whether reincarnation or heaven, hardly seem to fill the same role, in fact they tend to offer an alternative destructive place or state as well. So whatever purpose myths that contain suggestions of an after life, it doesn’t seem to be for the purpose of consultation.