A Comp arison: Sumerian and Hebrew Views of the Afterlife
             For centuries religion has been a significant and intricate part of human societies. Some would say that religion is as important to mankind as food and water. While food and water keeps us going,religion provides a reason and purpose for that life. In short, religion is man's attempt to understand the world around them and their place in it. Furthermore, religious values maintain order and a code of how mankind should behave among their peers and families. As religion is man-made, it can reveal much about a society's standards and sense of self. So, religion is both a shaper as well as a reflection of society. The ancient Sumerian and Hebrew societies both held detailed religious beliefs which shaped their different perspectives. Each society also, under the canopy of their own religion, had a belief in and perception of the afterlife. Hense, their different beliefs in that afterlife can be seen as an explanation for the ways in which they perceived and lived life.
             The Sumarians pursued life with voracious thirst and believed in enjoying life to the fullest, savoring all human pleasures. On the other hand, the Hebrew religion stressed the importance of
             traditions and accordance with repressive laws that pleased their God, believing that their real life was after death in heaven. The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Old Testament of the Bible provide good sources for the comparison of these different civilization's perceptions of life and death.
             The Epic of Gilgamesh presents a clear picture of Sumerian religious beliefs. Similar to Greek mythology, the Sumarians believed in many imperfect gods. These gods were not flawless or
             unconditionally loving but could be playful, mischievous, fickle, and even unfair in their dealings with mankind. So in temperament, these gods were human-like and not always dependable. Furthermore,
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