The Myth of Immortality Summary by Clarence Darrow

In his essay "The Myth of Immortality," Clarence Darrow explains his belief that life after death is a hoax and backs up his logic with logical reasoning. Darrow finds it hard to believe that life exists after death simply because there are no facts to prove that it exists. He states that "if people really believed in a beautiful, happy, glorious land waiting after death why don't they hasten themselves to it." Darrow also shows his discern in his views for the soul questioning that if we do have a soul, when is it created in the natural process of reproduction? He also questions "If a man has a soul that persists after death, that goes to a heaven of the blessed or to a hell of the damned, where are those places?" Moreover, he goes into detail and explains his reasoning against the resurrection of the body. He states the mere thought of such ideas beggars reason, ignores facts, and enthrones blind faith, wild dreams, hopeless hopes, and cowardly fears as sovereign of the human mind, despite the fact the bible clearly states that Jesus has risen from the dead and ascended into heaven. Darrow moves on into the scientific reasoning stating that people take comfort in the law that matter and force cannot be destroyed, meaning their soul lives on forever. Darrow continues and says that there is no proof that memory and consciousness exists after death. Even more, Darrow continues with his statement "We are assured that without faith, life is only desolation and despair." Or in other words, Darrow says that people "create" a place that exists after death in order to ease the natural fears. In conclusion Darrow states "we should be more kind to each other and make our lives easier for we live a common life and die a common death."