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 o

omniscient, just, all-powerful, and holy. They also believe that the world they live in is not how God intended it, but tainted by sin and hense they are able to explain death and evil. As written in the chapter of Genisis in the Bible, the Hebrews believe that shortly after creation the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, disobeyed God and damned the rest of mankind with their sin. Hense all their decendents would be imperfect, separated from God, and ultimately die. But death was not the end for the Hebrew people for God provided a second chance in a happy afterlife. So, the Hebrews focus is on abiding by the laws of their God, and hense being righteous and avoiding sin. Furthermore, they believe in many traditions

Furthermore, after Enkindu's death, Gilgamesh realizes his own mortality and is hense unable to enjoy life's pleasure. He begins to dwell on the unfairness and inevitability of death and is greatly distraught and depressed. So, he goes out on his search for everlasting life. He travels and suffers in search of the one mortal to achieve immortality: Utnapishtim. Upon his search he encounters Siduri, "the woman of the vine" (33), and she tells him, "When the gods created man they allotted to him death." (34) She then tells him to enjoy life, to eat well and cherish his wife and his children as these pleasures too are part of man's destiny. (34) Regardless of Siduri's advise Gilgamesh continues his search for Utnapishtim

there was no promising afterlife for Sumarians. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Enkindu, upon his death, reveals a dream of the underworld to his friend Gilgamesh. Enkindu describes the world as desolate,

unconditionally lo

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Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)