Immortality

===Ancient religions===

Within the intricate tapestry of ancient religious ideologies, delve into a profound contemplation of the concept of immortality. Simultaneously, broaden the expanse of this intellectual exploration, allowing for a more comprehensive examination of the subject matter.

====Ancient Greek religion====
Immortality in [[ancient Greek religion]] originally always included an eternal union of body and soul as can be seen in [[Homer]], [[Hesiod]], and various other ancient texts. The soul was considered to have an eternal existence in Hades, but without the body the soul was considered dead. Although almost everybody had nothing to look forward to but an eternal existence as a disembodied dead soul, a number of men and women were considered to have gained physical immortality and been brought to live forever in either [[Elysium]], the [[Islands of the Blessed]], heaven, the ocean or literally right under the ground.
Among those humans made immortal were [[Amphiaraus]], [[Ganymede (mythology)|Ganymede]], [[Ino (Greek mythology)|Ino]], [[Iphigenia]], [[Menelaus]], [[Peleus]], and a great number of those who fought in the Trojan and Theban wars. [[Asclepius]] was killed by Zeus, and by [[Apollo]]'s request, was subsequently immortalized as a star.<ref name="ReferenceA">Emma and Ludwig Edelstein, ''Asclepius: Collection and Interpretation of the Testimonies, Volume 1, Page 51</ref><ref name="Sabine G p.47">[[Sabine G. MacCormack]] ''Concise Encyclopedia of Greek and Roman Mythology'' p.47</ref><ref name="Theony Condos p.141">Theony Condos, ''Star Myths of the Greeks and Romans'', p.141</ref>

In [[ancient Greek religion]] a number of men and women have been interpreted as being resurrected and made [[#Ancient Greek religion|immortal]]. [[Achilles]], after being killed, was snatched from his funeral pyre by his divine mother [[Thetis]] and brought to an immortal existence in either Leuce, the [[Elysium|Elysian plains]] or the [[Fortunate Isles|Islands of the Blessed]]. [[Memnon (mythology)|Memnon]], who was killed by Achilles, seems to have received a similar fate. [[Alcmene]], [[Castor and Pollux|Castor]], [[Heracles]], and [[Melicertes]], are also among the figures interpreted to have been resurrected to physical immortality. According to [[Herodotus]]'s [[Histories (Herodotus)|''Histories'']], the seventh century BC sage [[Aristeas of Proconnesus]] was first found dead, after which his body disappeared from a locked room. He would reappear alive years later.<ref>Endsjø, ''Greek Resurrection Beliefs'', 54-64; cf. Finney, ''Resurrection, Hell and the Afterlife'', 13-20.</ref> However, Greek attitudes towards resurrection were generally negative, and the idea of resurrection was considered neither desirable nor possible.<ref>[[N.T. Wright]], ''The Resurrection of the Son of God'' (2003), p.53</ref> For example, [[Asclepius]] was killed by Zeus for using herbs to resurrect the dead, but by his father [[Apollo]]'s request, was subsequently immortalized as a star.<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref name="Sabine G p.47"/><ref name="Theony Condos p.141"/>

Writing his ''Lives of Illustrious Men'' ([[Parallel Lives]]) in the first century, the [[Middle Platonism|Middle Platonic]] philosopher [[Plutarch]] in his chapter on [[Romulus]] gave an account of the king's mysterious disappearance and subsequent deification, comparing it to Greek tales such as the physical immortalization of Alcmene and Aristeas the [[Proconnesian]], "for they say Aristeas died in a fuller's work-shop, and his friends coming to look for him, found his body vanished; and that some presently after, coming from abroad, said they met him traveling towards Croton". Plutarch openly scorned such beliefs held in ancient Greek religion, writing, "many such improbabilities do your fabulous writers relate, deifying creatures naturally mortal."<ref>''[[Parallel Lives]], Life of Romulus 28:4-6''</ref> Likewise, he writes that while something within humans comes from the gods and returns to them after death, this happens "only when it is most completely separated and set free from the body, and becomes altogether pure, fleshless, and undefiled."<ref>Collins, Adela Yarbro (2009), ''"Ancient Notions of Transferal and Apotheosis"'', pp 46,51</ref>

The parallel between these traditional beliefs and the later resurrection of Jesus was not lost on early Christians, as [[Justin Martyr]] argued:
: "when we say ... Jesus Christ, our teacher, was crucified and died, and rose again, and ascended into heaven, we propose nothing different from what you believe regarding those whom you consider sons of Zeus."<ref>{{cite book |author=[[Justin Martyr]] |title=First Apology |at=21}}</ref>

The philosophical idea of an immortal soul was a belief first appearing with either [[Pherecydes of Syros|Pherecydes]] or the [[Orphics]], and most importantly advocated by [[Plato]] and his followers. This, however, never became the general norm in Hellenistic thought. As may be witnessed even into the Christian era, not least by the complaints of various philosophers over popular beliefs, many or perhaps most traditional Greeks maintained the conviction that certain individuals were resurrected from the dead and made physically immortal and that others could only look forward to an existence as disembodied and dead, though everlasting, souls.{{sfn|Rohde|1925}}

====Zoroastrianism====
[[Zoroastrian]]s believe that on the fourth day after death, the human soul leaves the body and the body remains as an empty shell. Souls would go to either heaven or hell; these concepts of the afterlife in Zoroastrianism may have influenced Abrahamic religions. The Persian word for "immortal" is associated with the month "Amurdad", meaning "deathless" in Persian, in the [[Iranian calendar]] (near the end of July). The month of Amurdad or [[Ameretat]] is celebrated in Persian culture as ancient Persians believed the "Angel of Immortality" won over the "Angel of Death" in this month.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hoshang |first=J. Bhadha, Dr. |date=nd |title=Effect of wearing cap on Zarathustri Urvaan |website=Zoroastrianism |id=topic&nbsp;33 |url=http://tenets.zoroastrianism.com/topi33.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170727145155/http://tenets.zoroastrianism.com/topi33.html |archive-date=27 July 2017 }}</ref>