Death is a natural part of life that we all face one day. How friends and loved ones cope with this period is based on their culture or religious beliefs and their support system. Different religions or cultures have different mourning customs that are unique to their beliefs. For this project, three religious practices were examined: Christian, Muslim, and Catholic, along with their unique customs and beliefs. Despite the wide range of differences between each culture, they all believe in life after death and in the existence of a heaven and a hell. CHRISTIANITY Christians believe that once they have lived a holy and acceptable life, when they die they will go to heaven to be with God. On the other hand, if you have lived an unrighteous life you will be seen as a sinner and if you die without repenting of your sin, the your afterlife will be spent in hell. In the eyes of the righteous, death is seen as a moment of happiness because family and friends have the confidence that the deceased is in a better place and if they too live an acceptable life they will see their loved ones again. Death is also seen as a time of sadness because the deceased will be missed by friends and loved ones. PREPARATION While a person is on his deathbed, the pastor will prepare him for death. This happens through prayer and reconciliation. After the person passes away, the pastor may visit the grieving family to offer comfort and/or assistance. It will help them deal with death and will also help with funeral arrangements if necessary. Additionally, friends often send their condolences in the form of cards and/or flowers to the family of the deceased. FUNERAL Unlike Muslims who believe only in burial, Christians can choose to be buried... middle of paper.... ..h death rather than talk about their grief with counselors or psychologists. This is because they can talk about their loss in their own terms and at their own level. The Rev. Lavender Kelley, pediatric chaplain at Children's Memorial Hospital of Chicago, spends much of her time helping children overcome various forms of grief, including the loss of loved ones. He explained that children don't feel the same sense of loss as an adult because their brains aren't fully developed. Because it is difficult for children to understand death as a permanent state, it is important to use concrete language. Kelley says being vague or using metaphors to explain death will lead children to indulge in fantasies haunted by something that will never change. One way you can help children deal with death is to listen to them and let them ask questions.