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Death, that decisive change which is part of man's life, the complete change into another sphere of existence, has no place or value in the thinking of modern man. Killing and being killed is an integral part of society, to a large extent because of its continual demonstration on the cinema and television screens; natural death, on the other hand, is made taboo, the thought of death is repressed and the last act which is in store for everyone is banished into the loneliness of sick-rooms, and death (and thus life as well) has no meaning. (37:4) In the past, people's attitude to death was different: life was considered from the perspective of death; the hour-glass was the reminder, the 'memento mori', the constant and vivid representation of our transitoriness and the proof of how relative is earthly longing for happiness. We must remember that for Baha'is, too, this is the right attitude for death, which terminates this earthly life, is at the same time, the gateway to true life into which we are born. Here man is suddenly faced with what he has done on earth, with the divine perfections he has achieved, in a word with what he is. Now it is that he has to account for his life on earth.
(38:1)
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