ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the methodological details for the overall study, as well as the results and findings related to anticipatory death events. More specifically, the student respondents outlined what they thought death entailed. They also divulged their death fears and speculated what they thought might happen at the exact moment of death. Finally, the student respondents described their preferred last rites. In all of the aforementioned instances, religion came into the picture in different ways. Most commonly, students referred to an afterlife, a “next life,” an eternal life, or, in some cases, “eternal purgatory.” It was evident that ideas about heaven and hell were indoctrinated by some congregations and religions. In addition, for some respondents, religious symbolism and rituals were crucial parts of their social identity and, hence, were conspicuously integrated into their imaginary funeral and, in some cases, tombstone script and even obituary. Thus, religion remained important for those with strong congregational or religious ties, even upon death, and even after death.
