About the true You
The Eukaryotes of Earth
All living things: plants, mushrooms, animals and humans have something in common: We are Eukaryotes, organisms with cells who have a nucleus, containing our DNA. The recipe that makes every living thing unique and at the same time relates all life to each other from its origin in a puddle around 3.7 billion years ago.
You are related to every living thing on this planet. Everything that also has DNA, which is basically everything besides rock and water. Everything in your home that's not plastic or metal comes from something that has DNA and is therefore related to you, Some closer, some less close, that's it. Two twigs on a tree, one served as food, one eating to continue to live. Beef eater or not, you're eating DNA. The 3.7 billion recipe to create meaning but also disconnect to true roots & vales that work for the whole tribe.
Life & Monkey Business
According to taxonomy, you are a hominid ("great ape"), a primate (mammal) that has actually 2 chromosomes less than any of our close cousins like a chimp for example (we 46, they 48) with whom you share 98.8% of your DNA. This is true for all 8 billion hominids on this planet. What is often forgotten is that we truly understand our evolutionary path only since the 19th century when Charles Darwin published "The Evolution of Species" in 1859. Before that, we had no plausible explanation why we are here and had to resort to superstitious assumptions. We didn't know that there were at least 4 other species of hominids living at the time when our story started. Homo erectus lived approx. 2 million years, 10 times longer than we do. We are the last remaining hominid and have outlived and outsmarted our competition thanks to our brains and social behavior. We are the "master species", all 8 billion of us. Maybe we should focus on what got us here (e.g. ingenuity and social behavior) and drop what hindered us to achieve even greater things (e.g. superstition, ignorance and hate).
Death & Secular Heaven
We don't need a false consolation about what death means to us. It took around 13.7 billion years to create you. You are made up of 7 octillion (10 with 27 zeros) atoms, most of which were created by the big bang or exploding stars. You are part of this universe just like the sun or any other material thing that exists. Once you die and assuming your remains are more or less 6 feet under, then you'll be the food for other Eukaryotes. Different organisms breaking down what constitutes "You" to nutrient rich soil which allows bugs, worms, plants and subsequently animals to thrive in the vicinity where you are buried. You are reintegrated into Eukaryan society and parts of you are carried on in millions of tiny organisms who can thrive thanks to your remains. Giving life with death. Isn't this notion more beautiful than some pearly gates and a critical, non-existent judge awaiting you?