The Grim Reaper
Astonishing Legends7 Okt 2018

The Grim Reaper

When you hear the name, "The Grim Reaper," a very familiar image probably pops into your head. With the black robe and cowl, skeletal face and hands or the visage of a dour corpse, a threatening scythe, and hourglass at its last sands, this is the image the modern, western person thinks of when we personify death. But where did this visual come from? How do we know what death looks like? And since death has always been with us, isn't this image as old as that finality itself? One might think so, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Surely since there have been humans, we have wondered what becomes of us once we die, where do we go when we shuffle off this mortal coil, and how do we get there? What we have found is that yes, we have always created myths and put a face on death in order to help comprehend such an abstract and mysterious concept, but that face has morphed through the ages and varies by culture. In the ancient western world, the concept of a Grim Reaper was more of a psychopomp, a guide that takes the freshly departed to their place in the afterlife. But since we have doubts nowadays when it comes to a more universally accepted idea of an afterlife, perhaps the notion of a ghastly specter that merely extinguishes our spark when our time has come is more relatable. And he's just a mythic character, right? A cartoon? Well not if you ask some folks who claimed to have seen him and lived to tell about it. Whatever the truth, in one sense, in the end, it doesn't matter if you believe at the moment of death that we are whisked away to another realm or it's just "lights out." As the saying goes, whether king or pauper, a Grim Reaper comes for us all.

For more information on this episode visit our website!

Episoder(424)

S1 Ep25: Knockin' on Devil's Den Door

S1 Ep25: Knockin' on Devil's Den Door

In tonight's dead letter, we explore the eerie experiences of Allie, a PhD candidate from the University of Arkansas, who revisits the hauntingly notorious Devil's Den in the Ozark National Forest. As...

15 Apr 202525min

The Max Headroom Pirate TV Incident Part 1

The Max Headroom Pirate TV Incident Part 1

Before streaming and scrolling there was broadcast television—shared signals sent through the air for anyone with an antenna to catch. But when something’s that open, it’s also open to hijacking. In p...

13 Apr 20251h 56min

S1 Ep24: The Shadow Man Who Wasn't There

S1 Ep24: The Shadow Man Who Wasn't There

In tonight's dead letter, we hear from Jada who encountered a shadowy figure with red eyes on two separate occasions in different locations. The first sighting occurred during a summer church camp, bu...

8 Apr 202515min

S1 Ep23: Unwanted Houseguests

S1 Ep23: Unwanted Houseguests

In tonight’s dead letter, a listener shares her stories of a childhood filled with unexplained phenomena in her family home just outside Toronto. From a mischievous spectral boy seen by the whole fami...

1 Apr 202532min

What Lies Beneath the Pyramids of Egypt

What Lies Beneath the Pyramids of Egypt

This week, we dive into a viral story that is captivating social media and stirring global debate — a supposed discovery beneath the sands of Giza that some are calling the find of the century. Descri...

31 Mar 20251h 53min

S1 Ep22: Bunny in a Tuxedo

S1 Ep22: Bunny in a Tuxedo

In tonight’s dead letter, we delve into a truly bizarre family tale spanning generations. Taylor shares her mother's childhood encounter with a giant, tuxedo-clad bunny rabbit residing in her friend's...

25 Mar 202530min

A Scared to Death Timesuck with Dan Cummins

A Scared to Death Timesuck with Dan Cummins

This week, we welcome master storyteller, podcaster, and comedian Dan Cummins, creator of the hit shows Timesuck and Scared to Death. Known for his deep dives into historical mysteries and the superna...

23 Mar 20251h 29min

S1 Ep21: A Call From Beyond

S1 Ep21: A Call From Beyond

In tonight’s Dead Letter, we explore a mysterious phone call received by long-time listener Michelle in the 1980s.  The caller identified himself as "Uncle Bill," a relative she had never known, leavi...

18 Mar 202532min

Populært innen Samfunn

rss-spartsklubben
giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
konspirasjonspodden
aftenpodden-usa
rss-nesten-hele-uka-med-lepperod
popradet
rss-henlagt-andy-larsgaard
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
wolfgang-wee-uncut
alt-fortalt
grenselos
synnve-og-vanessa
fladseth
rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
frokostshowet-pa-p5
min-barneoppdragelse
rss-frekvens-med-anine-olsen
rss-dannet-uten-piano
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem