Western writing on Eastern religion has had, in the course of the last hundred years, because of its substance, an influence on the development of those religions themselves that certainly deserves
careful historical investigation; on the whole, because of the form in which it has mostly been cast, it has in addition been causing resentment and is beginning to elicit protest.22 Certainly anyone for whom comparative religion
studies are something that might or should serve to
promote mutual understanding and good relations between religious communities can not but be concerned at this contrary effect.
Studies have shown that while fleeting thoughts about death tend to
promote more self - enhancing and materialistic behaviours, more conscious and
careful processing of death has been shown to bring about the opposite reaction — adoption of goals that are less materialistic and more pro-social, a shift away from more superficial pursuits in favour of more meaningful ones.