"There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol." (Chapter 3)
Soma is "Christianity without the tears." Mustapha claims it is a better alternative to religion and nothingness.
"Which will finish her off in a month or two," the doctor confided to Bernard. "One day the respiratory centre will be paralyzed. No more breathing. Finished. And a good thing too. If we could rejuvenate, of course it would be different. But we can't." Linda will end her life in Soma induced bliss. (Ch. 11)
"But aren't you shortening her life by giving her so much?"
"In one sense, yes," Dr. Shaw admitted. "But in another we're actually lengthening it." The young man stared, uncomprehending. "Soma may make you lose a few years in time," the doctor went on. "But think of the enormous, immeasurable durations it can give you out of time. Every soma-holiday is a bit of what our ancestors used to call eternity." (chapter 11)