Death and afterlife

• Atheists


  Believe that at death one ceases to exist, do not believe there is an afterlife and do not believe that people have souls
• Christians


  Believe that death is not the end and that God judges whether a person will spend eternity in heaven or in hell
• Catholic Church


  Believes in purgatory, where souls undergo purification in order to achieve the holiness necessary to approach God and enter heaven
• Christian beliefs about afterlife


  • Immediate judgement on death and transition to heaven or hell
  • Wait until the Day of Judgement and the return of Jesus
  • Heaven in physical bodies
  • Souls live on for eternity
• Christians point to the resurrection of Jesus as evidence of an afterlife
• Heaven


  Where God resides, indescribably wonderful, place of worship and no more death, mourning, crying or pain
• Hell


  Originally designed for Satan and demons, place of punishment for the unrighteous, described as a place of torment
• There are different Christian interpretations of the descriptions of hell
• Christianity teaches that seeking an eternity in heaven is more important than any other ambition
• How to get to heaven


  God sent Jesus to die on a cross to conquer sin and death, those who put their faith and trust in him might be forgiven and have eternal life in heaven, salvation is a free gift not earned by being a good person
• Ian McCormack


  • New Zealander who went on a world trip, was stung by a deadly jellyfish, claimed he woke up in hell and then heaven, chose to return and became a Christian preacher