Immortality Beliefs

Christians, Muslims and Jews believe that when people die, they are not reborn. They should continue to live on in heaven or hell.

Christians believe:

• when Jesus returns, we'll all be resurrected into powerful beings like him
• everyone will be resurrected at the end of the world/straight away after judgement (instantaneous)
• Catholics believe the soul is immortal and therefore cannot be resurrected

Muslims believe:

• in resurrection of the body
• everyone will be resurrected at the end of the world
• the soul stays with the body around the grave and will be questioned by angels

Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs believe in reincarnation. They believe that people can be reborn as another being after death. The quality of this life will be determined by how they lived their previous life.

Buddhists believe:

• in Samsara - the process of going around in circles: being born, dying, being born again etc. Aim: to continue life cycle until person can break free from it when enlightenment is reached
• in Karma - the law of actions and consequences: how you live your next life is determined by the way you acted in the previous life therefore you can reborn as an animal
• that they should be very careful about how they act to break the life cycle and to lead pleasant lives