where do we go after death

No one can say for certain, and different traditions answer it in different ways. Common views are that we go to an afterlife, are reborn, or simply cease consciousness, depending on belief.

Major beliefs

• Christianity: heaven, hell, and in some traditions purgatory.

• Islam: an intermediate state, then resurrection and judgment.

• Hinduism: rebirth guided by karma, with liberation as the ultimate goal.

• Buddhism: rebirth continues until liberation from the cycle of rebirth.

• Judaism: beliefs vary, but many traditions include an afterlife or world to come.

What people think

A recent Pew study found that in nearly every place surveyed, half or more of people say life after death is likely. That means the question is both ancient and still very current in how people think about death.

Simple answer

If you mean it philosophically, the honest answer is: nobody has a proven, universal answer. If you mean it religiously, the answer depends on the faith tradition you trust.

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