What happens when we die?
Exploring the origin of Religion
Monotheistic faiths like Islam and Christianity believe in only one God, while polytheistic religions like Hinduism believe in multiple Gods. Religions, such as Buddhism do not believe in any God, but instead follow the teachings of Buddha. The pie-chart below illustrates the umbrella faiths, which include more than 4,000 different religious practices today. Despite the number of religious traditions, many are closely linked and in some cases even follow the same scriptures. Since not all of them can be true, we examine the most widely practiced faiths, their doctrines, and their perspectives on the afterlife, in an effort to assist you in determining if any could be the truth. Links to specific religious websites have been included should you wish to learn more about different religious practice.
World Religious Populations
Sources: Desert News, World Methodist Council, New World Encyclopedia, Roots Moravian Church, Pew Research Center, Mennonite World Conference, Lutheran World Federation, The Atlas of Religion, Global Ministries, World Religion Database, Buddah Net, Jewish Virtual Library, Bahai World News Service.
Overview
Based on the most widely recognized scientific theory, Earth was formed 4.6 billion years ago when gases and dust combined around a young sun. Gravity drew our planet together, causing it to grow larger as dust and asteroids clashed. Our planet changed over time, gaining water and an atmosphere. The nineteenth-century "theory of evolution by natural selection" put forward by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace suggests that life began as a marine microorganism and developed over millions of years into the diverse species that exist today.
The majority of religions maintain that a God created the earth, the sun, the moon, and stars, as well as all other planets in the universe and all living creatures, including mankind. While certain religions may endorse evolution, the majority of faiths believe in an afterlife and the struggle between good and evil. Religions generally say that our fate for eternal life after death depends on whether we choose to follow their God and his teachings. Some religions believe we are reincarnated, while the majority believe we either go to Heaven, a place of eternal bliss, or Hell, a place of torment and unspeakable horrors.
