Belief In Life After Death, Like The Existence Of ...

Belief In Life After Death, like the existence of God, is widely embraced by American adults. According to a new Barna Research poll 81% believe in an afterlife of some sort. Another 9% say they are not certain. Just 10% contend there is no form of life after death. 79% agree, “Every person has a soul that will live forever, either in God’s presence or absence.” Evangelicals, born again Christians, and those 58 and older are the most likely segments to embrace life after death. Those least likely are Hispanics, Busters (ages 20-38), residents of the West, atheists and agnostics, those associated with a faith other than Christianity, and unchurched adults. 76% believe that Heaven exists and 71% believe in a Hell. Heaven is described as “a state of eternal existence in God’s presence” by 46% and “an actual place of rest and reward where souls go after death” by 30%. 39% believe that Hell is “a state of eternal separation from God’s presence” and 32% say it is “an actual place of torment and suffering where people’s souls go after death.” 64% of Americans believe they will go to Heaven, 5% claim they will come back as another life form, while 5% contend they will simply cease to exist. 24% admit they have ”no idea” what will happen after they die. 43% believe they will go to Heaven because they have “confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their savior.” 15% each feel they will get to Heaven because “they have tried to obey the 10 Commandments” or because “they are basically a good person,” while 6% believe they’ll get there because “God loves all people and will not let them perish.” (Barna Online 10/21/03)

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