The concept of the afterlife is the most common throughout many religions and many individuals have reported heavenly experiences in near death experiences. The most common view of death throughout many religions is the soul - a version of the deceased which continues to exist in some form after death.
Throughout history, many cultures have possessed their own personification of death. This personification is sometimes known as the Grim Reaper or simply Death, and usually appears wearing a black hooded robe and carrying a scythe. Many religions use a god or deity who stood for death and/or the afterlife:
- Ankou (Breton)
- Hades (Greek)
- Hel (Norse)
- Hun-Came (Mayan)
- Izanami (Shinto)
- Kamatayan (Philippines)
- Loki (Norse)
- Mictlantecuhtli (Aztec)
- The Morrigan (Irish)
- Mors (Roman)
- Mot (Canaanite)
- Odin (Norse)
- Osiris (Egyptian)
- Shemal (Semitic)
- Shinigami (Japanese)
- Sielulintu, Kalma, Surma (Finnish)
- Thanatos (Greek)
- Tuoni (Finnish)
- Yama (Hindu)
- Yanluo (Chinese)
In medicine, when a person has lost their pulse, that is considered clinical death. After clinical death, assuming the heart is not restarted, the cells will enter apostasy, or cellular death, which is irreversible. Finally, there is chemical death, where the body returns to the basic components via decomposition
Many religious people, including Christians, believe only their bodies die, not their souls. They believe they have everlasting life in either Heaven or Hell once their corporeal life has ended. Other Christians believe that the noncorporeal soul may remain with the body until the day of Christ's return.
Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life.
- John 5:46-48 King James Version
Most atheists have a rather nihilistic concept of death usually seeing it as the end of their existence.
Did God Truly Die? http://www.conservapedia.com/Essay:_Did_God_Truly_Die%3F