Annihilationism

Also known as Conditional Immortality or Conditionalism.

From the Latin word 'nihil', which means 'nothing'. This an umbrella term used to refer to a group of beliefs about life after death. These beliefs include:

The belief that unsaved people spend an interval of time in Hell. Their length of stay is matched to the frequency and seriousness of their evil deeds. They are then exterminated and cease to exist. This view is also supported by some biblical passages.

After death, unsaved people will immediately cease to exist in any form. This is taught by most Adventist groups, by the Jehovah's Witnesses and other Christian groups. This contrasts with the historical Christian belief that the unsaved will be tortured for all eternity in Hell without hope of mercy or cessation. Both views can be supported by selected biblical passages.

The belief; common among Agnostics, Atheists, Humanists, secularists and others; that after death everyone will automatically cease to exist. After death, we live on only in the DNA that we have passed on to the next generation, and in the influences that we have had on other people and society while we were alive.