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2. Beliefs about the afterlife
Nearly 8 in 10 South Africans say ancestors can help or hurt them
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- 2. Beliefs about the afterlife
- In most countries, majorities believe in life after death
- Majorities of Christians believe in life after death
- Most adults who pray daily believe in an afterlife
- In some countries, adults with more education are more likely to say there is life after death
- In Spain and the UK, wide age gaps on belief in an afterlife
- Nearly 8 in 10 South Africans say ancestors can help or hurt them
- Religiously unaffiliated adults are often least likely to believe that ancestors’ spirits can help or harm them
- European women are more likely than men to believe in the influence of ancestors’ spirits
- Only in Kenya and Sri Lanka do majorities believe in reincarnation
- Buddhists among the most likely to believe in rebirth
- In 10 countries, the youngest adults are more likely to believe in reincarnation