Luke, you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.
So true, and our own point of view is constructed to suit our needs and aims. The more we fear death, the more we will construct a belief system that mitigates that fear.
The mind is both wonderful and treacherous but it serves its purpose, which is to navigate a way through life that we find acceptable or at least bearable. I prefer to think of myself as agnostic because it offers the most flexibility.