Affiliate Marketing Secrets

The image of heaven, a society in the clouds with angels and harps and the like is a common motif in pop culture, great works of art, and Christian culture in general. Parents tell their children that Grandma is up in heaven, watching over them and will be there when they die.
Hell, too, has been portrayed as a firey, subterrainian realm filled with tortured souls subjected to any number of punishments. Satan is depicted as a red skinned demon with horns and a goatee. People talk about how child molesters and serial killers will burn in hell as soon as they die.
Yet, the Scriptures are not consistant with these images. I suspect much of this imagery comes from pre-Christian traditions, but when did they become authorized by the Church (if indeed they ever were)? If not, how did the perception of the afterlife in such terms come to be so widespread?

This is not a religiously oriented question. I don’t care what faith you have, scientific or religiously verified conclusions are welcomed. Though, I am someone who appreciates scientific verification’s above religious rhetoric or philosophy. I do not like to put faith in things that cannot be verified or recognized to be slightly probable.
The extent to which we can calculate or figure out probabilities is determined by our intellectual capability to recognize patterns. The less bias we are, or how receptive we are to new information that may oppose our current world view, the clearer we can identify these patterns and base our actions on reasonable probabilities. Since it’s in the very nature of our brain deny ideas that do not fit into our current paradigm, the more attached we are to a belief system, the less able we are to make conscious choices for ourselves.
Therefore, I make it clear I am not basing my question on a religious foundation, nor am I not excluding religious probabilities. I am not biased, and I am not looking for biased results in this question. If you believe life after death or don’t, I would like to know what information you are using to base your faith on that particular probability.
Though, desiring a response from an Atheist may seem pointless and obvious, however, there is indeed information non-religiously affiliated that would be appropriate enough to put faith in a probable afterlife. I wont go into detail, because it is irrelevant to my question, but understand I am desiring answers from all aspects of beliefs and faiths.
God, or Godless, what do you think is the fate we all share when we die? Nothing? Afterlife?

I believe in God – He is incorporeal, and supreme – there is no trinity, or whatever. I believe that you don’t have to believe in Him to get to an afterlife – all that matters is HOW you conduct yourself in this life. I believe that he LOVES everyone – regardless if you’re an atheist, Muslim, Christian, homosexual or not, or whatever.
However, I don’t believe in Jesus. I see him as a historical figure, and that’s all it is for me.
What are my beliefs called? I’m kind of sick of having to tell people my religious beliefs “I believe in God but I’m not affiliated with a religion or a faith.” It’s a bit of a hassle.