What really happens when we die....

I don't like to be morbid, and this is such a taboo subject, but it is inevitable that all living things will eventually die. Life is such a precious gift and so many people, including myself, take it for granted. My personal beliefs are not intended to offend, or befriend anyone and are just my personal thoughts.
I have recently been pondering this question to myself - What really happens when we die? This is a question that no really knows the answer to. I myself was raised a Lutheran and went to church regularly and had a true faith in God in my youth. I am not saying that I still don't believe per say, but I do question reality. What if I was born and raised in Iraq with a strong Muslim faith and thought the rest of the religous world was wrong. I know many christians who believe that being muslim is sac religious, but what if you were born into it. Just like you were probably born into the christian faith and taught this religion since birth. Does that make them wrong. Someone has to be wrong and who is anyone to say that thier God is "the" God. Their faith is as strong as yours, but who is right. I myself refuse to believe that I will cease to exist when I die. That, to me, would be the ultimate cruelty, but I really don't know for sure if that is the case and that really scares me.
I want to believe that there is a place beyond this world. I want to be able to see my relatives and friends who have passed on again. I just think that it is so beyond our grasp that it is unexplainable. Will we remember our life, our family and friends. Will we just cease to exist or possibly be born into a new life. Not the same soul, but just born as a new entity. The way I see it is that every human being is extremely lucky because we were born human. I have a dog and a cat, they are living creatures born into this world with their own personalities. Think about it, they have no clue about religion, they were just born into this world as something different than us humans. We could have easily been born as a dog, or shark, or a rat, but we were lucky enough to be born as humans and we go and have wars, and kill fellow humans. I'm tired of hating and being hated for nothing....NOTHING!
I love you all,
Mike