Beliefs on Death

I was thinking about the discussion we had last week in class about death. I recall that one person in class repeatedly mentioned that death was something he feared while others mentioned that death is natural and a part of life. I think beliefs, more than an acceptance of reality, factor very heavily into one's perceptions on death. Personally, I'm an atheist; I don't believe in a God or an afterlife and I believe that when I die, I will remain in the ground where my body will rot. I don't believe in a soul or that a part of myself will transcend into another life. I have no fear of death (unless it is an untimely one) because I know what awaits me. For those who believe in heaven/hell or are unsure of what happens after death, I imagine death must be a terrifying idea. How can one accept death when they believe that if they've committed too many sins they will suffer for eternity? It must be near impossible to accept the inevitable in this case, unless one is so firm in their beliefs that they know they will end up in a good place after death.