The (Lack of) Scientific Evidence for Life After Death

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ABOUT: Rebecca Watson is the founder of the Skepchick Network, a collection of sites focused on science and critical thinking. She has written for outlets such as Slate, Popular Science, and the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. She's also the host of Quiz-o-tron, a rowdy, live quiz show that pits scientists against comedians. Asteroid 153289 Rebeccawatson is named after her (her real name being 153289).

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[janicewallace]

I have spinal muscular atrophy, I use a wheelchair. In my 53 years, I've been told more than once that I have a disability because of either past sin or future sin. A lot of different cultures do believe that physical disability in its many forms is punishment. It's disgusting. And an interesting way to not take responsibility for helping people because punishing is so much more fun, right?

[beresfordquimby]

Actually, I saw a documentary once, called "Ghostbusters", and it showed that not only are parapsychologists right, but that possessed marshmallows can be very dangerous. So there's that.

[bdm]

My Mum died very suddenly a few months back, and I think one of the reasons people want there to be an afterlife, is then you could apologise to your dead loved ones for the times you weren't on your kindest behaviour.

[chrisball]

Nobody ever seems to remember being the reincarnation of a peasant child who died before their 5th birthday, even though that description would probably fit more of the people who've died throughout history than any other. No- everybody seems to be Nefertiti or some random Viking.

[Arannath]

Mmh.. Even if there was an afterlife, it would be safer and healthier to live as if there is not, at the end of the day. Really focus on what we have right now, lest we find ourselves missing out on it

[petrapewpew]

Idk I had an unusual NDE/OBE in that my consciousness popped out of my body seeming in anticipation that I was about to die (from falling). Before that experience I was an ardent materialist and atheist but that experience was actually revelatory and humbling. There is something after we die but it's not this egoic identity that survives, and the truth is far more profound than can be understood when our consciousness is being filtered through the brain.

But whatever I say is gonna sound like woo-woo bunk to skeptics. And I can't blame them for it, that was me until I experienced what I did.

[phirah]

So the idea of conscious torment for eternity after death is only one of three general beliefs about the after life that Christians have held through the ages (the others being universal reconciliation and annihilation). It wasn't the most common or popular during the early era of the church, it's not the most supportable by scripture, and it was actually derived from pagan sources. And yet, almost all of modern American Christianity preaches this pretty horrific version of the afterlife to the point that even Athiests don't know that there are other views. When she says she doesn't believe in an afterlife where people get punished for all eternity I can honestly say, as a Christian, "Neither do I."

[dr-ozone]

As the only transgender woman in parapsychology (yes, I'm saying that knowing you aren't going to respect me as a fellow scientist) I appreciate you talking about the harm that past life regression techniques have caused some trans kids.

[SpunkMonkey]

I did almost die once and had that experience (although it manifested without the imaginative religious facade). It really was fascinating; the brain can do some weird stuff at times like that. Unfortunately I lived in Marin County at the time, so trying to describe it meant someone would tell me the psychic meanings and such.

[jamesrule]

I hope there's life after death, and fear that there isn't.

But not much can be done about it. I'll deal with it when I'm dead.

[et]

My pediatrician got really into 'researching' life after death. He went to prison for waterboarding his kids as part of his 'research' and his need for primary sources. He delivered me because I arrived early and somebody was stuck in traffic. Some kind of weird omen, I'm sure.

[standoughope]

The last thought most of us will ever have is "ow!"
Death frightens me already; to be almost certain that it'll be painful scares me worse.

[JohnCran]

I died in 2004 and as Monty Python once said I got better (well not quite). I had a massive M.I. and suffered a hypoxic incident for at least 10 minutes. The Ambos told my wife that they only kept trying to get the ticker going was because my boy was only 2 at the time. For me I never experienced any "hallucinations" in fact because of the hypoxia I have what I think is about a 2 week black hole in my memory. So if anyone should have had a near death experience it is me but alas nothing.

[uprightape]

The kid at the heart of "Heaven Is For Real" now admits that the whole thing was fiction. Very profitable fiction.

[BillMSmith]

I lived next door to a "spiritualist" once. I frequently wished for a near death experience while talking to her.

[jamesparkerlangston]

The idea of life after death always scared me as a kid. Something about being forced to witness time beating on ceaselessly for eternity filled me with such dread. I would rather just become dirt than experience any form of heaven.

[psirrow]

Just because you called it out, I gotta say you're really good at making those quotation marks audible.

[NoName-OG]

As an EMT 30ish years ago - had a motorcycle wreck call. My coworker did the most ridiculous thing. Guy was in shock and we just just hit him with a bunch of morphine. Let’s be clear the guy was pretty bad, but - he wasn’t going to die. But the guy wouldn’t shut up about it…. So my coworker gets irritated, and starts saying stuff back to him - “Do you see a big white light?” And the guy answers back - now stoned out of his gourd - “Yeah…” - “GO INTO THE LIGHT!”

[HunterLyonIsAPerson]

I died once of heroin and fentanyl once and I experienced nothing but a void and the empty. I will absolutely lord my anecdote over anyone convincing me of an after life.

[ksdtsubfil]

It scared me a little bit when it was becoming apparent to me that there is probably no afterlife or reincarnation, but then I try to look the other way and imagine the time before I was born, without consciousness. It alleviates my fear a little because I don't sense anything from nothingness. I like to believe that "nothingness" is the ultimate Nirvana. "Becoming nothing" is the true eternal peace because it is only through our consciousness and our bodies that suffering occurs. No afterlife is great news, because it would mean I don't have to do any of that religious stuff to "break the cycle of reincarnation."