//I find it hard to believe that of the 4 types of events I discribed regarding strange events around death, that you don't know at least one person who you regard as rational and trustworthy who has experienced one of those 4 types.//

Well of course I know rational and trustworthy people who've dreamt of their loved ones after they've died. I just don't see how that proves there's an afterlife.

//I assume there is a little bit of tunnel vision going on if you are unaware of these things as holding some weight in the real world, not just in someone's mind.//

So if I dream I'm a fifty-foot tall robotic penguin with lasers for eyes, is that all just in my mind or does it hold weight in the real world too?

I'm not sure that I buy into this idea that dreams are some sort of window into a part of objective reality otherwise obfuscated from us, although it's a common enough belief in a lot tribal/shamanistic belief systems. I think they're just dreams.

//But also you said "any objective reasurch?" So no. Just experiences I've heard from others.//

Oh great, anecdotal 'evidence'. Surely you know better than that?

//But with two qualifying aspects to consider. 1) Is this person I hear this story from a reliable person? Or in general would I trust what they say and their testimony on other things. And 2) Is there anything that that person would gain by lying about their story, or anything to discredit their view?//

So if they aren't lying about their dream, that makes the dream true? It doesn't work that way, NNS. If they aren't lying about their dream, it makes their account of their dream true. It doesn't somehow magically make the dream itself true.

//If the answer is no on both then that counts as evidance to consider.//

Evidence that people dream, hallucinate and otherwise imagine untrue things to be true? I think there's already enough evidence to support that particular hypothesis, but I suppose more can't hurt :)

Life after the body has ceased is represented as spiritual, the influence we have left with our peers and children. Jesus said that after he left this earth His spirit would indwell those that accepted his character, actions and wisdom; as he treated all as equal including woman and children, and cared for the sick, outcast and oppressed to heal and lift their spirit. The Kingdom of heaven is identified as all living in the spirit and character of Christ Jesus. Christians recognise Him as a true son of God. Those that recognise the character of Jesus Christ as God revealed in flesh and they repent of their failure and accept Christ as Lord in their life are also sons of God.

We are all following a character in actions and beliefs, but true Christians follow Christ Jesus in actions and beliefs. This then is passed on to the next generation not by genetics but by belief.

It is interesting reading people's posts on this
issue. For me the standout comments have come from
Banjo Patterson and his thoughts on love. Beautifully
expressed. The author Marianne Williamson had this to
say regarding prayer:

"No conventional therapy can release us from a deep and
abiding psychic pain. Through prayer we find what we cannot
find elsewhere - a peace that is not of this world."

How profound a realisation it is: the power of our own
perception to influence the nature of life experience.

"Is there life after death?"

There is for the insects and worms that eat the body, but otherwise No.

All I know is that when the late Kerry Packer died at his polo game, and was brought back to life, he said, and I quote from his book "i've been to the other side and believe me there's F-all there". So apart from that it's just like there are those who believe in god, and those who don't, and neither is right because it cant be proven.

If there was no life after death everyone gets the same punishment as Hitler. Somehow I think most know they will either be judged for their sins or receive mercy. I know what I prefer.