For those of you interested in discussing life after death or other religions, let's create a new thread so we can streamline the discussion a bit more.

A response to this:

"We [humans] establish the rules based upon some combination of objective evaluation of available facts, historical conventions and precedent, prejudice and politics - not necessarily in that order."

I'm curious - by what standards, rules or values does one make such "objective" evaluations? And what do you mean by "objective"?

Why the afterlife is always equated with god and/or religion. Why can't we leave religion aside to discuss this so important subject? Most people speak of god as though s/he knew him or his mind, if he in fact existed. Who is god after all? How do you know that? You say you believe in god! What does that prove? You say god created all things? I ask: Who created god and where does he come from if he was the one who created all things? What is "all things?" Why the great pool of minds of this great planetary system refuses to research life after the death of the physical body in a more realistic and intelligent way? Are we all afraid of the truth? Do we have to live our lives as believers of fairy tale, santa clause, god, jesus,etc? I think we will only be able to understand what life really is when we have evolved enough to removed this religion hold from our minds.