Promotions for the movie After Death claim and its title implies that it explores one of life’s biggest mysteries, “What happens when we die?” But it doesn’t. It only explores what may happen just before we die. It does a great job at this—thoroughly presenting the reality and facts about near-death experiences (NDEs). However, every near-death experiencer (NDEr) who has described their NDE in as well as not in the movie has survived their NDE, which begs the question, “What would have happened had they not? That would be “The Rest of the Story” about NDEs as Paul Harvey, the now deceased radio broadcaster, titled his popular newscasts from 1976 to 2008.
However, before I tell it, I’ll comment more on the movie and NDEs. I recommend the documentary for its main message and the knowledge you will gain about NDEs. Both may change your views on death, life, and how you live it. Also, I think most viewers will enjoy the movie’s background music, landscape panoramas, and special effects.
Many NDErs believe their near-death experience was an after-death one, not surprising given their encounter with a new reality that’s “more real than real,” intensely emotional, and often out-of-body. Most NDErs in the movie claimed they had died, gone to Heaven or Hell, and returned to life. But science doesn’t support this claim. Resuscitation from cardiac arrest, as is the case today with most NDErs, is defined as “reviving someone from apparent death” (Merriam-Webster). It’s not actual—i.e., brain—death. I’m unaware of a death certificate having been signed for any NDEr.
People of all religious beliefs have had NDEs, which can be and have been interpreted somewhat but not exactly consistent with their religion’s afterlife teachings. Indeed, most NDErs in the movie give an unorthodox Christian interpretation since the second coming of Christ, the resurrection of the body, and a judgment (as confessed by the Christian creeds) didn’t occur. But, who knows, God may have changed his mind about the path to Heaven or Hell. (God can do this, right?)
Now, what is the story if the movie’s NDErs had died? Suppose the NDE is the start of a heaven. What happens in it for the next zillion years? What will a person do so as not to get bored? Will there be any challenges, e.g., like sports? Is there any satisfying work to do in an idyllic realm? Does one have free will? That is, can one make any decisions, even if less than perfect?
Logic dictates that to overcome boredom and “roboticism,” a heavenly NDE—actually, any afterlife—must be an eventually timeless afterlife to remain idyllic. After some time, the NDE must become timeless. This means nothing more will happen in the afterlife—i.e., it will be frozen in time. Moreover, the person must always be unaware that nothing more will happen but joyfully continue to anticipate it will. These requirements seem a tall order!
But surprisingly, that is what happens with an NDE when the NDEr dies. Unless some supernatural afterlife instantly emerges, they experience an end-of-life illusion of immortality. They will not perceive the moment of death and thus never be aware their NDE has ended and so forever believe it will continue (just like you will never know a dream is over unless you wake up). So, if the movie’s NDErs had died, their NDE would be imperceptibly paused at some point. Materially, it’s over, but psychologically, it will seem to them that ideally, there’s more joy to come. As Paul Harvey would say to end his newscast, “Now you know the rest of the story.”
I tell it with more detail and explain the science that supports it in my book A Natural Afterlife Discovered: The Newfound, Psychological Reality That Awaits Us at Death..
K. Alvin Marie Publishing