‘Hereafter’ the title of actor Matt Damon’s and director Clint Eastwood’s latest film, could have thousands flocking to movie theatres near us. 

While the film takes a beating from film critics it does provide a backdrop for discussing, and even for answering, one of the most often asked question by the human race,  ‘What happens when we die?’ The atheist will answer with a scathing ‘absolutely nothing….when you’re dead, you’re dead and there’s ‘nothing’ to fear!’ 

Most people in the world however, don’t think that this is the case. 

Nearly all religions have an ‘afterlife’ tradition though each one is very different.  

Mediums, spiritualists and witch doctors also ply their trade on the basis of an afterlife and a spirit world.

It amuses me that afterlife stories with no factual basis can have such power e.g. one TV morning programme film critic said, ‘I was caught up by this film from the very first scene.’ Their power lies in our desire to find a solution to death…to know that death isn’t the end. 

As Matt Damon’s character says: ‘If you’re worried about being on your own don’t be, you’re not.’ 

I’m not sure whether this is or isn’t a comfort!

That’s the worry…if there is something….what is it? 

If there isn’t anything, then who and what we are today has no eternal meaning.

Chasing the afterlife

This fear of death is very real.  We mightn’t talk about it or we might deal with it with black humour to defuse our fear, but fear there is. 

If death comes up in a coffee conversation with friends someone will soon say ‘Let’s not talk about this! I don’t want to think about it.’ Death’s reality makes us very uncomfortable. 

Yet despite this fear we try to find answers. 

It may be from religious people but more often than not, from eccentric people who claim a special gift or special knowledge.  Unfortunately we may unknowingly speak to a charlatan who is just out to make a quick buck.  Even families may toy with the spirits of the ‘other world’ with the homemade séance and the mysterious moving wine glass as it uses letters to spell out its answers to our questions.

The truth is that even though this film is seriously ‘panned’ by the critics many thousands will see it hoping to find some sort of answer to the most telling of all questions ‘What do you think happens after we die?’

The stage is set.  There is now work for us to do.  The world has raised the question.  Let’s listen carefully to the question: ‘Do you think there’s an afterlife?’

Are we ready with the answer? Are we confident of the answer we’d give? Do we know the truth and have the proof?  And most importantly, will our answers stay inside our churches or will we take to the streets, seeking the seeking? 

The mood is right, the question is there, and we have the only answer.