There is another way to learn about What happens after death? We can examine the inspired Scriptural records concerning eight people who returned from the dead. Let's examine their stories.
While I don't mean to disparage anyone's belief in the Bible, it was written thousands of years ago by men who were ignorant of most of the scientific knowledge we have today. Therefore, Bible stories, in my personal opinion, are to be taken more with a grain of salt rather than as absolute truth.
Thank you for acknowledging that the Bible was written thousands of years ago.
Many people claim that science disproves the Bible’s account of creation. However, the real contradiction is, not between science and the Bible, but between science and the opinions of Christian Fundamentalists. Some of these groups falsely assert that according to the Bible, all physical creation was produced in six 24-hour days approximately 10,000 years ago.The Bible, however, does not support such a conclusion. If it did, then many scientific discoveries over the past one hundred years would indeed discredit the Bible. A careful study of the Bible text reveals no conflict with established scientific facts
With all due respect, I find it difficult to believe that Jonah survived being swallowed by a whale, that Noah built an ark that carried two of each specie of animals, that Jesus turned water into wine or most any of the other biblical stories. Sorry.
Another way to look at it is that the bible was written by God using men as His instruments.
While many people disagree about the meaning of various passages, Scriptural exegetes help us understand the meanings.
(Scriptural exegesis is a systematic process by which a person arrives at a reasonable and coherent sense of the meaning and message of a biblical passage.)
The bible is not a scientific text. It's the story of man's interaction with His creator. And as a story, it contains myths.
(Myth: a traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or explaining some natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving supernatural beings or events.)
The common thread of all the biblical descriptions of those that returned from the dead is that not one of these had anything to say about an afterlife. This is in agreement with what the Bible says at ecclesiastes 9:5,6,10 "For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing at all, nor do they have any more reward, because all memory of them is forgotten. Also, their love and their hate and their jealousy have already perished, and they no longer have any share in what is under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your might, for there is no work nor planing nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave, where you are going."
Benedict Arnold 