Often when you are under anesthesia you are more aware of stuff than you realize. The drugs will cause memory loss. If you are not reacting properly to the drugs, you could wake up during the process. Everyone is different. Being aware during a surgery is probably the least convincing part of this discussion.
It’s the experiences of the folks who go through this without being sedated that are interesting.
In the end, we are ALL going to find out. Religion uses the afterlife to retain control over their flocks. But people were dying long before religions were invented. I cannot believe that any reasonable creator would dismiss their lives and souls because they did not “hear and hasten” to the word of the religion of the day.
If you have not heard these podcasts I highly recommend them:
https://podbay.fm/p/where-is-my-mind
Episodes 5 and 6 are on the topic of this thread.
“Religion uses the afterlife to retain control over their flocks.”
A group of Jews called Sadducees, who even served in the Sanhedrin, did not believe in an afterlife. I find that interesting. What skin did they have in the game?
Also, the Bible deals with the issue of those who lived and died before the Redemption brought by the sacrifice of the Christ.