AS an atheist I beg to differ. You see a link between religion and an after life. I see no logical reason for such an assumption. I believe the conciseness exists after physical death.
But I believe it's a natural phenomenon not a spiritual one.
Your belief that consciousness is not predicated on biologic life (although a common assertion between these two arguments) is a fallacy within the naturalist world view. If the universe is the only existence there is (ie. no supernatural interference within the world) and consciousness is simply a byproduct of various chemical reactions within the brain (medically verified) then it would logically follow that a person’s consciousness would cease to exist once brain metabolism has halted in a naturalistic universe.
In essence, a continuation of consciousness after death in a naturalistic universe must be impossible.