Seeking Answers

"Since I'm an atheist, and have no belief whatsoever in life after death, I couldn't care less -- it's not like it'll have any impact on me, since by definition I will be completely extinguished. I guess if someone twisted my arm and forced me to provide an epitaph, it would be 'Don't forget.' Sound advice...” — Richard Bartle

One of the most interesting thought experiments of the summer TV season has been the new TNT series "Proof." It's not a show that's gotten huge ratings or a lot of acclaim, but it's been a fascinating think piece.

The series centers on a doctor (Jennifer Beals), who lost her son and suffered a near-death experience, who is asked by a billionaire (Matthew Modine), who happens to have a terminal illness, to do research to find out what happens after we die. She's skeptical of the whole idea, but when he promises to fund a charity near to her heart, she accepts the challenge.

The series has been airing since mid-June, and while it doesn't approach the topic from a standpoint of faith, it's been a fascinating weekly thought piece. I'm not sure if I'm sold into the deeper narrative of the show and its characters, but I am drawn to this search. And I have been moved by the somewhat curious openness of the way the journey has been presented.

In some ways, "Proof" is like "The X-Files." While the latter concerned a search for life beyond this world and the answer to deeper mysteries, "Proof" is a search for what happens after death. And the stakes, clearly, are huge, even for these characters.

Even those who don't believe, such as Richard Bartle quoted above, often wonder about life after death, whether they want to talk about it or not. That is what's fascinating about the show. Beal's character is convinced there is nothing after death — or at least she says she is. But her searching, and her hopefulness, show that there's more to her story than that.

This is hardly the first piece to ponder life after death. In the 1990s, the Robin Williams film "What Dreams May Come" was a fanciful view of Heaven. It represents a segment of the world that is seeking answers, and hoping desperately that they don't have to put their faith in God.

I think part of it is a desire to live on their own terms. Especially modern generations, it seems, don't want to owe allegiance to anyone or anything. They want the comforting idea of Heaven without having to live a life of faith.

I saw this in "The Invention of Lying," a film by Ricky Gervais. Gervais is an avowed atheist, yet in this comedy he created the first man to invent lying creates the first lie in describing Heaven to his dying mother. While the film tries to poo-poo the notion that Heaven is real or necessary, it nevertheless acknowledges that people need the lie to build a sense of hope.

"Proof" isn't a show advocating faith, but it asks probing questions. Given the state of our modern society, that feels like a start, at least.