"but some issues are just too important to take on faith or authority......."

Ah. Bill? Since you truly do not 'believe' the perceptions and experiences that others of us do, in what way is this issue "too important to take on faith or authority"?

If your view is correct and when we die, that's it, then there was no issue worth bothering about. If the other view is correct and we get to give you a hug beyond...?

You know, a great many accepted views are inaccurate. For instance, I know you will agree that just a single exception to an aphorism negates the the aphorism, i.e. Black people can't swim (as I've heard it said!) then the first Black person you see swimming makes nonsense of the aphorism.

OK. Have you heard that horses are dumber and more unteachable than most other animals? Since I have known TWO horses in my life that were astonishingly attuned to human expectations and needs I cannot agree with that 'truism'. I KNOW that if a horse wishes to please you, at least some horses are capable of incredible understanding.

My brother told me that he can't imagine why he had previously been of the firm belief that there was no such thing as thought transference or valid extra sensory reports. A couple of experiences of his own set him back on his heels.

The 'mystery', by its very nature, is not easily graspable.