There is a conspiracy of silence on these subjects, and it is not new.
In October 1964, I was asked to lead a series of seminars for a Unitarian
Church in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on a variety of topics. One of those
topics was life after death.
I discussed some of the many references to life after death in the Bible
and the writings of other religions, read from a few of the monumental mass
of evidential reports that have been collected by psychic researchers and
spiritualists, passed along some first-person testimony I have no reason
to doubt, and shared a couple of personal experiences.
When I finished, I opened the meeting for discussion.
One old man cleared his throat and said, "Well, if you're not afraid
to talk about it, I guess I oughtn't be. I had four brothers. They've all
gone on before me. And they've all been back to talk with me. So there!"
He turned and glared at the old man sitting next to him.
The other old man stared back at him for a moment, and then asked softly,
"You, too, John?"
I found out later they had been good friends and active members of that
church for twenty years without ever mentioning the subject.