See, for me, I don't need data. Because even data can be misinterpreted. I am happy to hold the "belief" knowing it is simply an assumption. The thing is, what does holding this belief do to and for me as to how I impact the lives of others and my own? That is what (IMO) should be assessed if one wishes for a better world.
If there is an afterlife, then there is - woohoo. If there isn't, what does it matter anyway?
Well, it might matter to others that my choice to "believe" there is happens to impact the way my actions and words impact their life experience. That is far more the point IMO than arguing about what is needed for someone's "proof."
If someone chooses that they need "proof" of an afterlife to consider such worthy of their belief, what can be wrong with that? Nada. Free will, baby! Life is just animation unless conscious agents have free will, even if there's a gamescape to play games within.
I happen to see ours as a multi-turn, multi-level game where the player is playing at multi-levels simultaneously. A pretty cool concept IMO. I also think the game is not about "ethics" but "continuance of life where life is rated by the degree of freedom one maintains in their various life experiences. Ethics might end up being a requirement for maintaining each individual's degree of experience of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
The ego, as some define, implies the concept of self (individuation) and at all levels where such an experiential possibility can exist. When i use the term, lower ego, I use it to mean the "identity" I perceive about myself based on this one life which is anchored in physicality. Perhaps is is the lowest form of ego.