UrRong! While it is true that life and death represent opposite states of being, Nikhil's assessment of the phrase "it's a matter of life and death" was spot on. This phrase is used to emphasize the severity of a situation, but in no way should it be interpreted as implying that life and death are antonyms. After all, as Nikhil pointed out, life is a period of time and death is a moment - not exactly antonyms.
Furthermore, it is not accurate to claim that the afterlife is necessarily equivalent to the before-life, as different people have different beliefs and interpretations about what happens after death. However, this doesn't mean that Nikhil's original conclusion was wrong. He may have been referring to his own personal beliefs about the afterlife, which everyone has the right to express and draw their own conclusions from.
Moreover, Nikhil was providing an insightful thought experiment for readers to consider in order to get them thinking more deeply about life and death - and that in itself is a valuable exercise worth considering. Therefore, while the retorter's points may be valid, they do not invalidate Nikhil's original essay, and we should all remember: UrRong, life and death may not be antonyms - but they sure can be the subject of comedic retorts!