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Nov/Dec2012
ScienceConnections

TheNearDeathExperienceas
EvidenceforLifeAfterDeath
AdialoguebyStaffordBetty.
FromtimetotimeIaskmystudentshowtheyfeelaboutlifeafterdeath.Asolid
majoritysaytheybelieveinit,inkeepingwithmostAmericans(82%inarecent
Galluppoll).IthenaskthemtoimaginehowtheywouldfeelifIcouldproveit
didntexist.Butyoucouldnt,someinsist.Iknow,Isay,butIwantyouto
imagineIcouldanddid.Inotherwords,youactuallyfeelcompelledbylogicand
evidencetostopbelievinginit.Howwouldyoufeelthen?Quiteafewsaythey
wouldlivelifedifferently,thatitstherewardorpunishmentofanafterlifewhich
keepsthemfrombeingcompleteanimals.Othersadmittheywouldlivethesame
way,butwithoutmuchjoy.Theyadd,Imean,ifGoddoesntloveusenoughto
keepusinexistencebeyondonemeaslylife,Hedoesntloveusenough.Would
youletyourchildbesnuffedoutforeverifyoucouldstopit?(Goodquestion!)At
thispointintheconversation,someonewellcallhimanexistentialist(hes
almostalwaysamale)usuallysayslifeisallthemoremeaningfulandhappy
becausedeathsnuffsusoutforever:Iflifejustkeepsgoingonforeverandever,
thenitsnotthatspecial.Itsbecauseitssofragileandbriefthatitssoprecious.
Butwouldntyouratherliveonafterdeathifgivenachoice?someoneusually
challenges.Notreally,isoftenthereply.Youmeanyoureallydontcare
whetheryoureimmortalornot?Thisrebuttalisusuallymetwithacomplacent
shrugoftheshoulders.

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Butasidefromwhatwemightwantorprefer,wheredoestheevidenceactually
point?Doesitpointtoextinction,ordoesitpointtolifeafterdeath?InthispaperI
willfocusexclusivelyontheneardeathexperience(NDE),andseeinwhich
directionthereportsofthisexperiencetakeus.

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1.WhosLying,Then?
2.NotesTowardsa
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3.TheDeathof
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Firstaclarification.IfanNDEisanexperienceofarealityandnotsomesortofhallucination,lifeafter
deathisstronglyimplied.Hereswhy.First,ifyoucangetoutofyourbodyandstillmoveabout,andsee
andbeawareofyourselfasthepersonyouare,thenyourenotyourbody.Andifyourenotyourbody,
thenthebodysdeathdoesntmeanthatyouhavetodie.
Thislineofreasoningseemsclearenough.ButwhatiftheNDEisahallucination?Inthatcasethe
experienceisntanymorevalidthanadream,andtheNDEfailsasevidenceofanafterlife.Sothe
questioncomesdowntothis:WhatarethereasonsforthinkingtheNDEisanexperienceofrealthings,
andwhatarethecountervailingreasonsforthinkingthatitsjustavividdream,ahallucination?Inwhich
directiondoesanopenminded,evenhandedanalysistakeus?
Ithinktheevidenceisstrongforrealityandagainsthallucination.IamgoingtoletTheophilus(Theo)
Adamstellyouwhy.Theo,aProfessorofPhilosophywhereIwork,willbedebatingwithhisprizestudent,
whomwellcallReggie.ReggieistheskepticTheohimselfoncewas,andTheowouldliketoguidethe
youngmaninanewdirection.Whiledrivingbackfromaphilosophyconferencetheywitnessafrightening
automobileaccident.Wepickuptheirconversationshortlyafter.
Reggie:Iwonderifthedriverhadaneardeathexperience.

4.NewtonsFlaming
LaserSword

Theo:Youknow,thesedaysneardeathresearchersspeakofthefeardeathexperience.Onceinawhile
apersonwhothinkshesgoingtodiehasaneardeathexperience.

5.Nietzsche,Our
Contemporary

Reggie:Really?Isitthesameexperience?

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Theo:Apparently.Thesamesenseofbeingoutofthebody,goingdownatunneltowardalight,meeting
deadrelatives,comingintothepresenceofaBeingofLight,reviewingyourlifethesame.Very
suggestive...
Reggie:Whydoyousaythat,DrAdams?
Theo:Theostarespensivelyaheadforafewseconds,withapainedlookonhisface:Reggie,letsconduct
anexperiment,justyouandme.Letsimagineweliveinaworldwithnoscripturesandnoreligious
traditions.Butletmerefinethisworldalittle.Letsimaginethattheworldsscripturesstillexist,but
theyreregardedbyeveryonejustasyouregardthemasmythology.Theymolderinlibrariesand
museums,studiedonlybyspecialists.Inotherwords,theytellusabouttimespastaboutwhatcertain
peopletooktoberealityalongtimeagojustasweregardGreekmythologytoday.Letsfurther
imaginethatalllivingreligionwaswipedoffthefaceoftheearthbyalongstandingregime,rulingthe

imaginethatalllivingreligionwaswipedoffthefaceoftheearthbyalongstandingregime,rulingthe
entireworldwithmurderousbrutality.Nolivingpersonhaseverpracticedareligion,andthelasttraces
ofpublicreligionwerestampedouttwohundredyearsago.Butnowtheregimehasbeenoverthrown,and
allpeoplebillionsofthemarefreeforthefirsttimefreetothinknewanddaringthoughts.Andso
theybegintolistentotheirdepths,andtheybegintiptoeingbacktotheworldofspiritandreligion...Here
ismyquestion:Threehundredyearslaterthreehundredyearsaftertheoverthrowofthisrepressive
regimewhatwouldappearintheworldsnewscriptures?Wherewouldfreepeopleallowedtostartfrom
scratchaftertengenerationsfindhintsoftranscendence,hintsofadivineorderofthings?Whatwould
theywritedownintheirscriptures?
Reggie:Probablysomenutcasesvisionsanddreams.Thefunkierthebetter.
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Theo:Youmightberight!ButImmoreoptimistic.Assumingthattechnologyhadntbeendestroyedduring
therevolution,largenumbersofpeoplewillbebroughtbackfromtheedgeofdeathwithmedical
technology,justastheyarenow.Andmanyofthemwillhaveneardeathexperiences.Whattheyreport
willprovideamoreconvincingandinspiringglimpseintotheBigPicturethanthevisionsofyournutcase.
Nocomparison.TheNDEwillbeasourceforanyfuturescripture.
Reggie:Thatwouldbeprettycool,Iguess.ButpersonallyasyouknowIdontnecessarilytakeNDEs
atfacevalue.Theymightsimplybehallucinations,forinstance.
Theo:EveniftheyareandIdontthinkthattheyaretheydstillbeahugeimprovementovermuchof
whatpassesforscripturetoday.NDErswhovehadthefullblownexperienceespeciallyiftheymerged
withtheintimatelyknowing,lovingLighttellusthatthemainpurposeoflifeistogrowinlove,anda
secondaryoneistogrowinknowledgeandwisdom.Theycomeoutoftheirexperiencedeeplychanged,
eagertoacceptthechallenge,exhilaratedbythesecondchancetheyvebeengiven.Andtheresnothing
clubbyaboutNDErs.Theydonttalkliketheyrebetterthanothers,ormoresaved,orfavoredbyGod.
Theyrejustheraldsofhopeforaworldthatslostitswaythemodernequivalentofangels.Theystrike
menotasproudbuthumblelikethesaintsofpastageswhoseclosebrushwithGodmadethem
permanentlymodest.Reggie,whenmyfaithcrumbledmanyyearsago,morethananythingelse,itwas
theNDEliteraturethatshowedmeawayoutofmydespair.YoucantimaginemyexcitementwhenI
caughtmyfirstwhiffofit.
Reggie:Imhappyforyou,Ireallyam.ButIstilldontseewhyyoutakethesevisionsatfacevalue.They
mightbeinspiring,andImsuretheyarebuttheyequallymightnotbereal.Andiftheyrenottellingthe
truth,Idrathernothaveanythingtodowiththem,nomatterhowgoodtheymakemefeel.
Theo:NorwouldI.Butiftheyarerealifthereisevenafairchancethattheyarewouldntyouthinkit
worthyourwhiletolookintothem?
Reggie:Well,sure,but
Theo:Thenwhydontyou?
Reggie:Ireadabouttheminyourclasslastyear.
Theo:Butnotsince?
Reggie:No.
ThecarisquietforafewmomentsasTheodrivesalong,patientlywaitingforReggietospeak.
Reggie:IguessIthinktheyprobablyarejusthallucinations.OrmaybeImjustnotthatinterestedin
lookingintothequestion.Andthatsmyfault.
Theo:Withabigsmile.Nah,yourejusttwentythree.Nofaultinthat!But,ifyoullpermitme,Illtellyou
whyIdontthinktheyrehallucinations.Areyougame?
Reggie:Sure.
Theo:Youknowthefirstreasonalready.NDEsareallstrangelysimilar.Whyshouldanoldblackman
fromBaptistAlabamahaveroughlythesameexperienceasagayatheistfromMadrid,oraMormon
housewifefromIdaho?Iftheywerehallucinating,wouldnttheirhallucinationsberadicallydifferent?
Peopleshallucinationsarebasedontheirmemoriesandexpectations.Butthesecharactersdonthave
similarmemoriesandexpectations.Theycomefromverydifferentworlds.Sohowdoyouaccountforthe
similarityoftheirexperience?Theonlywaytodoitistoassumethattheyveenteredintoarealworld
aworldequallysurprisingtoallthree.Doesthatmakesense?
Reggie:Yeah,buttheresanotherexplanation.
Theo:TheoneItaughtyouinclass?
Reggie:Noonewouldaccuseyouofbeingonesided,Igrantyou.Butmaybeyoudidtoogoodajob.You
saidthatmaybeatthemomentofdeaththebrainscreamsoutaprotestagainstitsownimminent
extinction.Itcontainsmaterialdeepintherighttemporallobethatcanexplodeintoexperienceif
provoked.Andlookingintodeathistheprovoker.Andsincewereallpartofthesamehumanfamily,our
brainsareallcodedthesamebasicway,regardlessofbackgroundandexperience.Itsaspeciesthing.
ThatwouldexplainthesimilaritiesoftheNDEs.Wereallprogrammedtohallucinatethesamebasicthing
becausewereallmembersofthesamespecies.
Theo:Letmecompleteyourargument,Reggie.Neurologistshaveprobedtherighttemporallobeofthe
brain,andbydoingsohaveartificiallystimulatedsomeofthefeaturesoftheNDE,especiallythesenseof

beingoutofbody.Navypilotsintrainingsometimesreportexperiencingbeingoutoftheirbodieswhen
theypassoutduringhighGtraining.Butnoneofthesepeoplehaveeverexperiencedanythinglikethe
intimatelylovingBeingofLight,themostamazingpartoftheNDE.Mysuspicionisthat,inthecasesIjust
mentioned,theself,orsoul,orpsychecallitwhatyouwillisartificiallyloosenedfromitsusualplace
inthebodywithoutbeingdetached,andgivenaverybriefandshallowintroductiontotheworldweenter
atdeath.Nevertheless,yougiveagoodargumentindeedthebestthatamaterialistcangive.Hopefully
yourenotgoingtotalkaboutdrugsnow.
Reggie:No,no,thatslame.WeallknowthereareplentyofNDErswhoarentinhospitalsorondrugsof
anykind.Iwontbotheryouwiththattrash.
Theo:Well,letmegiveyoualittlemoretochewon.Actuallyalotmore.DidyouknowthatNDErsdont
haverapideyemovementwhentheyrehavingtheirvividexperiences?REMisalwaysfoundwhenwe
dreamasyouknow.Lookatsomeonesleeping,andifhereyesarefluttering,youcanbesureshes
dreaming.Iftheyrenot,youcanbesureshesnotdreaming.Everypsychologistknowsthat.Sowhat
doesthattellyou?
Reggie:Thatsprettyinteresting.Butarehallucinationsanddreamsthesamething?
Theo:Ahallucinationisthemostvividkindofdream.IfadreamisafourontheRichterScale,a
hallucinationisaneight.Thoseeyelidsshouldbesinging!Buttheyrenot.AndthattellsmethattheNDE
isnotahallucination.AlotofNDErshavehadhallucinationsatsomeprevioustimeintheirlives,bythe
wayandtheyallsaytheyredefinitelynothallucinatingduringtheirNDE.Andtheyretheexperts.We
shouldbelisteningtothem!
Reggie:Yeah.Buttheycouldbemistaken.
Theo:Yesbutnotlikely,Idsay.Especiallywhenyoutakeintoaccountthelatestresearchonblind
NDErs.Thisgetsdownrighthardcorescientific.ForalongtimeNDEresearcherstheorizedthatifablind
NDErreallywereoutofherbodywithitsblindeyes,thenshewouldbeabletoseeforthefirsttime.A
studyofblindNDErswasdoneafewyearsago,andthetheorypannedout.Peopleblindfrombirth
experiencedvisionforthefirsttimeduringtheirNDEs.Whenyougetachance,Reggie,checkoutabook
calledMindsightbyKennethRing,theNDEresearcherattheUniversityofConnecticut.Thewholestoryis
toldthere.IfyoucantellmehowpeopleblindfrombirthcanhallucinateavisualworldduringanNDE,
andreportthesamethingsthatwesee,IlltakeyouandChristinatothebestrestaurantintown.
Reggie:YoualreadydidthatwhenIgotthefellowship!Anyway,youvegotmeoverabarrelthistime.
Theo:Andthentheresthebestevidenceofall.Areyoureadyfortheclimax?
Reggie:Ohyes.
Theo:ManyNDErsseethingswhileoutoftheirbodythatareactuallygoingon.Amanmighttakean
astraltriptoseehissisterandlaterreportwhatshewasdoingandwearingatthetimeareportlater
verifiedbythesurprisedsister,whowondershowheknew.Orachildmightdescribeindetail,andwith
impressiveaccuracy,whathappenedwhenherbodywasbeingresuscitatedwhileshe,outofherbody,
watchedfromtheceilingofherhospitalroom.SuchanecdotesareroutineinNDEliterature.Onestudy
evencomparedwhatNDErssawwhentheirbodieswerebeingresuscitated,toacontrolgroupofpatients
askedtodescribewhattheythoughthappenedduringatypicalresuscitation.NoneoftheNDErsmade
mistakes,whilealmosteverybodyinthecontrolgroupmademajormistakes.IfNDEsweremerely
hallucinations,wherecouldallthistrueinformationcomefrom?Theresnomaterialistexplanationthat
makessense.KeepinmindthatNDErsarecomatoseandusuallyclinicallydeadwhentheyrehavingtheir
outofbodyexperience.
Reggie:Thatsaprettygoodargument,Ihavetoadmit.
Theo:OfcoursetheresthepossibilitythatallthisinformationcomesfromsomesuperstimulatedESP
ability.ButmaterialiststypicallydontwanttotouchESPeither.ItsalmostasmysteriousastheNDE
itself,andjustasunsavorytothem.
Reggie:SoyouresayingthatbecauseitsquitehardtoexplainawaytheNDEasadelusion,thereforethe
greatstuffthatNDErsarealwaystalkingaboutdeservestobetakenatfacevalue.
Theo:ThatsprettymuchwhatIamsaying.
Reggie:WhereisGodinallthis?
Theo:Thatstrickier.ItdependsonwhatyoumeanbyGod.Noonehaseverreportedseeingabeingwho
wasomnipotentandomniscientsittingonathrone.Noonehasevermetsomeinfinitesubstancewitha
nametagthatsaidGodonit.ManyhaveseenandevenmergedwiththesocalledBeingofLight,and
manyhavethoughtitwasGod.Butjustasmanyhavecalleditanangelorsomeadvancedsoul,oreven
somethingweourselvesaredestinedsomedaytobecome.AndthatsnotquiteGod!Whatsgoingonhere
isthatdifferentpeoplearetransferringtheirspiritualbiasesontotheformlessBeingofLight.Whatthey
actuallyseeormergewithisashapelessLightwhichisunmistakablypersonalandfilledwitha
stupendousloveandknowledgeofthem.Theyfeeltotallyblissfulinitspresenceanddonotwanteverto
leaveit.Butwhentheydo,astheymustiftheydontdie,theyfeelthatlifeispreciousandthattheyare
undersomenewmandatenottowastetimeanylongerontrivialthings.Theyvebeensingedbythat
wonderfullylovingLight,andtheybearitsmarkfortherestoftheirlives.OhhowIenvythem
sometimes!ButGod?Youbethejudge.
Reggie:Butyoullwanttogrant,Ithink,thatanyfuturescripturewouldhavequiteabittosayaboutGod.

AndiftheNDEdoesntquitereachthathigh,wheredowelook?
Theo:DontunderestimatetheNDE,Reggie.Itshowsusthatthereissomethingmuchmoreevolvedthan
weareevenifwecantagreeonitsnature.Andthatsgoodnews!Forisntitreasonabletothinkthat
justastherearemoreevolvedbeingsthanweare,therearealsomoreevolvedbeingsthantheBeingof
Lightitself?Butletsnotgethungupatthemomentonwhatitmightbe.Weretalkingaboutpossible
sourcesofinspirationforafuturereligion.TheNDEisonlyoneofmany.
Reggie:Youmakeitsoundprettyplausible,butImstillnotconvinced.Ijustcantbelievewecanhave
experiencesoutsideourbody.NDErssaytheycanseewhileoutoftheirbodies.How?Howcansomeone
seewithouteyes?Itjustdoesntmakesense.Wemustbeoverlookingsomething.
Theo:Ah,nowIseeyourdifficulty.PerhapsIneedtobeclearerhere.WhenNDErssaytheyreoutof
theirbody,theymeantheyreoutoftheirolddamaged,sick,physicalbody.Ifyouaskthemiftheyhada
senseofbeingembodiedinsomethingwhilehavingtheirNDE,mostwilltellyouyes.Unfortunatelyforus,
theyremoreinterestedinotherthingsthanwhatkindofnewbodytheyremovingaroundin!Wecanonly
guesswhatitsnaturemightbe.ButonethingImprettysureofithaseyes,goodeyes.Ifitdidnt,it
couldntseeImwithyoucompletelyonthatpoint.ButStPaul,forexample,spokeofaspiritualbody
andIndiasscripturesarefullofdescriptionsofetherealbodiesjustanotherwordforthesamething.
Andthesebodiesaremuchsuperiortoours,theytellus.Thesearethebodies,Isuspect,wellbemoving
aroundinwhenwedie.Reggie,Ipromiseyou:IfIhaveaneardeathexperience,Illpayattentionto
whatkindofbodyIhave,andIllreportbacktoyou.Andifyouhaveone,youreportbacktome.Isthat
adeal?
Reggie:Thatsadeal,DrAdams.
PleasedontgettheideathatIthinktheforegoingconversationisconclusive.Strictlyspeaking,allit
showsisthatthereareverygoodreasonstothinkwearenotourphysicalbodiesandthatoursenseof
selfisnotdiminishedordimmedjustbecauseweareoutofourphysicalbody.Butwillwecontinueto
existifourbodyactuallydied?Ifso,forhowlong?Andwhatkindofexperiencewouldawaitusfive
minutesafterdeath?Anhourafterdeath?Ayear?Ahundredyears?Amillionyears?Tentrillionyears?
TheNDEdoesnttellusthatittypicallyonlycoversthefirstminuteorso.
Imbettingthatwecontinuetoexistafterourbodydies.Whyshouldntwe?Ourexperiencefreeofthe
bodyiscompletelydifferentfromwhatitwasjustmomentsbefore.Wedontsuffer,werenotsick,andif
wereblindwesee.Obviouslywerestillconnectedtothebodyinsomeway,orwednevergetbacktoit
whentheNDEended.Butthereisnothingabouttheexperiencetosuggestweareidenticalwiththat
damagedorsickbody.Quitethecontrary.Furthermore,mostNDEveteransreportthattheynowhavea
completeabsenceofafearofdeath.Theyareconfidentdeathisnottheendandthatabetterworld
awaitsthem.Oneofmycolleagues,ahistoryprofessorwhodescribedhimselfasawishywashy
Methodistandaskepticonthequestionoflifeafterdeathbeforehisheartattack,hadanundeveloped
NDE,involvingonlyanoutofbodyexperience.WhenIaskedhimifhenowbelievedinlifeafterdeath
basedonit,heanswered,No,Idontbelieveit.Iknowit.AndasTheosaid,Icantseewhyweshouldnt
takethesepeopleattheirwordtheyretheexperts,notus.Yes,theycouldbewrong,butwhyshould
theybe?ManywerenotreligiousbeforetheirNDE.Somewereagnostic,orevenatheistic.Some,
especiallychildreninvolvedinaccidents,hadnevergivendeathathought.Soitshardtoarguethatthey
areallvictimsofwishfulfilment.Moreover,NDErswhohavehadadevelopedexperience(ie,oftheLight)
areprofoundlychanged.Atheistsarenolongeratheistic.Drifterssuddenlyhaveapowerfulsenseof
purposeandmeaning.Narrowmindedfundamentalistsburstthemanaclesoftheirreligiousbigotry.Do
hallucinationshavethatkindofpower?Anyonewhoshadoneknowstheydont.Theyrequickly
recognizedforwhattheyare.Theychangenothingfundamentalaboutonesbeliefs.Theyareneverthe
oneeventthatchangedeverything.
Oneotherconsiderationarguesagainstthehallucinationhypothesis.NDErsoftenseespiritswhileoutof
body.Thesespiritshaveonetraitincommon:Theyhavedied.NDErsdontreportmeetingtheirliving
grandparentstheymeetthedeceasedoneswhocometogreetthem.Anyonewhoknowshow
hallucinationsworkwouldbehardpressedtoexplainthisaspectoftheNDE,sincehallucinationsareas
crazyasdreams.Theyareutterlyunpredictable.IfthespiritsseenduringanNDEwerehallucinations,
theywouldjustaslikelybelivingasdeadgrandparents.Hallucinationsdontkeeptrackoftheobituaries!
Thefactthatthosewecallthedeadcometogreetuswhenwereonthebrinkofdeatharguesforcefully
fortherealityofspirits.NDErsthemselvesexpressnodoubtonthismatter,bytheway.
IdontwanttopretendtheNDEphenomenonproveslifeafterdeath.Butitsurelymakesitseem
probable.Howprobable?Eightypercent?Ninetypercent?Ninetyeightpercent?Idsay,probableenough
tobankon.NDEreportsalonehavetakenawaymostofmyfearofdeath.Itsastickthatshardtobreak.
Therearesixothersticks:apparitions,mediumisticphenomena,poltergeistphenomena,apparent
possessionbyearthboundspirits,reincarnationcases,anddeathbedvisionsthatarenotNDEs.Together
withtheNDE,theymakeuptheBigSeven.Whenyoubundlethesesevenstickstogether,thecasefor
spiritualexistence,andhencelifeafterdeath,isalmostunbreakable.
Prof.StaffordBetty2006
LewisStaffordBettyisProfessorofPhilosophyandReligiousStudiesatCaliforniaStateUniversity,
Bakersfield.

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