During the past forty-five years researchers have been collecting data on a strange phenomenon. Thousands of people claim to have had a hyperreal experience while they were unconscious or even clinically dead. Their breathing, heartbeat, and in some cases even brainwaves had stopped yet they describe having an otherworldly experience—a glimpse of life after death—in vivid detail. In his book Life After Life, published in 1975, Raymond Moody called these events near-death experiences or NDEs.
NDE Data
Perhaps you have heard of one or two of these extraordinary stories, but did you know that more than 900 peer-reviewed journal articles have been published on the topic covering more than 3500 NDE accounts (Miller, 20)? And since 1981 an entire journal has been devoted to this phenomenon—The Journal of Near-Death Studies. In addition, dozens of books have been written on the subject presenting hundreds of cases. Finally, websites focused on NDEs include nderf.org with more than 4900 cases from around the world and iands.org with approximately 700 cases. From the journal articles, books, and websites, I think it’s fair to estimate that we have at least 10,000 NDEs on record.
Documented cases, however, are only the tip of the iceberg. Surveys have shown that about five percent of the population at large has reported having an NDE. Even if that number should be cut in half, that still means 8 million people in the U.S. have had an NDE. Dr. Jeffrey Long, who started the Near-Death Experience Research Foundation, estimates that 774 NDEs occur daily in the U.S.
What is the rate of NDEs among those who nearly die? Cardiologist Pim van Lommel conducted his own NDE study in the Netherlands and concludes, “perhaps as many as one in ten people now report an NDE after a life-threatening medical crisis” (108). Psychiatrist Bruce Greyson says, “An analysis of the incidence of NDEs among critically-ill patients as documented in nine prospective studies in four countries yielded an average estimate of 17%” (20). Raymond Moody estimates “at least 15 percent of those who almost die, but perhaps a lot more” (175). A good estimate, then, is that NDEs occur in 10-20 percent of those who are critically ill. Keep in mind that is only the percentage of reported NDEs; many do not feel comfortable sharing their experience with others. And the rate of NDEs appears to be increasing due to advanced resuscitation technology.
What’s going on here?
Are these experiences real or are they some type of hallucination or dying brain syndrome?
Are they limited to a certain demographic?
Are they culturally conditioned?
NDE Observations
From looking at the data, researchers have made the following observations.
- NDEs are widespread. “NDEs have been reported by children, adults, scientists, physicians, priests, ministers, among the religious and atheists, and from countries throughout the world” (Long, 63).
- NDE accounts contain common elements. Here’s a partial list of Moody’s similarities:
- an experience of leaving the body then floating, known as an out-of-body experience (OBE),
- intense feelings of peace and comfort,
- going through a dark tunnel,
- seeing a brilliant light and encountering a being of light,
- meeting deceased relatives or friends,
- having a life review,
- then returning to the body.
- Moody believes these similarities argue against the fabrication hypothesis. He writes, “How is it that many people just happen to have come up with the same lie to tell me over a period of eight years? Collusion remains a theoretical possibility here. It is certainly conceivable that a nice elderly lady from eastern North Carolina, a medical student from New Jersey, a Georgia veterinarian, and many others several years ago banded together and conspired to carry out an elaborate hoax against me. However, I don’t regard this to be a very likely possibility” (131).
- Steve Miller also notes that unlike dreams or hallucinations these experiences do not have an abrupt ending. People do not become conscious in the middle of a dark tunnel. NDEs are like movies that play until the closing scene (Miller, 55).
- “Some of the phenomenological features of NDEs are difficult to explain in terms of our current understanding of psychological or physiological processes. For example, experiencers sometimes report having viewed their bodies from a different point in space and are able to describe accurately what was going on around them while they were ostensibly unconscious, or that they perceived corroborated events occurring at a distance outside the range of their sense organs, including blind individuals who describe accurate visual perceptions during their NDEs” (Greyson, 26).
- NDEs are deeply emotional events. Interviewers consistently express being impressed by the emotion with which these experiences are conveyed. They were certainly real experiences for the participants. This also argues against the fabrication hypothesis.
- NDEs are personalized. No two NDEs are identical.
- NDEs lead to a common conclusion among those who experience them—there is life after death. After documenting more than 300 cases, Peter Fenwick, a neuropsychologist in the UK concludes, “People who have had a near-death experience are almost unanimous in their belief in an afterlife” (196).
- For many experiencers NDEs lead to a similar change in attitude about death. Moody writes, “In some form or another, almost every person has expressed to me the thought that he is no longer afraid of death” (90).
- NDEs motivate people to love others and pursue knowledge.
- Similar mystical experiences have occurred in those who were not near death. These are called near-death like experiences or NDLEs.
What about distressing near-death experiences (DNDEs)? Frightening experiences have been reported, but the vast majority are pleasant.
Deathbed Experiences
Since the late 1800s researchers have also been collecting data on the experiences of those who die. These are known as deathbed experiences or DBEs. Camille Flammarion (1842-1925), an important French astronomer, kept a record of DBEs during a 50-60 year period and his detailed cases were published in the three volumes of Death and Its Mystery. These cases include crisis apparitions—seeing a vision of someone dying or in trouble followed by that person’s actual death. William Barrett (1844-1925) was a leading physicist who also compiled DBEs in his fascinating book Deathbed Visions, published posthumously in 1926. Inspired by Barrett’s book, thirty years later psychologist Karlis Osis conducted large-scale surveys in the U.S. However, since most of the population had the same religious background, he realized that he needed to expand his study to another culture with another religion. Consequently, he joined with Erlendur Haraldsson to carry out surveys in India. All together their surveys of doctors and nurses in the U.S. and India provided them with 1,004 responses, “representing approximately 50,000 observations of dying patients” (21). Their analysis was published in 1977 in At the Hour of Death.
What occurs during deathbed experiences?
- Although the person may have been barely conscious, he or she becomes fully lucid—they light up with peace and serenity—shortly before dying. This is known as terminal lucidity.
- They start talking to deceased relatives or they claim to see deceased relatives or they see religious figures. What is the purpose of these apparitions? “In the majority of cases, patients saw the mission of the apparition as that of taking him away to another world” (Osis and Haraldsson, 32).
- They claim to see a realm of beauty and light. “Experiences of great beauty were reported in 72 percent of the cases of which we have information” (170).
- They have a deep sense of peace and appear ready to depart.
Questions
Why doesn’t everyone have an NDE or DBE?
What is the significance of NDEs and DBEs for those who don’t have them?
Christians already believe in an afterlife so why should we care about these experiences?
Do they confirm or contradict Christian theology?
I have a lot of questions and I am only just starting this journey.
Conclusion
For now I will conclude in the words of Camille Flammarion:
It cannot be disputed that the one all-important point for us is to know what fate is reserved for us after our last breath. ‘To be or not to be!’ That scene in ‘Hamlet’ is repeated every day. The life of a thinking man is a meditation upon death.” He continues, “One of two things is true: either we shall die wholly, or we shall continue to exist beyond the grave. If we die wholly we shall never know anything about it; consequently we shall not feel it. If we continue to exist, the subject is worth examining. (Kindle loc. 303-318)
If you want to join me on this journey, subscribe above and consider reading:
For an overview of the research on both NDEs and DBEs see these books by Steve Miller:
After graduating from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, I served as a high school Bible teacher in Asia. I enjoy traveling, writing, and playing the drums. For a deep dive into church history and the character of God, see my book Surprised by Hell.