What about these and other so-called "Near Death Experiences" that we hear about? Are they real? Do such claims verify or deny Christianity or certain aspects of it? Can we add to our understanding of life after death by studying the claims of those who say they have had such experiences? Do NDEs harmonize with Biblical teaching or deny it?

No, you have not entered the Twilight Zone.

I am reading an excerpt from the book, Return from Tomorrow, by Dr. George Richie, a book that describes his claimed near death experience, which reportedly took place in December of 1943. Richie was a twenty-year-old soldier at the time when he is said to have "died" of pneumonia in a military hospital. According to his story, he was revived nine minutes later, but not before experiencing what I have just read to you and not before he returned to the military hospital at the same super-human speed as he had departed, searched through one ward after another until he eventually found his own lifeless body. There he reportedly met a being of bright light that he assumed was Jesus Christ who asked him what he had done with his life. He expected to be condemned but instead came to realize that this being loved him so much that the judgment he feared was not relevant. Richie’s account of this experience was later the catalyst that moved psychiatrist, Dr. Raymond Moody, the so-called "father of the near death experience" to begin researching similar accounts and write his own best-selling book called, Life After Life, which focused modern attention on so-called NDEs, or "Near Death Experiences."

What about these and other so-called "Near Death Experiences" that we hear about? Are they real? Do such claims verify or deny Christianity or certain aspects of it? Can we add to our understanding of life after death by studying the claims of those who say they have had such experiences? Do NDEs harmonize with Biblical teaching or deny it?

Of course we must first acknowledge that it is not possible to judge the veracity of the experience of another human being in cases like these without having also been present. Since there are no witnesses to confirm or deny such stories, at best it’s a case of taking one person’s word. As Christians though, we can and should consider such claims in light of what we know from Scripture. That’s what I want to do in this lesson and a subsequent one.

Paul wrote in Galatians 1:8, "But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed."

Elsewhere in Scripture Paul warns us to "Examine everything carefully… hold fast to that which is good."(2) John echoes the same caution when he says, "Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world."(3)

With this issue and others like it, the Christian must carefully consider how the claims and allegations line up with the Word of God.

Let’s begin with the most basic question:

While there does not seem to be an agreed-upon definition of exactly what an NDE is, I would point out that the term "near death experience" does set certain limits as to the kind of event we’re talking about. In every case those who report such experiences are near death. Perhaps they are "clinically dead" for a relatively short period and then are revived. No one claims to have been revived from a total death situation where all bodily functions have deteriorated to the point of total shutdown and atrophy. Thus today with the NDE when someone claims to have been "dead," we must understand that while heartbeat, breathing, and some other functions may have ceased temporarily, no one in modern times claims to have gone beyond the point of resuscitation and then returned. Death is a process of bodily functions shutting down, followed by a process of cells shutting down. When someone claims to have returned from the "dead" the question remains as to how "dead" they really were or whether they were really dead at all.

As a side note, it is interesting that in Biblical claims of resurrection from the dead such as Jesus Christ and Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, the writers of scripture take pains to point out that they were dead for a period of multiple days – not just minutes or hours. A modern resuscitation from an NDE is not the same thing as the resurrections claimed by the Bible.

Descriptions of NDEs vary among those who claim them. Often they describe coming out of the body and hovering over or around it, of being drawn down a long, dark tunnel and emerging into a place of extremely bright light. Some describe meeting a loving being who gives them great comfort, although others report fearful and terrible experiences. Some report communicating telepathically during the NDE and being told that they must return to life – something they are reluctant to do. Some claim to have been given a message to share with the world that death is not a thing to be dreaded.(4)

A 1981 Gallup poll that surveyed 1500 Americans who experienced brushes with death found that one-third of them had experienced NDEs of some sort. Gallup estimated that as many as 8 million Americans had experienced NDEs at the time of the study.(5) (After reading about that poll, I was inclined to ask the question, "What about the other 2/3rds of the people who had brushes with death? If an NDE is really an experience of what it is like to die, why did the others not experience it?")

That something is happening, real or imagined, to me is evident in both the number of unrelated claims and the fact that even children who have nothing particular to gain by deceiving others and who also lack the capacity and experience to make up such elaborate stories, also report similar NDEs.(6)

Many of those who claim such near death experiences subsequently have radical changes in their worldview. Often those who formerly feared death now report that death is a very desirable state and that they now have no fear of it. NDE researcher and author, Kevin R. Williams, has written a book called Nothing Better than Death, which contains, "life-changing reasons why there is nothing better on earth than being dead."(7)

Almost universal among those who claim near death experiences is the view that man is more than the sum of his physical attributes. Even those who have formerly been atheistic with a mechanistic view of man become convinced that there is more to life than this physical existence. These experiences certainly have the effect of changing a person’s outlook on life. This does not, however, always or even usually bring them to embrace the God of the Bible.

Very notable in the wake of many NDEs is a new conviction that there is no judgment or hell. While such a rejection of the idea of hell is not universal among those who have experienced NDEs, it is very common. Here are a few statements taken from the conclusions of the author of a website called near-death.com:

"God does not condemn anyone to hell. There is no eternal damnation."(9)

"The hell of hells is knowing we we’re our own ‘devil.’"(10)

Another common change in worldview among those who have experienced NDEs is the embracing of relativism. No longer are there clear absolutes of right and wrong. Religious differences are suddenly insignificant. All faiths are viewed as equally valid, though there is often a notable bias against Christianity.

Hand in hand with the rejection of the issue of hell and the adoption of relativism is the embracing of universalism, the idea that everyone will be saved and go to heaven. Commonly reported is the idea that a "being of light" met during the NDE either denied that there was a hell and a judgment or even found the concept quite humorous.(11) Here is a quote from an extensive Internet page on NDEs:

All religions refer to the same God. All religions are different ways of explaining the same God.(12)

Also common in the views of those who claim NDEs is the tendency to reject the notion of objective truth and embrace subjectivity. Feelings and emotional impressions are valued over objective truth. In fact, those who would subject these experiences to critical analysis and actually question their validity are often scorned.

Spiritism and mediumism are sometimes embraced as valid after experiencing an NDE. There is new or increased effort to contact the dead though psychic and spirit mediums. Occultic practices are often viewed as valid.

And of course, frequently rejected among those who claim NDEs is careful exposition of the Bible, which should tell us something. Those who hold that the Bible is the Word of God and that it is intended to be consulted and followed as an absolute and objective source of truth find a poor reception from many who have experienced NDEs. Indeed, there is often an antagonism toward those who espouse Biblical faith, especially with statements of exclusion such as Jesus’ words in John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Having said all this, there are also some who claim that their NDEs have supported their Christian faith. They report to having met with Jesus, visiting with loved ones, and encountered angels. Yet these come from every imaginable denomination, including those who deny the inspiration of the Bible and the deity of Jesus Christ.

What is actually happening when a person has an NDE? Are there plausible explanations? Is this a spiritually significant event?  Aside from those who have concluded that these present an accurate picture of life after death, there are a number of plausible theories.(13)

1. Some believe this phenomenon could be physiological or neurological. Research has shown that stimulation of certain areas of the brain’s limbic system can cause an out-of-body sensation. It is also known that oxygen or sensory deprivation and even high fever can cause such perceptions. Some therefore conclude that these NDEs are simply a condition that occurs when the brain is under stress or is in the process of shutting down.
2. Some believe it could be psychological. Intense fear has been known to cause an out-of-body sensation. For example, people have reported floating out of their bodies when an automobile accident seemed imminent even though one never occurred. Such perceptions have also been produced through hypnotic suggestion.
3. There could also be a pharmacological cause. Certain drugs, depressants, or anesthetics have been known to cause an out-of-body sensation. Nitrous oxide used in some dental offices is frequently reported to cause these feelings. Illegal drugs such as LSD and marijuana are also credited with such perceptions. One study indicated that 44% of marijuana users interviewed had had an out-of-body experience.
4. There are also some paranormal or Occultic possibilities. Contemporary occult groups and ancient mystical religious groups using various forms of meditation report an out-of-body experience with characteristics similar to those experienced by the claimants of NDEs.

With the Bible’s warnings about being cautious about things that could lead us away from the truth, the Christian must be very discerning in areas like this. Next time we are together we’ll consider what the Bible has to say about this issue.

Footnotes: User your "back" button to return to your place.

1. http://www.near-death.com/experiences/ritchie01.html
2. 1 Thessalonians 5:21
3. 1 John 4:1
4. For a list of 15 common NDE characteristics taken from Raymond Moody’s book, Life After Life, see THE NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE (Part One): The New Age Connection by J. Isamu Yamamoto:
http://www.equip.org/free/DT082-1.htm
5. Ibid.
6. Ibid.
7. http://www.near-death.com/nothing_better_than_death.html
8. http://www.near-death.com/experiences/research27.html
9. Ibid.
10. Ibid.
11. http://www.near-death.com/experiences/ritchie01.html
12. http://www.near-death.com/experiences/research06.html
13. This list of explanations comes from the Christian Information Ministries website at:
http://www.fni.com/cim/briefing/nde.html

Dave Redick is Minister of the Hwy 20 Church of Christ in Sweet Home, Oregon and Editor of The Preacher's Study. He may be reached at pstudysupport@comcast.net.

Copyright © 1996-2008 by The Preacher's Study. Permission is granted to subscribers to use this document in total or in sermon preparation in the context of the local congregation only. Publishing it in a book, on the Internet, or anyplace beyond the local congregation is prohibited.

All Scripture quotations and references are from the New American Standard Version unless otherwise stated.

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