RE: Near-Death Experiences (NDEs), Souls, and Atheism
November 21, 2011 at 2:41 pm
(This post was last modified: November 21, 2011 at 2:56 pm by Willpower.)
RE: "So, 93% of people did not experience a deep NDE?" ... "If "god" exists, why would only 7% of the people experience an NDE? Wouldn't "god" want everyone to experience his awesomeness in an NDE? Were these 7% just more loved by "god" so they were given an NDE by "god?" Or maybe they went to church every Sunday?"
--First of all, 18 percent were able to recall a NDE. 7 was the percentage of persons who could recall a "deep or very deep" NDE (these would be the more highly-detailed NDE accounts such as the one illustrated in the scientific study of my previous post).
All that this indicates, is that, as the study concluded:
"If purely physiological factors resulting from cerebral anoxia caused NDE, most of our patients should have had this experience. Patients' medication was also unrelated to frequency of NDE. Psychological factors are unlikely to be important as fear was not associated with NDE."
"Our results show that medical factors cannot account for occurrence of NDE; although all patients had been clinically dead, most did not have NDE."
That's the significance.
Second of all, let's not shift topic. You are asking the classic question of "why some people and not others" regarding miraculous events, but that is outside the scope of this thread. If you want, you can start another thread on that and I may present some opinions on that there. But here, I am still looking for an answer to the question I posed in my OP. How could these NDEs be "hallucinations/dreams" or otherwise explained scientifically/biologically? I have explained, in detail, the faults behind some of those opinions which conjecture that NDEs could be explained by hallucinations/dreams or some other scientific/biological explanation. I am still looking for another perspective.
--First of all, 18 percent were able to recall a NDE. 7 was the percentage of persons who could recall a "deep or very deep" NDE (these would be the more highly-detailed NDE accounts such as the one illustrated in the scientific study of my previous post).
All that this indicates, is that, as the study concluded:
"If purely physiological factors resulting from cerebral anoxia caused NDE, most of our patients should have had this experience. Patients' medication was also unrelated to frequency of NDE. Psychological factors are unlikely to be important as fear was not associated with NDE."
"Our results show that medical factors cannot account for occurrence of NDE; although all patients had been clinically dead, most did not have NDE."
That's the significance.
Second of all, let's not shift topic. You are asking the classic question of "why some people and not others" regarding miraculous events, but that is outside the scope of this thread. If you want, you can start another thread on that and I may present some opinions on that there. But here, I am still looking for an answer to the question I posed in my OP. How could these NDEs be "hallucinations/dreams" or otherwise explained scientifically/biologically? I have explained, in detail, the faults behind some of those opinions which conjecture that NDEs could be explained by hallucinations/dreams or some other scientific/biological explanation. I am still looking for another perspective.
"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15)
The "Test of Life" is not whether you can blindly "worship and praise God”. The test in life is whether or not you can live your life according to virtue, and live a life that reverberates waves of positive energy, building people up, as Jesus His son perfectly exemplified. We can choose lives of virtue as is God's will, or to choose lives of selfishness, arrogance, and other vices which have led to the plague of humanity we have found on earth. If people choose vice, that is their choice. Do not judge them (1 Corinthians 5:12 ). But He sent Jesus as a prime example of virtue so that we could see the light and choose it, instead of poisoning the earth with lives of darkness. Many, including even "Christians," have failed in this regard. But Christianity is supposed to be the message of love, hope, faith, unity, and virtue, that creates heaven on Earth.
The "Test of Life" is not whether you can blindly "worship and praise God”. The test in life is whether or not you can live your life according to virtue, and live a life that reverberates waves of positive energy, building people up, as Jesus His son perfectly exemplified. We can choose lives of virtue as is God's will, or to choose lives of selfishness, arrogance, and other vices which have led to the plague of humanity we have found on earth. If people choose vice, that is their choice. Do not judge them (1 Corinthians 5:12 ). But He sent Jesus as a prime example of virtue so that we could see the light and choose it, instead of poisoning the earth with lives of darkness. Many, including even "Christians," have failed in this regard. But Christianity is supposed to be the message of love, hope, faith, unity, and virtue, that creates heaven on Earth.
