Near-death experiences

I received an email from a visitor to this site in response to the study series on death, resurrection, and immortality. In that series, I extensively argued that “death” in Scripture is not another form of life, but its opposite. Summarized in the words of Ecclesiastes 9:5: “the dead know nothing.” However, this study raised a question for her. I quote:

I recently read the book “Imagine Heaven” by John Burke. It is a narrative reference work covering many studies on near-death experiences. Studies from all over the world and not necessarily only from a Christian perspective. The author was an atheist but came to faith because of the studies and stories he encountered professionally.

Now my question is how I should view this in the light of the Bible? Or in the light of your study? Is it all collective “nonsense” (since death is death), have these people truly caught a glimpse of their/their future, or might there be another reason? And if people (there are also children among them) did see their future, then it could be described what the environment was like; some spoke of a city built on a hill, shining with an indescribably bright light. In other words, is what these people experienced while doctors were fighting for their lives real or fantasy?

It is good to face this question, even though it is not a directly Biblical question. Let me share a few considerations.

Almost succeeded…

First of all, we must establish that no near-death experience (NDE) says anything about death itself. It concerns experiences that people have just before they die. Near-death is something like almost succeeding. Or almost pregnant. I mean this: being dead, being graduated, or being pregnant are strictly binary states: you either are or you are not — never partly or halfway. So regardless of how we interpret or assess a near-death experience, it changes nothing about what Scripture says about what death is.

many variations

But even with this conclusion, the question still remains. What should we think of the many documented experiences people have during, for example, an accident, cardiac arrest, or resuscitation? Although the vast majority of those who survive such events have no memory of it, there are indeed a number who do. In many cases, they speak in terms of “going through a tunnel” and “seeing a bright light.” Or of a life review passing by. Some recall an out-of-body experience, for instance seeing themselves lying on the operating table. Others speak of encounters with deceased individuals. Usually, the experiences are blissful, but not always. In short, having an NDE is not standard, and moreover, the type of experience one has is quite diverse. It cannot be assumed beforehand that there is only one explanation for all experiences categorized as NDEs.

hallucinations

A considerable number of scientists explain NDEs as purely hallucinations, usually neurological in nature. They could be caused by deficiencies or an imbalance of certain substances, or by stimuli in the brain. Such processes can have a hallucinatory effect, similar to what can occur during sleep or epilepsy. It has been established that an experience like an “out-of-body experience” can also be induced through the use of drugs or electrical stimulation. Others view NDEs more as psychological hallucinations, linking them to a certain type of personality or specific (traumatic) backgrounds and experiences.

supernatural

A completely different approach is to view NDEs as real spiritual (“supernatural”) phenomena. This approach, in turn, can lead to different explanations. The questioner above suggested the explanation that an NDE could be an early encounter with death. In fact, the very term “near-death experience” already carries that suggestion. As argued, I reject this explanation on biblical grounds, but there are more possibilities without necessarily thinking of hallucinations. For instance, in certain cases, such as encounters with deceased individuals, dark spiritual influences could be considered, similar to those occurring in a spiritistic setting. But aside from that, why could NDEs not also be a message from God, offering a glimpse, a sort of preview of His future?

In the perception of a dying person, death is no more than a blink of an eye. One closes their eyes, and the very next conscious moment is in the resurrection. Even if thousands of years were to pass between the moment of death and resurrection, the person involved is completely unaware of this passage of time. They are literally “out of time.” The dead know nothing and have no awareness of time.

In short: a near-death experience can be a hallucination, but it can also be a real spiritual experience. Sometimes perhaps as a dark deception, or as a vision or glimpse from God. The only option that can be excluded is that an NDE tells us something about the actual state of the dead.

Delen: