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In retrospective studies, nearly half (45%) of adults and up to 85% of children who had a life-threatening illness reported some type of NDE or Near Death Experience, without regard for Nationality, Race or Religion. Memories of a NDE may surface several years after the incident. Reports are much lower immediately following the event (10-15%).  Many report experiences of light and overwhelming love, but others report hellish images.  Dark visions may include demons, darkness and terror.   

“Near-death accounts show that the hell realms in the spirit world are actually the spiritual/mental manifestations of spiritual conditions that humans create within themselves while on earth.” (1) 

NDE experts believe demons are a manifestation of the mind and not evil creatures existing only to torture wrong doers.

“Hell is a psychological condition which represents the hellish inner thoughts and desires within some souls. In hell, souls become uninhibited and their hellish condition is fully manifested. No demons are there to inflict punishment. Each soul acts out their own anger and hatred by warring and tormenting others.”  (2)

Some describe seeing their own bodies from a distance, as though watching a movie. An out of body experience may occur when an individual’s consciousness is able to view events occurring from a perspective outside of their body. 

“At that point I felt something leave my body. It was a whoosh. It went up through the top of my head. I could feel it and I could hear it. Just a gentle whoosh. At that point I found myself standing in a kind of gray mist. Then I knew I had died.” (3)

Al Sullivan was able to describe activities which occurred in the operating room while undergoing triple by-pass surgery.  Al described the surgeon flapping his arms during the procedure, which was his idiosyncratic method of keeping his hands sterile. 

Dr. Pim van Lommel suggests that even when the brain is not showing signs of electrical activity it is possible that a person can still be conscious. In other words, people can be conscious of events around them even when they are physically unconscious.

“Such experiences could also be linked to a changing state of consciousness (transcendence), in which perception, cognitive functioning, emotion, and sense of identity function independently from normal body-linked waking consciousness”  

Some physicians believe near death experiences are internal phenomena and not based on external stimuli.  Dr, Susan Blackmore popularized the Dying Brain Hypothesis in her book, Dying To Live, which states the near death experience is the result of brain chemistry and not spirit which survives body death.

Theologians, naturally, consider near death experiences proof of God and life beyond death.

” Jesus referred to the oneness of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which suggests that God has a three-dimensional nature. One particular NDE account revealed that humans are made up of a trinity of bodies: physical body, mind (soul) body and spirit body. This is also a reference to life, light and love. Thus, the Bible refers to divinity as the body of Christ, the mind of Christ, and the spirit of Christ. Paul states that “we have the mind of Christ” which shows that we too have God within us.” (4)

1.  Williams,  Kevin: The NDE and Hell, near-death.com, June 11, 2006, Retrieved 2007

2. Swedenborg,  Emanuel: The Trigger of Psychic Vision, near-death.com, Retrieved 2007

3. Smith, Jayne: A Moment of Truth, near-death.com, July 10, 2006, Retrieved 2007

4. Williams, Kevin: The NDE and Religion, near-death.com, June 25, 2006, Retrieved 2007