Many scientists have been saying that a lack of oxygen cannot be the answer for NDEs, and that a brain deprived of oxygen could never remember anything to the extent that people who experienced NDEs remember things. They go on to say that NDEs are not hallucinations either. Some even say that the drugs such as ketamine cannot be used as a way to explain what occurs during an NDE. I have realised however that often times, NDEs do vary across different cultures. For example, Christians will see Jesus and have a life review. Atheists who grew up in North America will see hell (they were former Christians), Hindu people often see Lord Yama. In Hindu faith, they will often be brought to a spiritual being who tells them that it is not their time to die and then they get sent back to live. There have been a few examples in Zambia where a person will have an NDE involving a highway and them driving quickly on it. Finally, in Japan NDEs have depicted sailing on a boat.
There are obvious similarities between all faiths. For example, almost every spiritual NDE will have a spiritual leader in it, with a life review. People will see memories of what happened during their lives. One man describes being mean to his aunt and being able to feel exactly how she felt during at that time (Christian), while a Hindu man saw moments of his past life in his NDE. Although there are some resemblances it seems that the fact that they are culturally specific may indicate that they are created by the brain. Many people in favour of NDEs will say that all the scientific claims and explanations for NDEs can be debunked, and that many of them are made up. Other people will say that every NDE is unique because God wants everyone to understand what is going on. What do you guys think?
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I think you more or less answer your own question here.
There are multiple different variations, where not a single one provides any form of proof that is was something more than an internal experience created by the brain.
If you have not already, you really should read about confabulation:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confabulation
I'm listing some other interesting abilities of our brain below.
You only need to read the beginning of each article to get an idea of what kind of mechanisms the human psyche have in its tool kit.
Compartmentalization
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compartmentalization_(psychology)
Dissociation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissociation_(psychology)
Projection
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_projection
Repression
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_repression
Displacement
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Displacement_(psychology)
Anthropomorphism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropomorphism
Edit: Fixed broken links
In addition to all of The Pragmatic's links there is also the problem with eyewitness testimony. It turns out that it really isn't that reliable and many times it is created by the eyewitness and not actually remembered so it only follows that they create a memory of a NDE that is nothing more than a story that they want to tell.
@pork222
Dr. Rick Strassman speculates in his book "DMT: The Spirit Molecule" that you may find that DMT spikes during the NDE experience. I'm not sure if you've considered this, but the near-death experience may be a moment where a natural induction of endogenous DMT occurs. N,N-DMT is basically a naturally occurring and very powerful entheogen.
NDE are the mind's playground and to attempt logical discourse is a fool's game. Let it go. Twice I traveled to the brink, unknowingly, only to be told how close I'd come to it when consciousness returned. Mr Toad's Wild Ride but purely the chemical control of the mind. Even when I was anesthetized for a couple surgeries the dreamscape was surreal.
People who seek to associate it with an external influence make me wonder about their lucidity.
My bad, confabulation is exactly what I was talking about before I realized what I was talking about, sorry Pragmatic.
I have a chronic disease which I was diagnosed with in 1991. I don't like to think about how many times I've come knocking on Death's door. When the topic of NDE's comes up I don't usually give it much thought because I've never had one but maybe that is actually saying something.
Once when I was revived by a stunningly beautiful nurse I looked at her and asked, "Are you an angel?" and while I can easily excuse this reaction as cognitive impairment there is also the possibility that I was just flirting.
Ah, someone finally read my suggested links. Yay!
LoL at "Are you an angel?" :)
In 25 years of nursing I met one patient who claimed he had a NDE. I was interviewing him as part of the admission assessment. He had been in ICU and was moving on to the rehab unit. He started to tell me his little tale and I pretended not to hear it and asked my next question. I try not to be rude but I have real shit to do.
What do you guys make of this experience?
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/392018-near-death-experience-turns-athei...
No one would get two penicillin shots for a reaction to a tetanus shot.Unless nurse made a mistake.
The defibrillator is not used to "restart" the heart but to correct an abnormal rhythm such as ventricle flutter. Chest compressions are used when there is no pulse.
When there is no heart beat there is no movement such as jerking and shaking.
People have cervical fractures all the time that don't result in paralysis.
This story is bullshit.
Also of note: There is not enough information provided to do any kind of follow up. So we have a fanciful tale, posted to the internet, who's details come from a hospital TV show instead of reality, that is impossible verify.
The question you should ask yourself pork222 is why did this story appeal to you? How badly do you want/need NDE's to be true?
@Nyarlathotep
To be honest, I know that it may look like I want the NDEs to be true because that would likely prove that there is something more to come after death. However, it is actually the complete opposite. As silly as it may seem, I find the idea of NDEs to be scary. I don't want them to be true. I know this is biased but I have seen so many examples of NDEs of atheists going to hell that it scares me. To be honest, the whole NDE phenomenon is one of the only things holding me back from becoming an atheist. I am currently an agnostic that kind of goes through phases. Sometimes I will feel that all this religious stuff is not true. Other times, I wonder "what if". Also, some people who are close to me are atheists and that is another reason why these NDEs scare me. Obviously, what I want and what is actual fact are two completely different things.
Ah I see that this is just another incarnation of your fear of hell. I was lucky enough to never believe in hell so I never had this stumbling block but it seems rather common in our community. Perhaps returning to your idea about cultural differences can help. There are lots of 'underworld' myths; perhaps reading about the underworld myths of other cultures might help to put the Christian underworld myth (hell) into perspective for the silliness that it is: Wikipedia - Underworlds by mythology. I wish I could offer you more.