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What is your explanation?

If we have no soul, how do you explain the variation of experiences that happen when we hear about near death experiences? Some people say they have seen and heard what is going on in the room next to theirs and it turns out to be accurate. Other people say they have experienced something similar to hell, and other people have done the whole white light tunnel scenario. How do YOU explain the variations?

Cbabcoco 6 Aug 8
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23 comments

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6

All these things are nothing more than manifestations the brain and nervous system shutting down. Period. NOthing more, nothing else.

5

As Mr. Spock said: It would be impossible to say without a common frame of reference.

4

Lacking explanation does nto mean that there is none, and it also does not prove a soul exists after death. We just lack enough data to prove things one way or another.

The light at the end of the tunnel has been rep[licated by some astronauts going through training at multiple G-forces. So, mos tlikely tht experience is caused due to a lack of blood flow to the brain.

When such experiences are debunked, you seldom her about it, unless you keep up with scientific papers on the subject. Above is one example you probably never heard about.

There are other ways to do it too. [bigthink.com]

4

If you were to imagine what aliens may look like if they were you visit, you might imagine a flying saucer, naked grey slender aliens with oval heads and all black eyes. There is no way of knowing if what people experienced wasn't from preconceived conception of what these were supposed to look like.

Additionally, many people can witness a single event and report completely different details.

As for "Some people say they have seen and heard what is going on in the room next to theirs and it turns out to be accurate." please provide a citation.

4

I say brains are amazing. It all happens there.

You said it best!

A very interesting article. 🙂

@Betty glad you liked it ?

3

lots of points to examine:

Implied question: "Why near death experiences" when the brain is not functioning correctly (near death) the chemistry changes and the brain. Dopamine (which can make us feel pleasure) and norepinephrine (which increases alertness) and other chemicals change you sense of reality.

"Variation of experiences" are a result of different people having different imaginations based on their life experience and genetic differences. Those that see a white robed person, or the white tunnel or one with wings are usually those that were exposed to that idea via some earlier experience media, stories, etc displaying what the afterlife would be like. . .

"Some people say they have seen and heard what is going on in the room next to theirs and it turns out to be accurate." Source please. Be advised you would need a much more specific example then a person reporting what he/she perceived what is going on in the room next door.

Ran across an article summarizing a book years ago that compiled Near Death Experiences. It's conclusion was interesting as (according the article) some atheist saw god and some theists found there was no god and became atheists. The imagination is a wonderful thing.

On a similar topic. . . to help a patient with seizures surgeons performed a corpus calloscotomy (cut the connection between the brain hemispheres) so the different sides could no longer talk to each other. Researches asked each side of the patient's brain if there was a god. One side of the brain said yes, the other side said no. What happened to the person? Were two souls created by cutting the brain? Will one soul go to heaven and the other suffer in hellfire forever?

3

may I answer by posting an excerpt from my upcoming fourth book???

I think Olivia Dyett sums up my feelings pretty well here:

“Today’s topic is, are we alone when Death occurs,” Mrs. Shoemaker announced to the debate team at the front of the class. “In position one, we have Reagan Keller; and with an alternate view, we have Olivia Dyett”.

Reagan walked gracefully to the small podium at the front of the class, and adjusted the microphone to accommodate her height. At eighteen, she was already tall, slender, and intelligent. The only problem with Reagan was that she knew she was ‘special’.

“Mrs. Shoemaker, how could any of us be alone, ever?” The class had barely settled down, forcing Reagan to turn up the volume on the mic control. “We all know that God is around us, within us, every moment of our lives. Walking beside us to protect and guide us. This is a moot argument, Mrs. Shoemaker”.

While the rest of the class continued to cut up and pay attention to anything except Reagan, Olivia sat against the wall at the back of the room, rolling her eyes.

“Well Reagan, it looks like at least one person in class doesn’t agree with you. Olivia, would you care to speak?”

Olivia stood, walked up the aisle of students, and passed Reagan to approach the podium, her bangled arms jingling quietly as she moved. She didn’t adjust the microphone, though her small stature would have called for it. Instead, brushing a swath of purple and black hair out of her face, Olivia took her place beside the podium, and began speaking, her soft voice quickly taking hold of the room.

“How could you be anything but alone? Let’s say you were struck by a car – the very essence of your life is spilled out on the ground around you, and a loved one defies their fear and panic to rush toward your soon-to-be lifeless body; they grab your hand, covering themselves in your blood. They speak to you. You can hear their cries, feel their tears dropping to soak your skin, as…”

Olivia paused. The classroom had fallen totally silent, completely enthralled by the young woman’s words. Not even Reagan spoke to challenge her, so she continued.

“As what?” Olivia inquired. She stepped away from the podium, her ‘classic’ flared jeans dragging across the floor, hiding her sneakers. “Here’s what we know, what we’ve proved, happens as you die. First, your vision fades; darkness begins to swap itself for the bright sky you had just seen above you, and your heart finally stops, having run out of anything to pump. Very quickly – within thirty seconds or so, you can no longer hear or see, and the only scent you can hold is that of wet iron. It sits, tingling your nose, but it too is shortly gone.

“So – where are you? We know where you body is, but where are you? Your mind still has activity at some level for several minutes, as long as your head was undamaged, but the essence of you – of who you are – is locked away in your dying mind for that time. You can neither feel nor see the person who was just moments ago holding your hand. Maybe they’re still there – maybe they aren’t. You’ll never know”. Olivia stepped slowly back to the podium, looking down briefly, then lifted her head to look Reagan in the eyes. “As your brain slowly turns out all the lights, you are indeed alone in an empty room, the last occupant to close up shop.”

Olivia looked back to Mrs. Shoemaker, who stood open-mouthed at the back of the classroom. No one said a word as Olivia moved to go back to her seat.

After an uncomfortable moment, Mrs. Shoemaker spoke up. “Olivia, that is a very dark way of seeing the world.”

“Yes, ma’am; I suppose that it is. But you don’t know the things I’ve seen”. Olivia sat down, adding, “And you don’t want to”.

3

Even after the heart stops pumping oxygen throughout the body, the brain is still operating on what it has in stores. Until that supply runs out, it remains free to produce imagery or experiences. As for what it produces, I suspect that would be dependent on a multitude of factors, including the departed's emotional state leading up to the event and the environment around the individual - basically, all possible sensory input at the time.

3

Lack of oxygen to the brain. It also makes sense that people would have similar experiences in a similar situations. Funny how what people see is always something attached to their own religion or beliefs.

3

Personally I consider near death experiences to be in the same category as alien abduction, ghosts, and religion...they are all interesting but just because they cannot all be explained doesn't make them real or true to what people may think they are.

Remember "That which can be asserted without evidence may be dismissed without evidence".

2

You speak of near death experiences as if they actually exist as an entity. People are experiencing something that some call near death experience. That, by itself, is a subjective assessment that only carries the meaning you give to it. This has been reported for a long time without and substance. No soul!

2

Both of my parents died in the past year. One from lung cancer and one indirectly from a car accident. They both seemed to consciously die. I remember my mom saying “I have to do this for myself, it doesn’t mean that I don’t love you.”?
My dad said that he needed to hold my hand or my nieces hand because he was afraid if he didn’t he would slip out of this world. He had an open debate with himself that he could stay here with his three children and all of his grandchildren, or he could let go and be with my mom. He said stuff like I should call my husband one more time so he could tell him that he loved him. He did stop holding my hand when I tried to hold his.?
I really don’t know what happens after death as none of us do, even my ex-husband who was dead for fifteen minutes. He has no memory of what happened during that time.
We are finding out many things about the universe and there are theories of multiple dimensions, string theory ect.
It is my belief that there is some form of existence after death....I’ve done a lot of research concerning near death experiences.
But at the end of day after all of these comments and conversations there is no other conclusion that we can come to besides....I DONT KNOW.

2

If the person survives, the psychological activity remains. Not necessarily reality.

2

Wouldn’t variations imply that there is no soul?

2

I don't. The body is shutting down, who knows what it will do. Until such time as there is provable, repeatable evidence of something 'else' I'm happy with 'I don't know' as the answer.

1

There are things in this world that no one can explain. I am not so arrogant to claim understanding, I seek it.
I do believe that our beliefs shape or experiences.

1

Well, I've been there, wasn't a damn thing going on.

1

I can't.

But that doesn't mean the bullshit theory of a "soul" is the answer now does it?

1

well recent studies show your brain is still active after clinical death and probably knows its dead just what we need more existential worry but hey ho personally i wouldnt try to explain it to many variables

0

Lack of oxygen to the brain can cause all kinds of delusion.

Deb57 Level 8 Sep 29, 2018
0

first of all, define "soul." not everyone has the same definition, and not every would relate it to the kind of experiences to which you refer. in addition, not everyone's near-death experiences are the same. i have not had one so i have nothing to explain, and i don't think i am capable of explaining other people's internal experiences. our brains operate on a kind of electricity but i am neither a doctor nor a scientist. i also have not met any of these people, and all sorts of people say all sorts of things, not all of which are accurate. even if i had met any of them, i still could not be inside their heads.

g

0

Since Nobody here has Really Died and after Really Dying... has Returned back... to be Really Alive again. Hey "Experts", Shut The Fuck Up! Fuck Science Explanation, Fuck Mistic Explanation and Fuck You "Experts". You Do Not Know!

0

I don't subscribe to the notion that such a thing as a 'soul' exists.
I think it's all in ones head. JMHO.

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