Near-Death Experiences

For a long time, talking about what happens after death was a matter of mystery… or faith.
But in recent decades, a new type of testimony has flooded books, TV shows, and social media: near-death experiences—or NDEs. People speak of tunnels of light, deep peace, out-of-body experiences, voices, infinite love.
These stories share similarities… but not all of them. There is another side, less known and often kept silent: that of negative NDEs.
Testimonies of confusion, darkness, extreme anguish. Sometimes terrifying experiences that many prefer to keep quiet about.

So, why such a contrast?
How can one go from a taste of paradise… to a nightmare that leaves lasting scars?.

I’ve been exploring this subject for years because it raises essential questions:
Are these accounts credible? And above all, are they compatible with religious faith—especially the biblical message ? The idea of a luminous afterlife is comforting. It gives us hope.
But what good is hope if it isn’t based on truth?

This dossier doesn’t claim to explain everything.
But it seeks to ask the right questions—and to shed light on the two faces of NDEs: the bright… and the dark.
What they have in common. And perhaps… what they reveal.?

Because if there really is an afterlife, it’s better to know what awaits us there.
And above all, better to enter it with hope that stands firm.

1. NDEs: a brief history

The topic of near-death experiences (NDEs) gained popularity starting in the 1970s, notably thanks to the publication of Dr. Raymond Moody’s book Life After Life in 1975. A physician and doctor of philosophy, Moody collected and analyzed for nearly twenty years the testimonies of hundreds of patients who had lived through near-death experiences.

Since then, people have become much more open to sharing their stories. Accounts of NDEs now emerge every week, sometimes even every day.

But what exactly is an NDE?
It’s a period during which a person experiences an “out-of-body” consciousness, often following a traumatic event such as cardiac arrest, coma, or a situation perceived as imminent death.

One point particularly intrigues researchers: these experiences seem universal. They transcend borders, cultures, and beliefs. Atheists, Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, and even those without religion describe very similar sensations: floating feelings, visions, a sense of peace… or sometimes, on the contrary, fear and darkness.

And while the phenomenon is not new, it seems to have intensified over recent decades. More and more testimonies are emerging, including from children. The bestseller Heaven Is for Real by Todd Burpo, which tells the near-death experience of a young boy, is a striking example. The story was even adapted into a film in 2014.

2. Science and NDEs

The scientific community has shown significant interest in near-death experiences. Yet, despite decades of research, the phenomenon remains a mystery. Several theories have been proposed—but to this day, they remain hypotheses. Why? Because none are based on rigorously verifiable data.

NDEs pose a real challenge to science because our current scientific model does not conceive that consciousness can exist outside the brain. So… what really happens during an NDE?

What we do know is that after cardiac arrest, there is sometimes a spike in electrical activity in the brain—particularly in the temporo-parietal area, which is associated with consciousness. This spike, faster and more intense than normal, might be linked to a sort of “last cerebral burst.” According to some researchers, the brain, deprived of oxygen, may initiate a defense mechanism generating visual hallucinations, the sensation of a tunnel, feelings of peace, or intense emotions But this kind of reaction can also occur in other contexts: coma, general anesthesia, stroke, traumatic brain injury…
Some experiences very similar to NDEs have even been reported under the influence of dissociative drugs (like ketamine) or during extreme meditative states.

We also know that hormones like endorphins, or certain neurotransmitters, can induce euphoric sensations—sometimes close to mystical experiences.

However… what many find troubling is this:
During NDEs, the brain doesn’t seem to shut down as it might to “escape” reality… On the contrary, it appears to activate in unexpected ways. And this raises a real question:
How can a brain considered clinically inactive produce such a structured, coherent experience—sometimes even more lucid than normal waking consciousness? In psychology, we know the brain can block out trauma. Some painful memories are buried, seemingly out of reach.
But here, in NDEs… it’s not forgetfulness that dominates. It’s hyper-awareness.?

This paradox—a brain supposed to be inactive, yet producing an amplified experience—is at the heart of the mystery.

3. Why scientific hypotheses remain… just hypotheses

When exploring NDEs, we quickly come across troubling testimonies: people recount having accessed information they weren’t supposed to know. And it’s not just the patients who say this—sometimes the doctors themselves confirm these accounts.

This is what has driven the scientific community to take the phenomenon seriously.
Because if these accounts could not be verified, NDEs would have remained confined to the realm of imagination. The hypothesis of fraud has also been studied and largely dismissed.

So, what exactly are we talking about Some people accurately report medical procedures performed on them during their cardiac arrest, the exchanges between healthcare providers, or even conversations of their relatives in another room—or even several kilometers away. It’s hard to call this hallucination. This isn’t just an internal perception or a vague dream: these are observable, verifiable facts, often confirmed by third-party witnesses.

These people say they saw themselves from the outside. They “floated” above their bodies.
And above all… they were no longer limited by physical constraints.

Many describe a panoramic, 360° view and recount having passed through walls, ceilings, distances. All with a clarity of mind sometimes greater than they had in their waking state.

From this, a question arises:
How can we explain such a lucid, active consciousness in a brain considered inactive? And above all… how can we explain that these people can report details they couldn’t possibly have known?

Science observes. It measures. But here, it can only acknowledge:
the hallucination hypothesis doesn’t hold. It doesn’t explain these verifiable perceptions, nor the persistent sensation of being “out of one’s body. Should we then consider the possibility that consciousness can exist outside the body? Is this a clue that the human being is more than a brain… more than biology…
That we are a spirit—temporarily housed in a material body?

And if that were true…
Then these experiences wouldn’t be anomalies. But glimpses.”

Fragments of a very real beyond.

4. Is belief a factor in NDEs?

“If you believe in Buddha, you will reach Nirvana.
If you are atheist, you will simply cease to exist.
And if you are Christian, you will see Jesus.”

Here’s a widespread idea: that our beliefs automatically shape what we will experience after death. As if everyone projects their convictions… even into the afterlife.

But this idea—as comforting as it may seem—does not hold up against the testimonies.

Indeed, many NDE accounts contradict this theory. There are moving testimonies from atheists who experienced conscious awareness after clinical death—even though their worldview excluded any form of life after death (see Brian Melvin, Howard Storm).
Muslims report NDEs without ever glimpsing the “Garden of Delights” described in the Quran.
Buddhists return from their experiences without signs of Nirvana… or reincarnation.

The most striking part? These people—coming from very different beliefs, religions, or cultures—tell strangely similar stories.
Out-of-body experiences.
Hyper-lucidity. The sensation of floating, having an expanded consciousness. Panoramic vision. And above all… a light.
But not an ordinary light: a living, conscious light. Almost “personal.” Many describe a kind of inner judgment, where their life flashes before their eyes—like a mirror of their conscience. Others say they were questioned. Evaluated. Some report magnificent gardens. Others, on the contrary, find themselves in places of darkness, surrounded by hostile, malevolent beings (see Howard Storm).

Howard Storm, in fact, was a convinced atheist.
Yet, he recounts leaving his body, seeing his physical form lying on a hospital bed… all while being fully conscious.
He expected nothing. He believed in nothing. And yet, he lived a powerful, life-changing experience—far from the product of his beliefs.

His unwavering belief in the « non-existence » of God and the absence of life after death seemingly had no influence on his post-mortem experience.

6. Positive and negative NDEs: why these differences?

1️⃣ Toward which religious system do NDEs point?

When exploring near-death experience (NDE) testimonies, one observation stands out: regardless of culture or religion, many people describe luminous experiences marked by peace, love, and profound serenity. But alongside these positive accounts, there are also dark, distressing, and sometimes even terrifying testimonies. Why such duality? Why do some experience a foretaste of paradise, while others go through a kind of hell?

These differences do not seem to be linked to beliefs. Atheists report luminous NDEs. Devout believers come back from nightmares. This suggests that NDEs are not mental projections but real experiences — whose origin goes beyond human constructs.

But then, which spiritual system do these accounts most closely resemble?

🔆 The conscious light: Many speak of a living light that knows them intimately. A light that welcomes, that speaks, that loves. The Bible precisely says that Jesus IS the light: “Jesus spoke to them again and said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”

➡️ This is one of the most explicit passages: Jesus Himself declares that He is the light.
John 12:46: “I have come into the world as a light, so that whoever believes in me should not remain in darkness.”

❤️ Unconditional love: The love felt is absolute, pure, without immediate judgment but with complete knowledge. Now, the Bible declares: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:8
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:16

🔥 Two distinct places: Some testimonies speak of dark, frightening places where solitude, screams, and terror reign. Others see gardens and an indescribable peace. The Bible also teaches that there are two realities after death: one in God’s presence, the other in separation. “The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.” — Luke 16:22

This passage shows two distinct places after death:
– A place of comfort (Abraham’s side),
– A place of torment (Hades).

👤 Malevolent presences: Some recount having encountered dark, threatening beings. This is not surprising, as the Bible speaks of hostile spirits, called demons. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against … the evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12) and “Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?’” (Mark 1:23)

✝️All these elements form a coherent whole with the biblical view of the afterlife.

2️⃣ But then… why are there some luminous NDEs without Jesus?

This is a common objection. If the Bible says that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life,” why do some people have a pleasant NDE without ever meeting Him or even knowing Him?

There are several possible explanations

🔍 A partial vision: Some NDEs might be a transitional stage, just a threshold, before a more complete judgment.

🎭 A temporary illusion: Other testimonies, such as that of Brian Melvin, describe a “false paradise” — seemingly appealing, but meant to trigger an awakening.

What a person feels does not guarantee the spiritual truth of their experience. The beauty of a place or the peace one feels cannot replace discernment based on revealed truth.

🧭 What other religions do not say

Buddhism speaks of a cycle of reincarnations or an impersonal void — which NDEs never confirm. Islam describes a very material paradise — something not found in any of these testimonies. By contrast, the Christian message speaks of a personal God, a living love, a conscious light, but also a choice to be made… and justice.

This is what NDE accounts reflect, again and again.

👉 NDEs do not validate all beliefs. They do not bring a new revelation.

They simply point to what the Bible has proclaimed all along:

A God who loves. Who warns. And who calls each person to meet Him.