To what extent can a near death experience be considered a religious experience?

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To what extent can a near death experience be considered a religious experience?

A near death experience can be defined as an event which occurs to people when seemingly the bodily functions which confirm life have stopped, (i.e. clinically dead). It often has an ‘out of body’ element and may be interrupted in a religious or non religious way. Most individuals who claim to have had a near death experience say that there is a sense of indescribable bliss, ecstasy and peace. Similarly, a religious experience is usually described as a non-empirical occurrence, and may be perceived as supernatural. It is a mental event which is undergone by an individual and of which that person is aware. Recipients of a religious experience usually say what has happened to them has ‘drawn them deeper’ into knowledge of awareness of God. This experience that each individual has is absolutely unique and cannot be shared with anyone. Looking at the definitions of both types of experiences and their features, it can be clearly seen that both are very similar. However, some can also say that a near death experience as nothing to do with religion and God, this may also depend on an individual’s blick.

Some may interpret a numinous experience by being in the presence of a divine or awesome power as neither a religious or near death experience. It could instead be justified by only scientific explanations. In pharmacological terms, chemical explanations can bring forward aspects such as drugs, stimulants, anaesthetics or strong pain killers as being the reason for the rare experiences. These medical explanations could cause an individual to ‘drift off’ by seeing illusions and hallucinating. This could cause the person to think they are either dying or being contacted by a supernatural or divine being.  

“I began to experience the most wonderful feelings. I couldn’t feel a thing in the world except peace, comfort ease – just quietness…” (An individual who claims to have had a near death experience)

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Moreover, it could also be explained in physiological terms; where an individual could have a body illness, or the brain being deprived of oxygen. These could distort their image of the world leading to them not obtaining a real picture of what’s going on, and hence making them think they are undergoing a divine experience, whether religious or near death. It could also be the result of affects in neurological terms (involving the nervous system). The brain could be affected by nerves and how they are working. This could also be in connection with common diseases such as Parkinson’s, ...

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