Afterlife? No one truly has a relationship with death until they die. Nevertheless, there are those who clinically die and then come back to life. Many of these individuals return with incredulous stories ranging from meeting god to being in space. This phenomenon is referred to as a near death experience (NDE). Common phrases alluding to NDEs are “going towards the light” and “my life flashed before my eyes.” This anomaly dates back centuries ago, perhaps even further. In “Ascent of the Blessed,” a painting by fifteenth century artist Hieronymus Bosch, figures are lifted by angels into a welcoming, warm tunnel of light. Bosch depicted the most typical NDE of them all. Was this painting inspired by a NDE account or is it only a representation of religious beliefs? Nowadays, many believe that NDEs provide proof that there is life after death. While the aforementioned notion is enticing, it is not a scientifically or psychologically sound argument. Near death experiences are a product of brain chemistry and individual socio-environmental history, not validation of an afterlife. The dying brain is sometimes more …show more content…
Science can only explain death as merely a transfer of energy. The waves of the brain are released into the universe and then “you are gone.” The assumption there is life after death just because of the effects of a psychedelic chemical is nothing but a mere leap of faith. Organized religion uses NDEs as proof that their denomination is the correct faith, however near death experiencers return with so much more than any religion could ever provide. The returned dead often come back saying, “…language cannot describe…” which is the most viable answer to the inquisition on the reality of life after life (Owen). It is adequate to say at this very moment, we do not know what happens after death, rather than manipulating individual thinking with false