After Death: The Science Behind The Movie (An Interview with Dr. Jeffrey Long)

Is there life after death? Can science shed any light on this age-old question? And is the mind simply the workings of the brain, or is it something else? On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid chats with Dr. Jeffrey Long, a radiation oncology physician and one of the scientists featured in the new Angel Studios feature film After Death.

As founder of the Near-Death Experience Research Foundation, Dr. Long has investigated over 4,000 near-death experiences (NDEs), the largest number of near-death cases ever assembled and studied. The results of his research are published in the New York Times bestselling book Evidence of the Afterlife: The Science of Near-Death Experiences.

In this interview, Dr. Long explains the hallmarks of a near-death experience and the common themes found in most near-death accounts. He also shares nine lines of evidence that support the scientific case for afterlife consciousness. And he explains why skepticism is a healthy part of science, while ideological rigidity can inhibit the scientific pursuit of truth.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:23 Studying NDEs Since 1984
02:41 Defining Near-Death Experiences
03:31 Common Themes in Near-Death Accounts
05:28 Consistency in NDE Research
06:30 A "Prove It To Me" Scientist
07:38 Rise of Interest in NDE Research
10:30 Lines of Evidence for NDEs
13:30 A Preponderance of Evidence
14:40 Consistent Across Many Cultures
15:42 Importance of After Death Movie
17:12 True Skepticism is Good for Science
18:16 Naturalistic Arguments for NDEs
19:42 NDEs Refute Materialist Views of Mind
21:14 Where to Learn More About NDEs
22:11 Resources and Other Videos

#afterlife #lifeafterdeath #neardeathexperiences #mind #science #religion #movie

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[deannapotes]

My father flat lined twice. First time in the ambulance, second time in a room in the ER. The second one was when he came out of his body and was floating above it. He saw the cardiologist Dr. McNamara putting a line up through his groin into his heart. He saved my dad..later on, when the doctor he in to talk to my dad, my dad looked at him and said, " you're the son of a bitch that shoved that line up into me"! The doctor was shocked and said he was. Then my dad thanked him. ❤..sadly though, six years after his quadruple bypass surgery, my father passed away. He was having numerous small heart attacks and was not telling anyone, just kept popping his nitros. He was young, only 56. I miss my dad everyday. He was my best friend. It's been 20 yrs. now.

[MrArtist]

Yes, life continues after death. I had an NDE when I was 5, 50-years ago. I contracted a rare infection syndrome which spiked my body temp and swelled up my whole body, including my tongue, and stopped breathing. My dad and neighbor gave me a priesthood blessing as I was hovering over my body and could hear everything they did and said, perfectly fine. I told my parents that I could see them and described what the blessing said and what my neighbor was wearing. They said that's not possible, I was unconscious the whole time, before he arrived and during the blessing. During the blessing, I turned and looked up and saw a brilliant light and felt a feeling of pure love and acceptance. I knew everything was going to be ok, either way. When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed, for nearly 2-weeks, recovering, but have always cherished that experience. Once in a while I feel a glimpse of that feeling and look forward, when my time comes, to go to the spirit world. Many thousands of people have died, gone to the spirit world, and returned, to confirm without any doubt, life continues after death and is pretty wonderful.

[Bill-fjdb]

No an NDE but relevant in this discussion. In 2014, I witnessed my father take his last breath and in the course of that, I saw his soul leave his body. It looked like a mirage type of phenomena rising above his chest. The setting was in a sterile hospital room with full lighting and nothing else that would cause this. It quickly disappeared going up. I am 100% of what I saw. I'm a firm believer in our soul/energy/essence leaves our body at death. This alone has convinced me to not fear death anymore.

[Graybeard_]

We are here to experience. We shouldn't take others or ourselves too seriously. We should try our best and let go of the rest.

[debk]

Dr. Long documented my NDE and OBE in 2010. I will always be grateful for his compassion, gentleness and open mind. Before that I had never recounted my experiences to anyone because I felt no one would understand. Dr. Long understood.

[Saer-su]

Dr. Kubler Ross wrote the book - On Death and Dying. Her second book - On Life After Death. I was part of her research group.

[rositahuff]

….my mom … who was a no no nonsense person…told us that she died at childbirth with a still born brother…she told us that she argued with a „source „ and was granted to raise us….she told us that she was not scared to die!
…she past away very happy!

[DavidVonR]

I worked with a guy named Vincent who had a NDE when his heart stopped. He had some kind of heart condition and had to get a pacemaker installed. He said that he saw an angel, and the angel was so beautiful to him that he started crying as he tried to describe it to me.

[kenwebster]

I recall that whiile under annesthia, there was a helecopter transfere in progress. I was aware I was on the table & thought oh hang it, I'm just going to do this, so I prayed aloud for a safe trip for the aircrew, medical staff & patient. I could feel the presence & attention of everyone in the room being drawn into the prayer. The staff's manner after the surgery was, well interesting. I didn't remember the surgeon talking to me after the proceedure, but I remembered the prayer.

[daivonclark]

"Life" does not continue after death. Death is by definition the end of life, which is the merging of matter and spirit.
It is Consiousness or Experience that continues.
(The Radio may break down but the Signal still exists)

[raymondparsley]

Just passing thru and over... Looking forward to the movie, "'After death". Thank you Dr. Jeffery Long.

[hughtempleton]

Thank you so much for sharing this fantastic video on NDE story's ❤

[steventaylor]

In a way we are all living a near death experience. Aren't we just a heartbeat or two, a breath, or lightning strike away from death every day?

[joemarshall]

I interviewed another famous NDE expert, on radio who actually had TWO NDEs in his own life! I asked him if some people do not have pleasant experiences in their NDEs. He said that the research said that 20% of the individuals reported a "hellish" experience, and they didn't like to talk about it. Experiences included being dragged down by mean demonic beings, great fear, etc. His first experience occurred when he was 26 in the Navy when he was under cold water for quite some time, but was revived. His experience was troubling, a realization that he wasn't living right and had to change his ways. HE said that about 50% of NDE survivors get involved, or continue to be involved with organized religions, and the other half pursue "spirituality" on their own.

[finky]

Dr Long, have you had an experience where the NDE person was able to recite an audio that was recorded during their NDE? Provided they didn't know a recording existed.

[crownsoutreach]

Wonderful presentation, gentlemen. Excellent stuff.

[RickGtr]

Ernest Hemingway stated that he experienced leaving his body when he was in WW1 after an explosion. This is before the term NDE was used I would assume. This was told in the Ken Burns Hemingway documentary. I would think there is something to the NDE experience when people who are clinically dead can recall factual events of emergency teams working on them.

[ManuelaChristina]

I have experience this in my coma after accident and braindamage and bleeding i had a nde and was home where our soul energy coma from❤

[chyfields]

Death is misunderstood. When we “save a life”, are we changing the natural trajectory of their journey into their personal afterlife?

[gavinparmar]

Great Interview and good information. Another researcher, I can't remember his name, reported that about 20% of NDE witnesses claimed to have been in Hell/in Hellish conditions. He said that the actual number of bad NDEs might be much higher since people who encountered such terrible events tend to be very reluctant to report these NDE events. Could you do a follow up interview with Dr Long and ask him about the similarities/differences in the Hellish NDEs that he investigated?