In his groundbreaking books "Why" and "Conversations with ChatGPT: Exploring the Theory of Morality and Existence," William Search presents a theory that human existence is rooted in morality. This theory posits that our moral nature and the choices we make based on it are what ultimately give our lives meaning and purpose. In this context, the idea of near-death experiences (NDEs) takes on a special significance. Dr. Jeffrey Long's study on NDEs found that God is a frequent presence in these experiences, with many individuals reporting encounters with the divine during their NDEs.
Dr. Long's findings challenge the conventional understanding of NDEs as mere hallucinations or figments of the imagination. The fact that a significant number of people have reported encounters with God during their NDEs suggests that there is something more to these experiences than just individual perception. This opens up the possibility that NDEs may be the result of a real spiritual or metaphysical experience that is beyond the reach of our normal senses and understanding. It may also mean that the encounters with God reported by several hundred people in Dr. Long's study are evidence of a deeper reality that is not accessible to us in our everyday lives.
On the other hand, it is possible that the encounters with God reported in NDEs are the result of a common psychological or physiological process that occurs during life-threatening experiences. This could mean that the encounters with God are not necessarily supernatural or divine in nature, but rather the result of specific changes in the brain or body that are triggered by extreme stress or injury. Nevertheless, the fact that the most common features of NDEs involving God are overwhelming feelings of love and a sense of unity or oneness with God suggests that these experiences are deeply meaningful and transformative for the individuals who have them.
The feelings of love and connection reported by many people who encounter God during their NDEs could be seen as evidence of a deeper spiritual reality that is not accessible to us in our everyday lives. This suggests that NDEs provide people with a unique and powerful spiritual experience that changes their perspective on the world. It also supports the theory that human existence is rooted in morality, as NDEs often involve individuals being confronted with the consequences of their actions and being given a chance to make amends.
The findings from Dr. Long's study also have implications for our understanding of death and the afterlife. If NDEs are the result of a real spiritual or metaphysical experience, then it is possible that there is an afterlife and that our consciousness continues after we die. If encounters with God are a common feature of NDEs, then it may also suggest that God or some other divine force exists beyond our physical world.
In conclusion, Dr. Jeffrey Long's study on NDEs and its findings regarding encounters with God provide significant insights into the nature of human existence and our relationship with the divine. These findings challenge our conventional understanding of NDEs and open up the possibility that they may be the result of a real spiritual or metaphysical experience. The study also has implications for our understanding of death and the afterlife, as well as our understanding of the role of morality in human existence. As William Search argues, our moral nature and the choices we make based on it are what ultimately give our lives meaning and purpose.