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The Case for Life After Death: Parapsychologists Look at Survival Evidence
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157 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1981
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March 30, 2024
A SURVEY OF A VARIETY OF PSYCHIC PHENOMENA WHICH SUPPORT ‘SURVIVAL’
Parapsychologist authors Elizabeth E. McAdams and Raymond Bayless wrote in the Preface to this 1981 book, “With the exception of the recently publicized ‘near-death’ phenomenon involving returnees from clinical death, little is commonly known about the great variety of psychical phenomena which point to survival after death. Throughout the years, thinking persons have usually dismissed most reports of alleged paranormal happenings as too bizarre to be believable. And rightly so… Thus it is not surprising that most logical persons, including those who work for the news media, have usually dismissed these reported cases of survival. As psychical investigators we, too, are highly skeptical about most reported paranormal events. However… amidst the frauds, a great number of cases of alleged psychic phenomena have been documented carefully by dedicated, disciplines researchers who were highly skilled at detecting fraud and whom we have every reason to trust. It is the work of these investigators that has led us to believe that many cases within the field of psychic phenomena deserve serious attention… let us share with you … a sampling of cases which, to their investigators, indicated survival after death.”
They state, “The out-of-body experience (O.O.B.E.), or astral projection, is perhaps the most carefully analyzed of all psychical phenomena. The ability to feel conscious awareness outside of one’s physical body has been documented over the years… by literally hundreds of cases. Few knowledgeable parapsychologists today would attempt to deny the occurrence of out-of-body experience.” (Pg. 7) They add, “The out-of-body phenomenon is of great importance to research into survival after death. If it can be demonstrated, either as fact or as probability, that we can exist as a conscious being away from our physical bodies, then many requirements of the proof of post-mortem experience have been met. The out-of-body experience and the clinical death experience are strikingly similar; each bolsters the other’s strength as evidence bearing on the question of survival.” (Pg. 20)
They observe, “Reports of deathbed visions of the past offer a rich source of data that, though the years, has suggested researchers that life is not ended by physical death. Apparitions have not limited their appearance and their suggestions of life after death to the deathbed setting. Similar experiences---of apparitions and visions---have been encountered and documented through the years in a variety of locales.” (Pg. 27-28)
They continue, “Apparitions have teased humanity throughout the centuries with their sudden, brief appearances, just as they have challenged investigators with their fleeting and unscheduled habits, More commonly called ‘ghosts,’ they appear in the form of either the living or the death. Many cases exist in the serious literature of parapsychology that include two or more witnesses of appearances.” (Pg. 29)
They recount, “Chronicled from the days of early psychical research in some of the most bizarre of paranormal accounts is another type of appearance, amazing observers and convincing many investigators of surgical after death. Called ‘materializations,’ they are believed to be formed from the extrusion of a semi-physical ‘plasma’ traditionally called ectoplasm. This extrusion takes place in full view of the experiments and usually take the shape of a body or part of a body.” (Pg. 49)
They state, “Dramatic incidents that many researchers of paranormal phenomena consider the most compelling indications of survival after death feature disembodies voices in the air. Occurring in the presence of a physical medium but away for the medium’s body, such usually speak in short bursts and are reported to have ranged from almost inaudible whispers to spoken sentences of normal loudness and even shouts. Recorded evidence of this ‘independent voice’ phenomenon exists in quantity.” (Pg. 61)
They say, “Although the phenomena associated with physical mediums have convinced some of survival, so-called mental mediums have produced what even more researchers believe to be evidence of survival after death. The unique aspect of mental mediumship is the ability to relay information by speech or writing. To qualify for the title ‘mental medium,’ a person must communicate information which he or she could not have previously known.” (Pg. 85)
They ask, “Have you ever seen a rock thrown by an invisible pitcher? Many reputable psychical investigators report that they have. This occurrence is commonly referred to as the ‘poltergeist phenomenon.’… In recent years, poltergeist cases have encouraged a revived interest among parapsychologists in out-of-the-laboratory investigations of paranormal events.” (Pg. 105)
Of tape-recorded paranormal voices, they comment, “The scarcity of words and the curious lack of logic reflected in many of the taped communications have been interpreted by many as demonstrating that only a subconscious process is indicated. However, we feel that taped voices could be considered just as logically as furnishing survivalistic data, since they offer the names of deceased friends and relatives and refer to conditions in an after-death state, while showing an awareness and intelligence that relate to the present.” (Pg. 116-117)
They acknowledge, “Another paranormal phenomenon which lends itself to carefully controlled experimentation is psychic photography. This area of parapsychology has been languishing for many years under a cloud of suspicion, partly well deserved. Researcher after researcher has pronounced that the manifestation of spirit-like forms on photographs is based completely upon trickery and that the famed psychic photographers of the past were unadulterated fakes.” (Pg. 119)
They report, “A recent development in parapsychology is the study of what can best be termed ‘paranormal telephone phenomena’ or, more simply, ‘psychic phone calls.’ This phenomenon has been divided into two main categories---the reception of telephonic communications representing the deceased and similar communications representing the living.” (Pg. 129)
This book will interest some who are interested in psychical research.
Parapsychologist authors Elizabeth E. McAdams and Raymond Bayless wrote in the Preface to this 1981 book, “With the exception of the recently publicized ‘near-death’ phenomenon involving returnees from clinical death, little is commonly known about the great variety of psychical phenomena which point to survival after death. Throughout the years, thinking persons have usually dismissed most reports of alleged paranormal happenings as too bizarre to be believable. And rightly so… Thus it is not surprising that most logical persons, including those who work for the news media, have usually dismissed these reported cases of survival. As psychical investigators we, too, are highly skeptical about most reported paranormal events. However… amidst the frauds, a great number of cases of alleged psychic phenomena have been documented carefully by dedicated, disciplines researchers who were highly skilled at detecting fraud and whom we have every reason to trust. It is the work of these investigators that has led us to believe that many cases within the field of psychic phenomena deserve serious attention… let us share with you … a sampling of cases which, to their investigators, indicated survival after death.”
They state, “The out-of-body experience (O.O.B.E.), or astral projection, is perhaps the most carefully analyzed of all psychical phenomena. The ability to feel conscious awareness outside of one’s physical body has been documented over the years… by literally hundreds of cases. Few knowledgeable parapsychologists today would attempt to deny the occurrence of out-of-body experience.” (Pg. 7) They add, “The out-of-body phenomenon is of great importance to research into survival after death. If it can be demonstrated, either as fact or as probability, that we can exist as a conscious being away from our physical bodies, then many requirements of the proof of post-mortem experience have been met. The out-of-body experience and the clinical death experience are strikingly similar; each bolsters the other’s strength as evidence bearing on the question of survival.” (Pg. 20)
They observe, “Reports of deathbed visions of the past offer a rich source of data that, though the years, has suggested researchers that life is not ended by physical death. Apparitions have not limited their appearance and their suggestions of life after death to the deathbed setting. Similar experiences---of apparitions and visions---have been encountered and documented through the years in a variety of locales.” (Pg. 27-28)
They continue, “Apparitions have teased humanity throughout the centuries with their sudden, brief appearances, just as they have challenged investigators with their fleeting and unscheduled habits, More commonly called ‘ghosts,’ they appear in the form of either the living or the death. Many cases exist in the serious literature of parapsychology that include two or more witnesses of appearances.” (Pg. 29)
They recount, “Chronicled from the days of early psychical research in some of the most bizarre of paranormal accounts is another type of appearance, amazing observers and convincing many investigators of surgical after death. Called ‘materializations,’ they are believed to be formed from the extrusion of a semi-physical ‘plasma’ traditionally called ectoplasm. This extrusion takes place in full view of the experiments and usually take the shape of a body or part of a body.” (Pg. 49)
They state, “Dramatic incidents that many researchers of paranormal phenomena consider the most compelling indications of survival after death feature disembodies voices in the air. Occurring in the presence of a physical medium but away for the medium’s body, such usually speak in short bursts and are reported to have ranged from almost inaudible whispers to spoken sentences of normal loudness and even shouts. Recorded evidence of this ‘independent voice’ phenomenon exists in quantity.” (Pg. 61)
They say, “Although the phenomena associated with physical mediums have convinced some of survival, so-called mental mediums have produced what even more researchers believe to be evidence of survival after death. The unique aspect of mental mediumship is the ability to relay information by speech or writing. To qualify for the title ‘mental medium,’ a person must communicate information which he or she could not have previously known.” (Pg. 85)
They ask, “Have you ever seen a rock thrown by an invisible pitcher? Many reputable psychical investigators report that they have. This occurrence is commonly referred to as the ‘poltergeist phenomenon.’… In recent years, poltergeist cases have encouraged a revived interest among parapsychologists in out-of-the-laboratory investigations of paranormal events.” (Pg. 105)
Of tape-recorded paranormal voices, they comment, “The scarcity of words and the curious lack of logic reflected in many of the taped communications have been interpreted by many as demonstrating that only a subconscious process is indicated. However, we feel that taped voices could be considered just as logically as furnishing survivalistic data, since they offer the names of deceased friends and relatives and refer to conditions in an after-death state, while showing an awareness and intelligence that relate to the present.” (Pg. 116-117)
They acknowledge, “Another paranormal phenomenon which lends itself to carefully controlled experimentation is psychic photography. This area of parapsychology has been languishing for many years under a cloud of suspicion, partly well deserved. Researcher after researcher has pronounced that the manifestation of spirit-like forms on photographs is based completely upon trickery and that the famed psychic photographers of the past were unadulterated fakes.” (Pg. 119)
They report, “A recent development in parapsychology is the study of what can best be termed ‘paranormal telephone phenomena’ or, more simply, ‘psychic phone calls.’ This phenomenon has been divided into two main categories---the reception of telephonic communications representing the deceased and similar communications representing the living.” (Pg. 129)
This book will interest some who are interested in psychical research.
January 4, 2017
although i got bored of it after reading almost 75%, it was a good read and right in my ally.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews