God and the Afterlife: The Groundbreaking New Evidence for God and Near-Death Experience

by Jeffrey Long, Paul Perry

Based on the largest near-death experience study in history, involving 3,000 people from diverse backgrounds and religious traditions, including nonbelievers, God and the Afterlife presents startling evidence that a Supreme Being exists—and there is amazing consistency about what he is like.

In his bestselling book Evidence of the Afterlife, Dr. Jeffrey Long showed us that there is a strong scientific case for life after death. Now, he goes further, revealing evidence that God is real. At the Near Death Experience Research Foundation, Dr. Long studied the stories of thousands of people who have journeyed to the afterlife. Though there are a wide variety of differences in how people experience NDEs—some see a bright light, others go through a tunnel, still others experience a review of their life—he discovered that many of the accounts shared a remarkably similar description of God; a Supreme Being who radiated love and grace.

Expanding on his analysis begun in Evidence of the Afterlife, God and the Afterlife is the first intensive exploration of the people who have reported going to the frontier of heaven, met God, and have returned to share their journey. Groundbreaking and profound, it provides new insight into the human experience and expands our notions of mortality, offering possibility, hope, and comfort. 

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Religion, Science, Christian, Death, Christianity

222 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2014

About the author

Jeffrey Long, M.D., is a physician practicing the specialty of radiation oncology (use of radiation to treat cancer) in Houma, Louisiana. Dr. Long has served on the Board of Directors of IANDS (International Association for Near-Death Studies), and is actively involved in NDE research.

In August of 1998, the nonprofit Near Death Experience Research Foundation and coinciding website (nderf.org) was established by Dr. Long and his wife, Jody, to open up a forum for people from all over the world to share their personal experiences as well as a controlled environment in which to collect scientific data on this phenomenon. The website generates more than 400,000 unique pageviews each month and has generated the largest-known database of individual NDE experiences.

Reviews

[Joey R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 stars— Jeffrey Long is considered an authority on near-death experiences so I was excited to see that several years ago he wrote a book on NDEs which specifically researched the issue of the presence/appearance of God during NDEs. “God and the Afterlife” is a relatively short treatment of this issue and my biggest critique of the book is that it is short on analysis and basically consists of posting numerous NDEs from the NDERF website in which God appears either physically or as a light or presence. The book also has some additional research on the changes that occur in the individual after his/her NDE that helps provide some idea of the type of impact such an event has on the person who experienced them. Although interesting in parts, I was never really blown away by either the research nor the stories used to illustrate the research. The NDEs chosen seemed to be all over the board and some didn’t seem to support the principle the chapter was emphasizing. As a whole I would rate the book as average and a good beginner book for those who know little to nothing about NDEs going into the book. J. Steve Miller’s books still reign supreme on this topic and are truly life changing if you are interested in this subject.

[Grumpus · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I age and attend more funerals, this genre makes me feel positive and hopeful. So many people recount such similar stories that it is hard to question their validity. Besides, what harm is there in believing? Atheists have had like experiences during their near death experiences, so it appears that all of this has less to do with a formal religion and more about how you live your life especially as it pertains to how you treat others. It's all about LOVE.

The findings in this book are based upon surveys among those having a near-death experience through the Near Death Experience Research Foundation. The author presents some common reflections found throughout the survey database and sums them up:

• Leaving my body confirmed to me that we can exist outside of the physical body
• We definitely live on—eternally. There is no death. Simply a passing or a return home.
• There was definitely awareness that there is life after physical/earthly death.
• I was aware that I was somewhere that was magnificent and when I was surrounded with people I knew were dead—I was filled with love and felt loved.

Reading through this I was bookmarking pages with Post_It Notes and want to share some of the things that had the greatest impact on me.

• "I saw that my true essence is the energy of love. . .I saw how important it is to project feelings of love because other people can either benefit from or be negatively affected by my energy."
• God loves each of us as if there were only one of us. —St. Augustine
• God knows full well who we are, what we are, and still loves us totally and unconditionally.
• We are here to love life, to live life, and to express back to our Creator our joy at having life here.

In summary, this book gives evidence for a God (or creator) through many personal and positive accounts from those who had a near-death experience. Leaving me confident that those going before me are really going to a better place and that someday I too, will be reunited with my loved ones.

[Emily W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: these 5 stars are purely based on the fact that the ideas of this book changed me and came into my life at a time I needed it most.

With that said, this book is nowhere near perfect. Some things about the writing almost drove me mad, but it was the message of the book that made it so great for me.
I have always been raised in a Christian home, but as I have grown older I have found myself more a skeptic than anything else. Unfortunately I think a part of me will always be a bit skeptical, but this book gave me hope which I desperately need in my life at the moment. And if nothing else, this book reminded me that love is so important, and that I want to live my life giving love to others no matter what.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read. The only downside was the author trying to make it scientific - I think those of us that enjoy these types of books are happy to accept them for what they are. You will still either believe the near-death experiences really happened, or you won't.

[Jahnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comforting. Reassuring. Affirming. I loved the use of personal stories, science, data, and statistics as compelling evidence of God and the afterlife. This book has given me so much hope and an excitement for our reunion and Homecoming.

[Dalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

O carte interesantă care confirmă faptul că viața e mai mult decât spațiul fizic în care trăim. Se bazează pe un studiu cuprinzător care încearcă să surprindă elementele comune ale NDE (near death experience). Ce m-a impresionat e faptul că oamenii care trec prin astfel de experiențe au conștiința foarte trează deși fizic sunt în coma sau în pragul morții.

Imediat m-am gândit la o experiență similară relatată de o femeie simplă în "20 de ani în Siberia." Printre altele, iată ce am scris în impresiile despre carte. "Se întoarce chiar și din moarte atunci când grav bolnavă și fără șanse la viață are acel vis adânc în care i se spune să se reîntoarcă în trupul ei pentru marea dragoste de copiii ei." E vorba de o "entitate" menționată de mulți dintre cei care au fost la limita morții care le spune că trebuie să se reîntoarcă la viață, din diverse motive.

[Iona Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book about NDEs and, specifically, descriptions of encounters with God during these.

I haven’t read any other NDE books with this particular focus.

The God Study was the largest study of God in NDEs ever conducted.

The book quotes directly many of the NDErs included in the enquiry.

Firstly, as regards love:

“God exists. God is love, we are love, and love creates all that is. Everything is pure love. --- God is pure love and --- we are a part of that.”

“I felt God as an all-encompassing presence--- complete, total, and unconditional love in its highest form. I was surrounded by God’s unconditional love, which was so much greater than human love.”

“The message was, ‘Love is the greatest power in the universe.’”

“Then I turned and saw what I believe was God. It was pure energy, and you could sense the great wisdom that was within. God told me that we all have to live in love, that I had to take back the message of love.”

Andy encounters God’s light. “I look into the Light’s source and see a massive, human silhouette that is radiating with the brightness of thousands of suns - it speaks to me: ’Andy, don’t be afraid. Andy, I love you.’ The Light knows me, knows my name! Surrounding this light form are millions of other lights welcoming me back home. I know them all and they know me; we are all pieces of the same light.

Although I’m in the Light and the Light is in me, I’m still Andy. I’m everywhere and here at the same time, -- The Light has the answers to all the questions in the universe – and I don’t have any questions, because I know everything that the Light knows, which is to say everything. The Light also knows everything that I’ve ever done and will do but loves me unconditionally. --- There is no fear, no judgment, punishment, blame or shame. No ledger of good and bad deeds. Only warmth, peace, joy, happiness, forgiveness, and love in the Light.”

“You’re just being --- that’s what we’re for --- to be! The Light was God.”

“Each soul is connected; each has a purpose, and each person is meant to perfect skills required to fulfil the purpose of that soul.”

The NDErs shared their descriptions of our oneness with God.

“Each soul is part of the whole, or God.”

“I was one with God or the Collective Soul --- It was perfect love.”

The author states: “The profound and reassuring message of NDErs is that God is with us every moment, in our earthly life and in the afterlife, and that God loves everyone.”

Love “seems to be a foundation of our earthly life’s meaning.” Our purpose on Earth is to love. Only love is real. To overcome our fears we need to love and accept ourselves and each other.

The NDErs learnt that there is no judgement at all, no condemnation. We judge ourselves. What we put out to the universe returns to us in some way. God loves unconditionally.

“God knows full well who we are, what we are, and still loves us totally and unconditionally.”

We are here both to love and to gain knowledge. We must learn how to accept every race and have no prejudice.

We suffer in order to learn how to develop our souls.

The beautiful light that is God is our real home.

Many NDErs experienced becoming one with all life and knowing everything. One woman experienced knowing all languages, being one with the Creator and with Creation itself. She was the Creator.

There is a chapter describing Heaven and also one describing hellish encounters. These are relatively rare but still are real NDEs.

One person describes “countless voices of many souls, --- only weeping and wailing ---It was the most anguished, pathetic sound I have ever heard.” This account is similar to Robert Monroe’s experiences described in his three books portraying his OBEs.

When those having hellish experiences ask God or the angels for help, they are removed from “Hell” and taken to Heaven. (So no-one needs to fear of coming to, and remaining in, Hell.)

This is one of the best books on NDEs I have read. It contains many, many accounts of direct experiences of God and Divine Love.

This is one of the books that I would give ten stars, if I could.

[Barbara K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Raymond Moody's book, Life After Life many years ago, probably soon after it was published in 1975, and I've always had a fascination with the subject of NDEs, among other topics that were once considered "occult" but now seem to be a bit more mainstream. I've also read Gary Schwartz's book, The Afterlife Experiments, which explores the accounts of mediums in a scientific way.

God and the Afterlife in a sense expands greatly on what Dr. Moody did. It's written by a medical doctor and is based on data collected from near death experiencers on a website he founded, NDERF.org, over the course of many years.

In a prior book, Evidence of the Afterlife, which I have not read, Dr. Long explored the scientific case for life after death, based on NDE accounts.

In this book, he explores the knowledge and impressions of the existence of a higher power, using the universally accepted term God, although many of the accounts seem to conclude that that term and our earthly ideas about it are too limiting for what they experienced, which is basically (my words) that Everything is Love, and Love is Everything.

Some other reviewers have complained that they don't like the scientific approach of the book. But I find that I do, because the author is not trying to explain away the experience as some trick of a brain in distress, but has accepted that these experiences are of something real, and are in many ways similar. The science involved is in analyzing the types of experiences, as well as their effect on experiencers, in a way that respects the people involved, and arrives at a consensus about certain aspects of the experiences that we might be able to apply generally to NDEs and to the existence of a higher power. There is no specific religious belief discussed here. The experiences come from people of many different religious and philosophical backgrounds. And they're more common than you might think.

This is much different than reading one person's account of their NDE, in that it provides a cumulative and structured look at NDEs in general, which I find very helpful. That is not to diminish the value of those individual accounts, because they are amazing, and some people are able to relate some of the knowledge about living this life that they've gained from their NDEs, in longer written or recorded forms and much greater detail.

I found this book fascinating, comprehensive, and informative. Recommended for anyone who is interested in accounts of this type of experience. I don't recommend it as a way of trying to convince anyone, yourself, or someone you might purchase the book for. My philosophy is let people believe what they believe. But for those who find the subject interesting, it's an excellent resource.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going to read it again. I totally believe in NDE's and OBE's, there are just too many to discount the theory. Especially children's NDE's or OBE's.
When a child as young as 3 years of age with no religious upbringing (church/Sunday school) can report what was going on, and who was where, and what they experienced (tunnel-bright light) etc.. there HAS TO BE life after life :)

[Elise Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book changed my life! plain and simple!

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating that so many people that don't know each other have so many of the same experiences. I already believe there is life after death and that Jesus will meet me but it's fun to hear it from others and what their version of Jesus is. I believe that there many many more people that die and have traumatic experiences because of their life choices. I can't believe that Jesus will be all loving and accepting of someone that abused children their whole life. I just think these type of people aren't allowed to come back to earth to tell their stories.

[Larry White · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don’t Begin with a Sequel

“God and the Afterlife” has been quite thought provoking, and, at the same time, concerning. A sequel to the authors’ “Evidence of the Afterlife: The Science of Near-Death Experiences”, this book delves into Long’s comprehensive database of accounts of near-death experiences (NDEs) specifically seeking encounters interpreted as divine. The caution is that the original work is essential to appreciating the sequel. Little is offered in the sequel about the details of the NDEs, especially the scientific and medical details. These details, thoroughly examined in “Evidence”, are compelling and add needed credibility to the experiences. “God and the Afterlife” largely presumes familiarity with these scientifically inexplicable yet evidentially supported details. The result is that it becomes easy to discount the veracity of the individual episodes with the divine as readily explainable by forgotten experiences or culturally adopted viewpoints deeply embedded in the mind of the person relating the experience. “Evidence” makes that significantly less satisfactory.

Long’s evaluation of his extensive data on the subject raises some other questions. While he concludes that God’s love is the most significant of the divine attributes experienced by those who relate this as part of their NDEs, which certainly is compatible with Biblical revelation, there is a strong tone of universalism and relatively little of the importance of faith (and I would say Christian faith) in these experiences. While such universalism and, frankly, relativism is appealing in our post-modern culture, I’m not sure it squares with Biblical teaching. Perhaps an explanation is that many returning from NDEs do so with the understanding that God is not through with their earthly duties, and perhaps this is a sign of His great mercy. If so, the matter of faith still becomes relevant because the earthly journey has not ended for these fortunate souls, and many express a renewal of faith, which certainly is Biblical.

It's interesting, but read “Evidence” first.

[Ana-Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book expands on the findings of a survey the author gave to people who went through a near death experience. It uses the research approach specific for such instruments and after presenting the overall responses he collected to various questions, he also compares groups per various demographics.
Of note, the author does a fair job at keeping himself out of possible bias when formulating questions that might suggest answers; he observes that there is consistency in many accounts ( the light, the tunnel, love as the goal of life, the nature of God, in general things that we heard about before) and he shows that these are similar regardless of age, religious convictions, education etc.
The book also has some chapters that the author callls “ speculative”, as he attempts to interpret the findings from a spiritual perspective.
Interesting and necessary research, made available for the general public.

[Min · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author tries to show God's existence through NDErs' account. I want to strengthen my faith in God, so I picked up this book.
Nothing new learned from this book though, since I have read quite a few NDE's books before.
Having read so many NDE books, I find it still difficult for me to understand the "love" the NDErs keep emphasizing. "Love is all that is." "All is love."...
I am grateful for the NDErs because they provide me another source besides the Bible to build and strengthen my faith.
Conclusion: God is real, heaven is real, there is life after this life, all is love (this is not completely understood yet).

[Ann Mckenzie mccarron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The author presents a compelling case for the existence of God through his large collection of Near death experiences. He goes a step further than just retelling the stories by compiling statistics from surveys taken by the those who have had NDE's. I found the book fascinating and hopeful.

[Joan Porte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting and quick read. It certainly doesn't answer all of my questions and in some instances God sounds a little like an Italian mother. However, I would suggest this to anyone interested in this topic.

[Jonathan Lu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book that reaffirmed a lot of my pre-existing biases from the standpoint of someone who has studied ethnobotanical history of plant medicine and its role in spiritual ceremony across religions. You could accurately take this book book and ctrl+H find/replace "Near Death Experience" or "NDE" with "psychedelic journey". Wine (LSA-laden thanks to ergot) was used by early Christians, Espand by early Zoroastrians, acacia by early Jewish tribes, peyote by Native Americans, aconite in East Asia, Iboga in West Africa, psilocybin and amanita muscaria in various tribes throughout the world to experience death before dying, with those enlightened who return from seeing the afterlife bringing stories and lessons that are nearly identical to those who have experienced NDE. I applaud the author for transparently disclosing his own religious bias, as it is nearly impossible to write such a book about deep emotional experiences without imbuing personal beliefs into it - and the author clearly does by attempting to state that these stories comprise scientific evidence of God - and confounds correlation with causation. There is significant methodological error in his questionnaire that introduces bias, a lack of scientific rigor in making the jump from summary to conclusion, and the assumption that the absence of evidence is the evidence of absence - nonetheless there is a lot to take away from this book in support of the human condition we all face, common lesson of acceptance and non-judgement, and the unstructured NLP analysis of "trip report" data is of interest. I enjoyed reading all of the testimonials that elicited the same emotional reaction from those with a similar experience from psychedelic-assisted discovery and reinforcing my belief about how such experiences help us to become more complete humans.

Common reflections from NDE's in the NDERF database
- Leaving my body confirmed to me that we can exist outside of the physical body
- We definitely live on - eternally. There is no death. Simply a passing or a return to home.
- There was definitely an awareness that there is life after physical/earthly death
- I was aware that I was somewhere that was magnificent and when I was surrounded with people I knew were dead - I was filled with love and felt loved.

12 common elements of NDE - common also to a psychedelic experience
1) Out of body experience (OBE) -74.9%
2) Heightened senses - 74.4%
3) Intense and generally positive emotions or feelings - 77.7% (54% "incredible joy")
4) Passing into or through a tunnel - 33.2%
5) Encountering a mystical or brilliant light - 64.8%
6) Encountering deceased relatives/friends or mystical beings - 57.8%
7) A sense of alteration in time or space - 60.5% (33% "everything seemed to be happening all at once")
8) A life review - 21.8%
9) Encountering otherworldly (heavenly) realms - 42.1%
10) Encountering or learning special knowledge - 57.6%
11) Encountering a boundary or barrier - 31%
12) A voluntary or involuntary return to the body - 58.5%

Dreams often skip around and lack a logical flow. NDEs almost always follow a consistent narrative and logical order, regardless of age group or culture.

Before study: 64% believe probably or definitely exist. After NDE increases to 81.9%
- Average length of time after NDE to reporting is 22yrs

Questionnaire was poor by product research methodology - direct questions introduced bias by priming the participant about God, even in relation to love. More accurate would have been indirect questions that are open-ended. Requires more work and analysis, but would have been a better scientific survey.

Encounter awareness of love - 58% yes
Encounter awareness or meaning of life - 36% yes
Learning special knowledge - 46%
Common motif of God as a beautiful light and existence of continued life after death
Idea that God does not judge - acceptance of all and there is no condemnation
- We suffer to learn how to cope with things and develop our souls
- Life is for living, not impressing others or gaining something; selfishness needs to be eliminated

3 types of distressing NDE - similar to “bad trips”
- Frightening
- Non existence
- Graphic hellish imagery
64% of NDE were wonderful
32% mixed
4% frightening

No significant difference between NDEs encountering god / not encountering god and their self-categorization as liberal / moderate / conservative at the time

20yrs later, also not a significant difference between encountering god, by interestingly became more liberal over time after NDE

Common
- Became spiritual not religious
- No longer believed God belongs to a specific religion
- Became less denominational
- Among those who encountered God in NDE, 73% changed belief/spiritual practices - Spirituality became more important

[❊ Cami ❊ · Rating 4 out of 5]

CHAPTER 1:    Introduction

We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many different languages. The child knows someone must have written those books. It does not know how. The child dimly suspects a mysterious order in the arrangement of the books but doesn’t know what it is. That, it seems to me, is the attitude of even the most intelligent human being toward God.1

—Albert Einstein
21/12/2022 23:13

───

It was amazing! I knew I was being held in unlimited love, and that love was forever. It was like loving the way God loves, and when that happened, my heart opened and it felt like my soul touched the unseen creator. I knew God exists and that we are a part of everything
23/12/2022 19:28

───

And that love of God felt like the first time you see your baby or the first time you fall in love—multiplied by ten thousand
23/12/2022 19:53

───

I realized that the “I Am” was who I was and always had been and always would be. What bliss! I had a choice to rest in this truth and stay on the “other side,” or I could continue to play the “game” of being an imaginary person. As I realized this, I mentally “turned around” and saw a light that was brighter than a million suns but didn’t hurt my eyes. That light radiated all-encompassing and unconditional love and “felt” sentient—it had a presence—like it was God
23/12/2022 19:57

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CHAPTER 2:    The God Study

God took over my reins, in the sense that “I” no longer existed—only He existed. I felt overwhelming bliss, love, and compassion. The True Home and the True Self of all things were miraculously revealed to me.

Ever since then, I know that God is. It’s no longer a matter of faith or belief for me, but one of knowing because I have seen Him as He is. And He is loving, compassionate, and forgiving—which I hadn’t expected. It’s like He picked me up in the palm of His hand, and I’ll always be thankful to Him for that; in fact, tears of gratitude still come to my eyes thirty years later.
23/12/2022 22:08

God treats me as the apple of His eye

my name is tattooed on His palm

simeini kaChotam al libbecha kaChotam al zeroecha

───

He said to me “Do you know who I am?” And I knew he was God the moment I looked into his eyes. I said “yes,” and even though I felt ashamed and so unworthy, I felt loved like no other
23/12/2022 22:39

───

I no longer fear death. I have a connection with God that is very personal and is forever. It’s not limited to this earth. I see life and death differently. I miss people who die, but I’m thrilled that they are at peace and no longer suffering the limits of this life
23/12/2022 22:43

───

After my experience, I felt greatly comforted. I knew that God loved me and was always with me. I know now that no matter what this life brings, it will all work out, because God has it all under control. I trust that He will make everything work out for the good of everyone
23/12/2022 22:46

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CHAPTER 3:    Encounters with Love

I came to realize that God is more loving and caring than I could ever imagine.
27/12/2022 23:22

───

No human can ever love with the love I felt in that light. It is all-consuming, all-forgiving. Nothing matches it. It is like the day you looked into the eyes of your child for the first time magnified a million times. It’s indescribable
27/12/2022 23:22

───

Something very nice and loving came back in me. I left all my negative feelings behind and returned a newer me
27/12/2022 23:32

───

I was enveloped by light and felt one with everything—all-seeing, all-knowing.

This experience gave new meaning to that saying, “God is Love.” The love was like an energy that connected every molecule in the universe.

After I adjusted to being in the light, I was offered choices for what would happen next. My consciousness continued to expand, and I realized that if I let it continue, I would not be able to return from death. I don’t know how to explain it, but I could hear that point approaching and knew I had to stop it.
27/12/2022 23:39

───

CHAPTER 4:    Universal Love

I look into the Light’s source and see a massive, human silhouette that is radiating with the brightness of thousands of suns. Even though I’ve never seen this form before, I recognize it and it speaks to me: “Andy, don’t be afraid. Andy, I love you. Andy, we love you.”
28/12/2022 22:50

───

God was there. Or more accurately, a great Fire or Light that I understood “represented” or “stood for” God. (But it was also really God. I can’t explain this paradox; it was just something I had to accept. But that wasn’t a problem because there was no “intellectualizing,” just the raw, naked experience of the Presence of God.)
28/12/2022 23:02

───

I felt this was God appearing to me as I had always imagined him: an old man with a large beard. He had taken on this persona so that I wouldn’t be afraid. I felt safe. I have never felt so safe in my life.
28/12/2022 23:30

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CHAPTER 7:    Insight and Revelation

I was suddenly amazed that I knew everything there was to know, even reflecting to myself, “So that’s how it works.”
31/12/2022 22:57

───

It was like I was a computer and receiving an endless download of knowledge. I asked questions and received answers immediately. Anytime I posed a question, the answer was presented
31/12/2022 22:58

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CHAPTER 8:    Heaven

Epictetus’s maxim: “All religions must be tolerated . . . for every man must get to heaven in his own way.”
31/12/2022 23:18

───

CHAPTER 9:    Hellish Encounters

He then asked, “Why would you want to leave me?” I don’t remember responding. Then He asked, “How do you feel about being dead?”
01/01/2023 18:52

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CHAPTER 10:  God and Religion

God is everything that can ever be and everything that can never be at the same time, and I’m merely human, so I can understand it only in human terms. Even the best of humanity is still human, so everything will be anthropomorphic. It’s like a chair looking at a table and thinking that it sees a strange chair with no back. The chair may never know it is a chair, but it will still function as a chair. It may never question that it is a chair or look beyond its chairness, and yet it will be a chair just the same.
01/01/2023 19:43

───

The universe is full of Order, so it always finds a way to balance everything because it can’t exist without perfect balance
01/01/2023 20:03

───

What is the right religion?”

The man told me: “They all are. Each religion is a pathway trying to reach the same place.
01/01/2023 20:07

───

I didn’t feel that the God I met was of a specific religion.17

I still attend church but now treat attendance as more of a cultural experience than a religious or spiritual experience. Many times I’d like to take over the pulpit and tell people what is really on the other side and that the guilt preached by Christian churches is completely inappropriate
01/01/2023 21:55

───

I’m not involved in any religion, but I respect everyone and their religion. I no longer look down on people for that aspect of their lives. But I do know that God, in whatever form you choose to believe in him, is real and does exist. But from what I experienced, God is bigger than anything anyone could conceive
01/01/2023 23:09

───

[Gregory Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

While there's no such thing as a "definitive" study of near death experiences, this is a summation of thousands of participants in an online survey, so it rests on larger numbers of experiences than other books on the topic, which makes it likely more reliable. So, you have to get past the marketing of this book, which in its title, subtitle and write-up gives a more salable and dumbed down explanation of what the book presents.

For this critical thinker, though, I appreciate the effort and energy into collecting, tabulating and summarizing the inputs of thousands of people on a topic that can only be studied by reviewing the ineffable descriptions of what those participants experienced when they almost died. According to the book, this is the largest known database of input by participants.

That said, there is a large amount of similarity between those recorded experiences, which is comforting for anyone who has lost someone, or who worries about what happens after we depart our bodies. It's a tough thing to study and prove, and I appreciate the manner in which the author undertakes this task, as we can all use a little hope. I admit to wanting this all to be true myself, so I'm not immune to its charms and conclusions. There is also a certain familiarity with the experiences, as it mirrors what I, in the furthest reaches of my childhood memory, believe to be true.

What I would love to see is a broader reach of participants, outside of the western Christian-based hemisphere. If there was a way to reach beyond people who happen to have computers and the ability to take an online survey, which clearly biases the responses, that would be a wonderful addition. I'm not sure how to access the experiences of more faiths, as well as more indigenous cultures - THAT would be a truly fascinating read.

In a world where we're so familiar with the expectations and perceptions of others, it's hard not to imagine a cognitive bias toward what we've grown up with and been nurtured to believe. And as I mentioned, since there's no truly "definitive" way to establish truth, one can't fully get there without a personal experience.

But an interesting and fascinating study, and I appreciate and admire what the author has done, and recommend this one to anyone interested in the subject matter.

[Michelle Van Dyke · Rating 4 out of 5]

My husband died about 2 months ago and this book confirmed some thoughts I had about the after life.

1. That there is a specific time we are to live on earth. One acct talks about how a heavenly being told christopher that he was there too early. “You are supposed to be 83 years old before you get here.” This is in line w my husband dying and I felt like he chose his death date. It was supposed to happen.
2. That God is good, that all He creates is good. That there is no such thing as bad. All our experiences on earth are for our good. “Despite what seemed good or bad before, now there is was only good because I trusted and knew that everything was in its right place. Even when people made decisions that I didn’t agree with, I felt that it was still good.” I felt this way as well after the funeral. When people say why do bad things happen to good people, they don’t really know that it’s a bad thing. I would have said at the time of the funeral that his dying was a bad thing but now I see the growth in me, the opportunities and blessings etc. God will make my life better so it’s not a bad thing when I have so much good and even better things coming. All things are good or for our benefit. We just don’t understand them.

4 stars cuz this was fascinating but honestly it was a bit hard to understand because of the science in it. I know that’s what the book is focusing on but to me I j just loved the personal accounts.

[Lacy Lovelace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! The way this book was written was how I thought “Evidence of the Afterlife” would have been written-with more case studies as examples. It gave me a deeper understanding of the book and filled me with hope. The stories were so fascinating and gave so much deep insight.

My nana recently passed away in May and that’s what got me started on this path toward this book. I’ve always been fascinated by NDEs and nana had actually had one in 82’ or 83’- not long after she married Papa. She went into anaphylaxis when she took medicine that had never caused an allergic reaction before. She left her body and could hear Papa begging her to stay with him. She ended up on a fence. One side felt amazing but she was drawn to the other side which led to being back in her body here on Earth.

I feel a lot more at peace and hope knowing she’s up there in Heaven and I’ll see her one day! I’ve always had strong faith in Christ so I wasn’t surprised to know He’s very much alive and real. The book just confirmed it further.

[Karen T · Rating 3 out of 5]

In “God and the Afterlife: The Groundbreaking New Evidence for God and Near-Death Experience,” Dr. Jeffrey Long presents compelling evidence suggesting the existence of God—a Supreme Being—and reveals a remarkable consistency in how He is described by those who have had near-death experiences. The findings offer possibility, hope, and comfort about what may await us after our time on Earth.

Through his Near Death Experience Research Foundation, Long has gathered over 4,000 firsthand accounts from people of all backgrounds—believers and nonbelievers alike—who have had credible near-death experiences. Some describe a bright light, others a tunnel, or a life review, but many share strikingly similar descriptions of a loving, radiant Supreme Being unlike anything they’ve encountered in this world.

In my opinion, the book starts off a bit slowly, with an overload of data, surveys, and statistics all at once. I would have preferred if this information had been spread more evenly throughout the book, interwoven with the stories for a more natural flow. The clinical tone in the beginning felt somewhat detached—I think the stories could have been shared first, followed by the data to support them, rather than the other way around.

As a believer, I don’t need convincing—I’m drawn more to the personal experiences than the research. That said, I would have appreciated a better balance, with stories and evidence woven together in a way that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I just wish it had flowed more smoothly from beginning to end.

[John Martindale · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. It seems if one was to base ones religious belief upon the majority of near death experiences of the divine, one would embrace a mix of Eastern thought with an inclusive version of Christianity. It would be believe all roads lead to an ineffable and personal God who is completely nonjudgmental, pure and perfect Love and radiant enveloping Light. It would be to realize that we are part of God, and that will all enter the timeless, all-knowing, joyous oneness and bliss. And that while on earth our purpose of life is to learn and to love.

I can't help but wonder if both Eastern and Western religions were at time influenced by near death experiences. It is interesting that despite of religious beliefs, that throughout the world the experiences are so similar in so many regards, and so unlike standard dreams and hallucinations. I find that people have had them when their heart stopped while under anesthesia is fascinating.

[Dean Harrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've read a fair amount of NDE books this work will read like a summary to you. The case story's are well resourced and nicely told. Dr. Long approaches this more as a research paper than as an affirmation of heaven or God, although he lets the data reach those end-points easily enough.

I would like to see a more balanced assessment on NDE's by including people who have "come from back from the dead" but didn't report an NDE. What does that number look like and what does their differing experiences and data tell us? But I suppose that's not the book the author is writing here.

I will also say, as a bible believing Christian, these accounts make the path to heaven seem wide and inclusive, which is not biblical, while expressing a benevolent, loving God that DOES speak to the heart of the God of the bible. But that's OK too as the study was not (nor should not) attempt to please or satisfy my understandings of faith.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never read much about near-death experiences, but I heard this author on the radio so I checked it out. It's mostly a compilation of an NDE survey, with some statistics thrown in for authenticity. The best part, of course, is reading the accounts of the afterlife—how there are so many similarities in their experiences across cultures, ages, and religious beliefs.

This book focuses not just on the NDE, but how it relates to God. So many people encounter a Supreme Being, whether they can put a name on Him or not. Some even say the word "God" itself is inadequate to all It encompasses. It's really interesting to see the similarities there, too, and how believers and non-believers experience similar things.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the definitive answer on life after death. Scientifically, the author has collected over 1,000 stories of Near Death Experiences, and the similarity to each other is astounding. The book is well thought out, well presented, factual, and never gets boring…as you might feel a statistical presentation would. I was captivated by the content, the experiences, and the message each NDEer came back to live with. If you have ever wondered, needed confirmation, or worried about death…you must read this book! My thanks to the author for the confirmation of my intuitive beliefs, and for allaying any fears I had about the afterlife. This book and its messages can be summed up in 2 words:
Peace & Love.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading near death experience books. So fascinating! I have read Jeffery Long's previous book, which was excellent, so I was excited to dive into this one. I felt this one was much weaker, but still a good read. It was quite repetitive, but that is to be expected. As a Christian, I thought this book was a bit too New Agey. I enjoyed Imagine Heaven by John Burke much more. All in all, the book presented a message of God's love for all of us, is a great message and a correct one. And that we have a job to do on earth (mainly show love to people). God's mercy is great, and he does love each and every one of us. We need to do is turn to Him, and spend time with Him in prayer.

[Linda Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!

I loved this book so much!! For all those who’ve spent much of their adult lives engaged in spiritual questing, atheism, agnosticism, or indoctrinated in a particular religion, this book is for you. It’s also for you if you’ve ever feared death or just simply wondered what’s on the other side of the only life we know. The book follows another by the same author, Evidence of the Afterlife: The Science of Near Death Experiences, which I will now read as it contains many personal NDEs that will be interesting to read.

[José Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is itself a part of God

This is such an amazing book. Aside of talking about the NDEs, it shows how science can be a tool for understanding what we are and what God is. I was really inspired by the scientific findings this book talks about. At the end of this reading, I was very sure about what I felt inside for years (without any scientific evidence): we are aĺl God, God is love, God is all there is. So, this book (As a part of all there is) is a part of God too. It is love. We can sense it as we read it.

[Mel94db · Rating 5 out of 5]

Changed my way of looking at life

This book, and other reports about NDEs, have completely shifted how I look at daily life. I now understand that our relationships aren’t just more important than money, material things, and careers - relationships are the only things that matter at all. The rest is just “props” for the drama of relationships. I’m actually less stressed knowing that. It relieves the pressure to be super successful, or thin, or beautiful, or anything else. We’re supposed to be our genuine selves and learn to love each other. The rest is fluff.