Dr. Jeffrey Long, an oncologist with a penchant for research, embarked 25 years ago on a journey that made him fully believe in the existence of life after death. We used ChatGPT to summarize why Dr. Long claims that it is clear to him beyond any doubt that life continues after separation from the body:
Nearly four decades ago, Dr. Long stumbled upon an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association that challenged the core of his medical training. The article described near-death experiences – the stories of people who had near-death experiences, survived and came back to life with amazing stories of what they experienced during that time. At that moment, the obvious dichotomy between life and death was called into question.
Dr. Long's interest in near-death experiences led him and his wife, Judy, to establish the Foundation for the Study of Near-Death Experiences (NDERF) in 1998, where they began systematically collecting and analyzing descriptions of such experiences. Through rigorous scientific evaluation, he identified common denominators among stories he encountered. According to him, he was endowed with a scientific skepticism that allowed W. to approach the subject with an open mind to distinguish between facts and fiction.
The stories he collected painted a remarkably consistent picture: about 45% of them described an out-of-body experience in which consciousness transcended the physical body, providing a unique vantage point. The familiar description—a tunnel of light, deceased loved ones performing at their peak, and a sweeping sense of love and peace—also often popped up. These descriptions, often considered clichéd, carried a profound truth that Dr. Long could not ignore.
While some scientists dismiss these common experiences as hallucinations caused by brain activity, Dr. Long's extensive research refutes such explanations. Over the past 2.5 decades, he says, he has encountered so many experiences that it is impossible to assume they stemmed from brain activity driven by pre-existing prejudices — some from young children who are unlikely to have been exposed to such descriptions at all.
However, Dr. Long's research has expanded beyond traditional near-death experiences. He also delved into "deathly fear experiences"—cases in which people faced immediate danger and experienced their lives as a vision before their eyes. These experiences, while distinct from typical near-death experiences, offered further insights into the complex interplay between life, consciousness and moments on the cliff of death.
As an oncologist treating cancer patients, Dr. Long's dual pursuits have had a profound impact on his approach to patient care. Although he did not discuss his research with patients, his understanding of the potential beyond life deepened his compassion and empathy for them and, he says, his ability to understand them better.
Dr. Long's research, which has already included more than 5,000 documented cases, offers a unique perspective on life, death and what may exist on the other side of this equation – but it is far from perfect or final. Curiosity on the subject will probably continue to cause many to try to understand the subject, hoping not to witness it themselves.
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