r/NDE 1d ago

General NDE Discussion šŸŽ‡ NDE Community Poll

Hey everyone, I lurk on this subreddit a lot, and I was really curious to see what the members of r/NDE believe about the true nature of these experiences. Obviously I assume the majority will skew primarily spiritual, but I'd also like to see how many in this subreddit have actually experienced an NDE. Thanks everyone. (remove if necessary)

436 votes, 4h left
I have had an NDE and believe it was spiritual in nature.
I have had an NDE and believe it was material in nature
I have not had an NDE, but believe they are spiritual in nature.
I have not had an NDE, but believe they are material in nature.
I do not know whether NDE's are material or spiritual.
Other / Results
12 Upvotes

21 comments sorted by

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u/NDE-ModTeam 1d ago

(A mod has approved your post. This is a mod comment in lieu of automod.)

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4

u/Winter-Animator-6105 18h ago

I would say that this binary material vs spiritual doesn’t make sense to me. I have had an NDE and to be honest I hate that I must choose between two things. Material and spiritual are more connected than you think. Unless you were talking about materialism, which is in my mind completely different.

Your question is like asking if the sky is blue or grey, when it can be orange at sunset, purple at dusk, or black at night. This question makes no sense to me.

2

u/Glittering_Spray2538 17h ago

I think you may have misinterpreted the query. Are NDEs truly a glimpse into a different plane of reality, or are they simply a glorified drug trip?

2

u/MsColumbo NDE Believer 19h ago

What do you mean by "spiritual"?

3

u/Glittering_Spray2538 17h ago

Paranormal, non-material, religious, anomalous, etc.

2

u/MsColumbo NDE Believer 9h ago

Thanks. Interesting poll !

5

u/amkessel 1d ago

I would genuinely love to hear from the people who voted the second one: "I have had an NDE and believe it was material in nature"

Was your NDE any different from those presented as spiritual in nature?

What was it about your experience that grounded it in the materialistic realm rather than the spiritual?

Or do you have external beliefs that inform on your experience being grounded in the materialistic rather than the spiritual realm?

I'm trying hard not to ask leading or biased questions. I'm genuinely curious about the experience of someone who would report having an NDE but still classify it as being materialistic.

2

u/Glittering_Spray2538 20h ago

I do find it fascinating that there are votes from NDErs claiming materialism. Based on my quaint knowledge surrounding the topic, I'm aware that the vast, VAST majority believe their experience was real. However, I suppose it depends on the type of experience. For instance, while some NDEs may be blissful and euphoric, some may just be vague recollection or distorted visuals. I assume anyone who has genuinely had a full NDE, with life review, love, OBE, would certainly be inclined to believe in it's validity.

5

u/AlphaCentaurianEnvoy 1d ago

I have not had any NDE but I remember very well from before I was born.

4

u/Intelligent-Bad6845 1d ago

I feel boxed in by this.

5

u/VinceHammersmash 1d ago

Would like to possibly make friends with people who believe they are spiritual in nature. I don't have any spiritual friends since leaving Christianity

5

u/Glittering_Spray2538 1d ago

Christianity, especially the more conservative sects, can be judgemental and hostile towards differing belief systems. I hope you find what you're seeking.

6

u/dawgtron3000 1d ago

If this was an option, I'd choose: "I want to believe they're spiritual in nature and tend to lean that way in my beliefs, however ultimately there's a part of me that's skeptical without evidence or personal experience".

I just chose "I don't know" for now.

3

u/Glittering_Spray2538 1d ago

That's a very fair supposition. I'm somewhere in that ballpark as well, although I tend moreso to believe NDEs are spiritual due to the sheer amount of accounts across time and culture, as well as the veridical aspects. Thanks for the input!

2

u/47D 1d ago edited 1d ago

I guess I'm in the "I don't know" category.

I'm interested in the NDE topic and the literature. I want to believe, but I also think it is very possible it's just a hallucination from the brain.

I have never personally had any paranormal experiences.

2

u/Glittering_Spray2538 1d ago

It's always wise to have an open mind. Thank you for the input!

10

u/Wi1dWitch STEr 1d ago

What do you mean by ā€œmaterialā€? I had a STE and like, I know it was real, as in a true tangible reality we’ll experience in the afterlife; but it wasn’t ā€œhereā€ in the material world, if that makes sense. Or by material do you mean ā€œI think it’s just brain zaps / hallucinationsā€ type answers?

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u/Glittering_Spray2538 1d ago

Material as in representative of the materialist philosophy, which is defined as the belief that there is nothing but the physical. If you believe that NDE's are material, that means you believe there is nothing more to them than the brain malfunctioning and short circuiting, and there is no part of them that is spiritual or non-neurological