It seems to remain a social taboo to discuss what happens after death, even though the majority of Americans do believe in God. The International Association for Near Death Studies (IANDS) helps to answer the question by bringing the objectivity of scientific study to a subject long left to the realm of organized religion.
Science Takes a Look at the Afterlife
Somber names and titles, hard earned Doctorates of Philosophy in fields of psychology to sociology dot the the site for IANDS begging the question: Can life after death be scientifically studied? The association seems to believe that scientific study of the afterlife is very possible.
The landing page of the site bids a welcome to the concept of a Near Death Experience (NDE), implying it's a subject that can be studied, though it remains a topic that has yet to be quantified. However, the qualitative side is something the organization aspires to make well documented. The NDE'er (a person having experienced a Near Death Experience) is welcome to share the journey with others on the site as well as weigh in with recognized experts in the field.
In addition the organization is working with both media outlets and conferences to attract attention to the organization as well as the unique needs of NDE'ers who have suffered traumatic events in their experience of death.
Talking About Near-Death Experiences
The group lends two important venues to discover. First, for the NDE'er, validation and identification are both offered. Secondly, for those who are curious and wish to explore the concept with science as well as faith.
Validation is important for anyone moving through a traumatic event. That is, the person needs to have his or her experience accepted as fact. The IANDS offers a confident, venerable approach to anyone wishing to tell an account and have others accept it as fact. Secondly, identification, the need for someone to find others who have experienced similar events, is well achieved by documentation of others stories.
If one wishes to explore the area of NDE through science in place of, or along with, faith, IANDS offers an excellent representation of professionals from almost every scientific discipline. Many of the NDE'ers sharing their stories hold respectable degrees and professions.
If the idea of what happens after death is to move from the closed doors of church doctrine to the mainstream focus of culture, groups such as IANDS will be among the first to make the move. The group bears inclusion in any review of resources of available to NDE'ers and those asking the question of what comes next.
Reece Manley - Reece W. Manley, DD,M.Ed.MPM, works in a number of fields using his extensive experience and educational background in human development, ...
