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BMaker11 said:
reggin_bolas said:
One cannot study the phenomenon of near-death experienced and remain an atheist. You'd have to be close-minded and remain defensive insisting it's physiologically reducible.

That's how I first "knew" instinctively that God exists. How about you guys? When did you first know?

The mind is a powerful thing. It can literally make people see things that aren't there. For example: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_person. Ever been half asleep/half awake and think that some "being" is just lurking over you? I know I have, and it freaks me out in the middle of the night. But I know there is no guy just watching me sleep.

By that same token, if you already believe in Christianity, for example, when you have a NDE, your mind may make you "see" Jesus, heaven, etc. It's not closed minded to be "defensive" about what the mind can make people envision, as everything you interpret, as a sentient being, goes through the faculties of the mind. Otherwise, when all people have NDEs, they'd see the same after life imagery, since there is "only one truth". But that isn't the case, is it? You don't see Muslim NDEs seeing Jesus. You don't see Hindu NDEs seeing Mohammed. You don't see Jewish NDEs seeing Shinto gods. Only people who "see" Jesus, are people who already believed in Jesus. Only people who "see" Mohammed, are people who already believed in Mohammed. Only people who "see" Amaterasu, are people who already believed in Amaterasu. 

And all these people exist, yet claim that their belief is the "one true belief". And that, obviously, can't be true

Many NDEs share the same experiences. There is usually a tunnel, a bright light at the end, relatives or some familiar entity greeting you, life review, etc. Also your refution doesn't take into account Seth meta-physics which explains that who you see in your NDE depends on your faith system because all reality is created. So if you expect to see something you most likely will. At the end of this, there is always some kind of objective experience and afterlife.