MSNBC Poll: 81% Do Not Believe in Afterlife

In a recent MSNBC online poll, 81% of respondents stated they do NOT believe in the afterlife. Is religion dying in America?

Dr. Jeffrey Long has written a new book, Evidence of the Afterlife: The Science of Near-Death Experiences. Long’s not a philosopher, and he’s not a physicist. He’s a radiation oncologist.

He and his wife have gathered “thousands” of stories of oxygen-deprivation dreams, or “Near Death Experiences (NDEs)” at their Near Death Experience Research Foundation. Yes, they have over 2,000 full-length stories on their website, and you can write in to tell them yours!

What, you haven’t yet?

According to the overview page,

NDERF does not solicit contributions and has nothing for sale.

Except a crappy book. That one over there! —–>

We do not proselytize.

Unless you mean proselytizing the belief in eternal life, based entirely upon hearsay. Here I thought that was a faith of some sort, just not confined to one cult. Collecting anecdotes from strangers with no means of confirming them is not “science”.

The website has become the largest NDE research database in the world, containing over 1,600 NDE accounts. The people whose stories are captured in the database span all age groups, races, and religious affiliations and come from all over the world, yet the similarities in their stories are as awe-inspiring as they are revealing. Using this treasure trove of data, Dr. Long explains how medical evidence fails to explain these reports and why there is only one plausible explanation—that people have survived death and traveled to another dimension.

What about the poll?

At this writing, the poll has 45,131 votes. Of these, 81.4% do not believe in an afterlife, and 16.1% do. The remaining 2.5% aren’t sure.

Unlike the NDERF, this poll is admittedly “not scienticious”. The votes reflect the opinions of the people who chose to read the story and vote. That is all. And most of them, apparently, were not at all convinced by Long’s fairy tales.

The comments, meanwhile, are well worth the price of admission (er, free):

scheptik
@Nadia-1572790: “Internal life with our God”… you mean, like, God eats us?

Ewwww.

Cthulhu = God?

connie-1572520
I’ve had an afterlife experience. I was 12 yrs old and fainted and fell down a flight of stairs. I was in an all white place where there were people in white gowns walking around. I saw 2 older gentlemen. One of them told me I could not stay. I wanted to stay because the love I felt was nothing like here on earth. Even a mother’s love for her child doesn’t compare to the love felt in Heaven. It permeates everything and you are completely aware of it. I believe we are here on earth to “learn” to love and be prepared for that intense love.

When I was 4 yrs old, an angel appeared to me and told me to not be afraid but that she would always be with me. She did not tell me her name but somehow i knew it was Mary.

When I was 20 yrs old and getting back into church, I had 3 visits from Satan where he immobilized me. It was frightening. I could not move or speak and was trying so hard to say Jesus. After many attempts, I got it out and Satan vanished immediately. He did this 2 more times and has never been back.

When my great grandmother was passing away, she commented how beautiful Jesus was and could hear music.

Brock-1572750

[From Article/J. Long] By collecting NDEs via the Internet, I could examine the content of a large number of experiences, reliably determining similarities and differences, and find out once and for all if NDEs are real or imagined.

Science: You’re doing it wrong. Idiot.

There’s one of those demotivational posters in there somewhere.

dtix
Anecdotes are not proof nor evidence. Most humans will have a similar response to a physiological stress (seeing stars from concussion, auras before migraines, and so on) such as hypoxia.

I doubt her scientific conviction. But I don’t doubt her religious conviction.

Unconditional
God was telling the woman in the article to love unconditionally. Not many are willing or able to do this. It involves an open mind and open heart.

dtix
A diety is not needed to love unconditionally.

Religious folk think that in order for them to love unconditionally, they need to be loved by a “god” who loves them unconditionally. As long as they do exactly what He tells them to do.

Otherwise, He’ll burn them in a lake of fire forever and ever. Because He loves them.

Susan-29020
I feel sorry for those who are skeptics. You are missing a truly rich life of joy, peace and contentment. The afterlife is real, and God’s presence is available to all of us. It takes courage to grow in His love with an awareness of His presence. One does not have to be Bible thumping Fundamentalist to know this. One needs only to be open minded to the possibilities.

kissmymango
I feel sorry for adults who are so dependent in imaginary friends. Living free from stupid nonsense is the most rewarding, most uplifting, richest life there is. I pity you for living with your head in the sand.

The original article on MSNBC may be found HERE.

Related articles:

1. Christians Vandalize MSNBC Poll
2. FFRF’s latest billboard: Enjoy life now, there is no afterlife
3. AFA Poll: Why is it impossible to be gay and Christian?
4. Poll: 43% of Americans neutral or anti-Nat'l Day of Prayer
5. The Great Name Poll