Closer to the Light
by Melvin Morse, Paul Perry, Raymond A. Moody

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Book Reviews of Closer to the Light

Book Review: Death is in Life as Life is in Death
Summary: 5 Stars

More than a century ago, most people died at home in the presence of a multigenerational family and loved ones (pg. 97). Society has replaced that traditional deathbed scene with the loving lie, in which the involved actors are invited to deny the reality of the situation (pg. 60, 77-79, 86). Today, most people die alone in hospitals (pg. 56, 97). They are more likely to be surrounded and sustained by machines than by their family and friends. People eventually do not have access to a priest, minister or physician (pg. 79). They are heavily sedated, resuscitated and medicated until even the most pugnacious doctors have enough, and the body is permitted to die (pg. 55-56, 63, 75-76). The physician's dilemma is where to draw the line (pg. 55).

When patients experience pre-death visions, doctors often repress them with medication and then flee to the comfort of their other, less sick patients (pg. 63). Patients are convinced that they have had bad dreams (pg. 93). Children intuitively feel that if they ask questions about death, people will visit them less (pg. 79). The nursing staff, however, tends to have a different response, probably because they spend more time talking and listening to patients than brusque and hurried doctors usually do (pg. 17, 93). Pre-death visions contain a message of hope for the patient and his family and the discussion of these visions can significantly facilitate the healing process for the living (pg. 63, 65, 73-74).

Unsurprisingly, most doctors consider near death experiences (NDE) a freak hallucination that can be dismissed as "supernatural" or be put in the same category as UFO sightings (pg. 15, 16). Their reasoning is: If you do not understand NDE, you cannot explain it (pg. 56). These doctors prefer to ignore it (pg. 85). Paradoxically, many researchers in the medical profession feel, deep down in their hearts, that there is a soul (pg. 111). The mentally sound children that Melvin Morse, a respected pediatrician, interviewed at his initiative had most often not told their parents about their NDEs. And none told doctors or nurse unless it slipped out while they were semiconscious (pg. 25, 47, 157). When children shared their NDE with adults, they were sometimes ridiculed or referred to a psychiatrist or diagnosed as temporarily insane (pg. 37, 156, 182). To NDErs, that attitude is not surprising due to a widespread ignorance of death.

Morse systematically demonstrates with brilliance that NDEs cannot be denied. NDErs should not be upset that Morse uses science to better understand NDEs. NDE doubters are dealing with an increasing body of scientific evidences in favor of its existence (pg. 9, 101, 202-203).

Morse first debunks the claim that NDEs are hallucinations that result from a variety of drugs, psychological phenomena, or physiological stress (pg. 116-117, 170-171, 214-226). Morse successively looks at LSD, morphine, heroin, "recreational" drugs, anesthetic agents, ketamine, transient depersonalization, memories of birth, autoscopic hallucinations, endorphins and hypoxia. Morse then explains that the sylvian fissure, an area close to the right ear, when electrically simulated, produces the out-of-body experience that about 25% of NDErs he has studied, experienced during their NDE in childhood (pg. 116, 118-119).

Neuroscience has not been able to account for the Light, the key element of the NDE, that nearly every near-death experience of children has (pg. 117, 131-132, 152-153). As the brain starts its dying process, there is a collapse of the visual fields and tunnel vision results (pg. 134). Furthermore, if the Light were simply a spasm of rigor mortis in the optic nerve, patients would simply say that they saw a blinding bright light (pg. 153, 154). The Light gives these children an unmatched sense of peace, love and understanding (pg. 129, 153, 197).

Strikingly, NDErs are fairly casual, and the actual telling about their NDE is very brief. Furthermore, NDErs do not change or embellish the story after years of retelling the event (pg. 188-189). The major difference between almost all adult and young NDErs is logically the lack of a life review because they do not yet have much of a life (pg. 34, 161-162, 164). The Light is almost always one that encourages knowledge. NDErs believe that the Light has given them the power to transform their life and that of the people around them (pg. 190-191). Furthermore, NDErs do not carry the burden of fear with them that many people have about death (pg. 170, 179). They know that life is precious and must be fulfilling (pg. 179).

The Light, however, is nothing new. The Light fuels religious awe and has the power to transform (pg. 144). It has been well documented over time and across culture (pg. 86-92, 191). The Bible itself contains many references that support the existence of the Light. For example, in the New Testament (2 Cor. 12:1-4), Paul describes the NDE that he had (pg. 9). The source of this Light may forever remain a mystery (pg. 130).

PS. Readers can find additional information about NDEs on [website listed on](pg. 135).

Summary of Closer to the Light

Grief & Bereavement Books

• Books > Subjects > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Death & Grief
• Religion & Spirituality > Occult