God’s characteristics as reported by near-death experiencers

Abstract

The aim of this study is to replicate Long & Perry’s (2016) God study using a more updated database and different inclusion criteria. The descriptions of God’s and Jesus’ characteristics as observed by 303 Near-death or Near-death-like experiencers were analyzed for their frequency both in the whole sample and divided by the participants’ religious experience. Both in the whole group and in the subgroups, the main observed characteristics (approximately 70%) were a special Light and Unconditional Love, associated with other characteristics such as Oneness and Nonjudgmental, very similar to the descriptions obtained during spiritual and mystical experiences. Only 13.9% of the descriptions reported God or Jesus as in human form, as represented in popular religious images. These characteristics are not commonly reported in God’s main descriptions in the texts of the main monotheistic religions. These first-person accounts of God’s characteristics complement what has been reported in other mental conditions, especially in the spiritual/mystical experiences, offering a great resource for the scientific investigation of God’s nature.