1988 00 00 Journal of Near-Death Studies - Vol 6 No 4 - Davis

Magazine Overview

This document is an academic article titled "A Comparison of UFO and Near-Death Experiences As Vehicles For The Evolution Of Human Consciousness" by Lorraine Davis, M.A., published in the Journal of Near-Death Studies, Volume 6, Issue 4, in the Summer of 1988. The article explores the similarities and differences between unidentified flying object experiences (UFOEs) and near-death experiences (NDEs) in their potential to foster spiritual growth and alter consciousness.

Abstract and Purpose

The study's abstract states that it compares UFOErs with NDErs regarding changes in attitudes toward self, others, and life, as well as religious or spiritual orientation and psychic beliefs. Kenneth Ring's questionnaires, originally used for NDE research, were administered to 93 individuals whose UFOE involved a light experience, object experience, or close encounter. The author concludes that UFOEs, like NDEs, can stimulate spiritual growth, though less consistently and strongly. The primary purpose was to test the hypothesis that UFOEs, akin to NDEs, promote spiritual growth through increased positive attitudes, decreased negative attitudes, a shift towards universal spiritual truths over narrow doctrines, and heightened psychic sensitivities.

Method

Questionnaires

The study utilized a battery of questionnaires adapted from Kenneth Ring's work. These included:
1. Background Information Sheet: Collected demographic data, including UFOE descriptions.
2. Life Changes Questionnaire (LCQ): Assessed changes in attitudes towards life appreciation, concern for others, impressing others, materialism, and quest for meaning.
3. Religious Beliefs Inventory (RBI): Examined shifts from narrow denominational beliefs towards broader spiritual universalism.
4. Psychic Experience Inventory (PEI): Explored changes in various psychic abilities and beliefs.
5. Future Scenario Questionnaire: Investigated visions of the near future, including apocalyptic themes.
6. Behavior Rating Inventory: Completed by acquaintances to provide an objective validation of self-evaluations.

Sample

Questionnaires were sent to 250 UFOErs from the Institute for UFO Contactee Studies (IFUFOCS) mailing list and distributed to 11 volunteers from the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON). Out of 261 potential respondents, 55 had inaccurate addresses, leaving 206 subjects who presumably received the packets. A total of 93 (45%) returned completed questionnaires.

Results

Respondent Profile

The 93 respondents were from 28 American states, Canada, and Puerto Rico, aged 25 to 73, with an average age of 44. The group was 60% female and 40% male. Ethnic backgrounds included 80 whites, seven Native Americans, two Hispanics, one black, one Oriental, and two of unknown background. Marital status varied, with married individuals being the largest group. Religious preferences were diverse, including Protestant, Catholic, New Age spirituality/mysticism, Buddhist, Baha'i, and various other categories, with a significant portion reporting "no specific religion" or "no religion at all." Educationally, the median was "some college," slightly above the 1980 U.S. Census median. Respondents held a wide range of occupations.

UFOEs

The 93 respondents reported nearly 200 UFOEs, occurring in various locations worldwide, including New Zealand, the Caribbean Islands, France, Italy, Israel, Canada, and the U.S. The earliest reported experience was in 1926, and the most recent in 1985. Ages at the time of experience ranged from 3.5 to 73 years.

A composite definition of a UFO experience was constructed from 27 elements occurring with a frequency of ten or more. This definition includes sighting unusual lights or objects (often circular, soundless, and in mountainous areas), or an "inner experience" involving dreams, out-of-body experiences, hypnosis, or time loss. Some experiences included being on board a UFO and interacting with beings. Witnesses were sometimes involved.

UFOE Classification

• Following J. Allen Hynek's categories, UFOEs were classified into:
• Close Encounters (CE): Object or light less than 500 feet away, or any contact with UFO beings/forces (64 respondents).
• Object Experiencers: Sighting an object greater than 500 feet away, without CE (16 respondents).
• Light Experiencers: Sighting a light greater than 500 feet away, without CE or object (10 respondents).
• Insufficient Information: Three respondents.

• Many UFOErs reported multiple types of experiences. The CE category was further broken down into subtypes:
• CE Type 1 (Externally Stimulated Event): Illustrated by a sighting of a bright, moving light that changed color and size, eventually disappearing vertically. This included a significant time loss.
• CE Type 2 (Inner Experience): Characterized by recall under hypnosis, uncertainty about reality, and experiences such as paralysis, transport aboard a craft, and interaction with an alien. This was exemplified by a camping trip incident.
• CE Type 3 (Atypical Cases): Cases that did not specifically mention UFOs or beings but involved experiences similar to UFOEs, often elicited under hypnosis.

Examples of object experiences included sightings of large, football-shaped vehicles with projections and glowing rings, accompanied by sounds and potential physical effects like skin sensitivity. Light experiences involved unusual lights with specific movement patterns and color changes.

Life Changes Questionnaire (LCQ)

Comparison with Ring's NDE data revealed that both UFOErs and NDErs showed increases in appreciation of life, concern for others, and quest for meaning, along with decreases in interest in impressing others and materialism. However, the effect was significantly smaller among UFOErs than NDErs. For some value clusters, the difference between UFOErs and NDErs was statistically significant, indicating that while both experiences promote spiritual growth, NDEs do so more consistently and strongly. UFOE subgroups did not show clearcut patterns of difference.

Religious Beliefs Inventory (RBI)

Spiritual growth was measured by assessing shifts towards spiritual universalism. Ring's NDErs had an average spiritual universalism score of 5.84, while control subjects scored 3.85. UFOEr groups' scores fell between these, with an average score of 5.00 for all 91 UFOErs who completed the RBI. Object experiencers had the highest UFOEr score (5.80), close to NDErs. Close encounterers scored 4.91, and light experiencers scored 4.40. These scores suggest that UFOErs' spiritual universalism is more akin to that of individuals who have had NDEs than to control subjects. Furthermore, 36% of UFOErs reported extremely high spiritual universalism scores, compared to 49% of NDErs and 15% of control subjects.

Psychic Experience Inventory (PEI)

The PEI assessed changes in the frequency of paranormal phenomena. 58% of NDErs and 53% of UFOErs scored eight or higher on a composite psychic experience index. Similarities were found in the highest frequency increases: experiences of inner wisdom and intuition were reported by a high percentage of both groups. Other phenomena like telepathy, synchronicity, and clairvoyance also showed increases. UFOE subgroups showed variations, with close encounterers reporting more increases than object or light experiencers. Regarding paranormal beliefs, both NDErs and UFOErs reported increased belief in items such as God, life after death, and ESP, though UFOErs showed these increases in fewer categories and at lower percentages than NDErs.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout the article is the comparative impact of UFO experiences and near-death experiences on human consciousness and spiritual development. The study positions both phenomena as potential catalysts for profound personal transformation, leading to shifts in values, beliefs, and perceptions. The editorial stance appears to be one of objective inquiry into these subjective experiences, drawing parallels between seemingly disparate phenomena to understand their shared role in the evolution of human consciousness. The article consistently highlights that while UFOEs can induce significant changes, NDEs generally produce more pronounced and consistent effects in spiritual growth and value transformation.

This issue of the Journal of Near-Death Studies, comprising pages 250-257, delves into a comparative analysis of Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) and UFO Experiences (UFOEs), exploring their psychological and spiritual implications. The content is primarily textual, with minimal visual elements, focusing on research findings and theoretical interpretations.

Comparison of NDEs and UFOEs

The article begins by drawing parallels between the changes in belief following UFO Experiences (UFOEs) and Near-Death Experiences (NDEs), noting that the magnitude of change was smaller for UFOEs. Researcher Ring found that NDErs showed particularly marked increases in belief for concepts they directly experienced during their NDE, such as belief in God and life after death. Similarly, UFOErs showed increased belief in items experienced during their UFOEs, like belief in UFOs and extraterrestrial life.

Future Scenario Questionnaire (FSQ)

Ring's research indicated that many NDErs reported a planetary vision or global precognition of the world's near future, often extending to the early twenty-first century. These visions typically included an increase in geophysical changes, economic collapse, and the possibility of nuclear war, followed by an era of peace and universal love. Based on these visions, Ring developed the Future Scenario Questionnaire (FSQ). In his study, 33.3% of NDErs endorsed catastrophic future scenarios, compared to 26.8% of a non-NDEr group. In the present study, 26.9% of UFOErs endorsed these same scenarios.

Close Encounterers vs. Object/Light UFOErs

Further analysis revealed differences among types of UFOEs. Close encounterers were more likely to report global precognitions, with 31% selecting the three catastrophic scenarios, in contrast to 13% of object UFOErs and 20% of light UFOErs.

Behavior Rating Inventory (BRI)

The Behavior Rating Inventory (BRI) is an 11-item instrument designed to assess changes in an individual's values and beliefs before and after an experience, as reported by friends or relatives. Ring's research found that the mode of responses was eight out of eleven items being consistent between the experiencer and the corroborating individual, suggesting that self-perceived changes were also recognized by those close to the individual.

In the current study, 61% of BRI responses for UFOErs were identical to their self-descriptions, mirroring Ring's findings and supporting the idea that the changes attributed to NDEs are also perceived by those who knew the individuals well.

Discussion: Similarities and Differences

The discussion section posits that NDEs and UFOEs, while potentially different, are comparable experiences of higher consciousness. The article reviews Ring's examination of NDE stages from a parapsychological or holographic perspective and seeks analogous elements in UFOEs.

Peace and Out-of-Body Experience

NDEs are characterized by an initial stage of peace and an out-of-body experience (OBE). While OBEs were common among UFOErs (61%), the sense of peace experienced by NDErs was largely absent in UFOEs. Instead, UFOErs reported a mix of positive and negative emotions, including fear, reassurance, and excitement.

Tunnel and Light

Ring's model of NDEs includes the tunnel and light stages, interpreted as shifts in consciousness to a 'fourth dimension.' While OBEs were frequent in UFOEs, the tunnel phenomenon was mentioned less often (eight times) by respondents in this study. The tunnel is described as a psychological adjustment process between consciousness levels. The article suggests that for many UFOErs, the movement associated with objects or lights in their experience might provide the sense of motion.

The 'world of light' stage in NDEs, described as a realm of beauty and spiritual presence, is contrasted with the UFOE. While UFOErs do not typically report entering a 'world of light,' their experiences are often described as more impersonal, involving examination by beings rather than immersion in peace and love.

Holographic Interpretation

Ring's interpretation of NDEs, particularly the 'spirit forms,' is extended to entities encountered in UFOEs. These are viewed as 'thought-forms' or products of interacting minds in a holographic domain where thought alone fashions reality. Communication is often telepathic, suggesting a realm where thought is paramount.

Rare hellish experiences in NDEs are explained as passing through a lower frequency domain. UFOErs, however, do not typically report such experiences, nor the glorious 'world of light.' Instead, they describe an experience focused on examination and information, often without full recall.

Kundalini Hypothesis

Another interpretation offered is the Kundalini Hypothesis, suggesting that both NDEs and UFOEs involve variations in the development of kundalini energy. NDErs might experience an opening of the fourth (heart) chakra, associated with profound love, while UFOErs might open the third (solar plexus) chakra, related to ego and identity. The type of psychic abilities awakened is thought to vary with the chakra opened.

Nature of the UFOE

Despite apparent differences, the various types of UFOEs share commonalities, particularly in their aftereffects. Close encounterers scored higher on the Psychic Experience Inventory and were more likely to endorse catastrophic future visions. The shared sense among UFOErs is an important contact with something larger than the self, leading to a search for meaning and spiritual growth.

The article suggests that UFOErs are seeking meaning and order, often looking outward for answers and finding beings or phenomena that facilitate a connection to their higher selves. This search is framed as a conscious or subconscious choice for growth over entropy, manifesting through UFO-related experiences.

Conclusion

The study hypothesizes that UFOEs, like NDEs, provide an impetus for spiritual growth, characterized by increased positive attitudes, broader spiritual beliefs, and heightened psychic sensitivities. While UFOErs did exhibit these changes, they were not as consistent or strong as those reported by NDErs. The NDE, with its emphasis on love, is seen as a more powerful catalyst for spiritual growth than the UFOE, which is characterized more by inquiry.

Future Research

The study's limitations suggest future research should include a more random sample of UFOErs, a scientifically selected control group, and the study of comparable groups experiencing altered states or traumatic events. Comparative studies of psychic abilities among different groups experiencing higher consciousness are also recommended.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the nature of consciousness, the comparison of extraordinary experiences (NDEs and UFOEs), and their impact on spiritual development. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting research and theoretical frameworks to understand these phenomena as potentially significant aspects of human experience and consciousness evolution.