Casa Grande, AZ – Near-death experience (NDE) researcher, former out-of-body experience (OBE) practitioner, and ordained minister Robert King has just launched a new study called The NDE OBE Research Project in which he and his team are trying to discover and determine the differences and commonalities between out-of-body experiences (OBEs) that take place during a near-death situation and those which take place under other circumstances and conditions.

King asserts that understanding the differences and commonalities between the non-NDE OBE and the NDE-related OBE are critical for a proper understanding of what is really taking place during these experiences. As he explains:

“While it is often just assumed that the NDE takes place because one is dying and that this is the cause, this may not in fact be the case. It may simply be that the conditions of one undergoing pain, trauma and/or illness that often accompany one who is near death act as or are related to the catalyst that initiates the event. The near-death condition of those who experience what is termed an NDE may simply be circumstantial. In other words, it may be that the near-death state comes with conditions that make one more predisposed to experiencing an OBE, and that one who is near death is not necessarily having the OBE because the spirit is getting ready to leave.”

Because of this, the primary focus of The NDE OBE Research Project is on OBE catalysts, the event itself, and the processes from beginning to end, both in the non-NDE OBE and the NDE-related OBE. The study is not directly concerned with the religious/spiritual interpretations of these experiences, and the results of the study will probably not provide or offer an answer as to the objective/subjective debate. However, it may possibly provide some further insight in regards to these matters even though these are not the primary purpose of the study.

The methodology of the study consists of allowing each participant to fill out an online questionnaire, which consists of 25 questions that the participant must answer in their own words. King has attempted to remove any suggestive or leading content or words. The study is expected to last at least 6 months with a goal of at least 500 participants. Those who have had any type of OBE experience, whether near death or not, can participate by filling out the questionnaire at ndeobe.com. The study promises to provide all participants a copy of the results of the study once it is complete.

About Robert King:

Robert King is the author of numerous print books and e-books, and has written numerous articles for major Christian and Catholic magazines across all denominations. He was originally ordained in 1998 by Calvary Chapel in Huntington Beach, California. He manages the Facebook ministry of BibleCommentator.com with over 30,000 followers. King has been studying NDEs and OBEs for well over three decades.