Belief in Afterlife, Religion, Religiosity and Life-Threatening Experiences

Abstract

The interrelated effects of religion, religiosity, belief in afterlife, and life-threatening experiences were studied to empirically test a number of previously untested propositions raised in the literature. The experience of a prior, subjectively perceived, inevitable death-threat had no effect on subsequent beliefs in a life after death (BA). On the other hand, BA was found to be primarily related to an ordered interaction among religions and religious activity. While religious activity appears not to serve to defend against an initially experienced stress reaction, the recall and report of life-threatening experiences over time occurs less frequently among religious versus non-religious Ss.