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Near death experiences are different for different cultures. Westerners see the tunnel and the light, or meet with dead relatives. A more primitive culture, a tribe in the Amazon for example, are simpler. One would take a canoe to an island, stay there for a couple days and row back. An atheist could argue that this is proof of no God. But an atheist has the same visions at death as a believer. God is beyond our human comprehension, we need symbolism to connect. Joseph Campbell says that this is the reason for art and poetry. The human mind needs that inference of putting words and or symbols together to surpass the limitations of language. His book The Hero With a Thousand Faces illustrates the monomyth. He says every story ever told is about the heros journey. From Star Wars to Jesus, it's man's need for transcendence.
Check out this amazing lecture on the study of near death experiences. YouTube Experiencing Death an Insider's Perspective.
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