Religious Basis
Some Hindus claim that the beliefs presented in the novel conform well to the teachings of Hinduism, though Matheson denies any direct influence. Raised a Christian Scientist, Matheson gradually developed what he calls his own religion, taking elements from many sources. "As a Pisces," he explains, "I have been fascinated about parapsychology, metaphysics and the supernatural ever since I was a teenager. The concepts in the book are derived from my wide range of reading." One of Matheson's primary influences was Harold W. Percival, an adherent of Theosophy, a belief system with a strong Eastern and Hindu influence.
One character quotes from the writings of 18th century Christian mystic Emanuel Swedenborg. Matheson bases his descriptions of the death experience itself on studies by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and Raymond Moody. When reading these accounts, Matheson found that revived suicides told a much more frightening story than anyone else who had near death experiences.
Matheson's bibliography consists more of "New Age" material than mainstream religious sources, and the novel shows reincarnation to be more voluntary than major world religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism usually depict it.
Read more about this topic: What Dreams May Come
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