???"... the desire to force it into a biological/mechnical model... "

It would seem to some...(yes, like me)..that there is a strong desire in certain folks to force it OUT of a "biological/mechnical model" and create other models in realms that are even hard to describe clearly.

We can do things like measure brain activity during OOBs etc...and we do know that these recent studies offer interesting correlations. It just seems as if the evidence suggesting subjective bias points more towards those making claims FOR OOBs.

It is a delicate matter to suggest to those having OOBs, that their seemingly clear, intense experiences 'may' have bio-mechanical causes...but that IS one possibility.

I just saw a documentary on Harry Houdini, who spent the last years of his life exposing intentionally fraudulent and deceptive claims about mystic experiences. *IF* even honest & sincere claims suffer from some of the same flaws, we should know about it....BOTH sides of the debate should be studied as fairly as possible, and at some point...perhaps....something close to a consensus may be realized.