Most of the religions are probably ilusions . Anyone can come up with new rules , gods and rituals and call that a religion …
Wow this got off topic real fast. 
But to answer the original question:
I don’t think it really makes a difference if it is real or not. No mater how you debate it there is no proof either way. The only thing that matters is how does it benefit you? Many people have unfinished business with people we care about who pass on, even if it is just to say good by, or to know they are someplace good. If you can do that in a LD or even a ND then it could be good. Is it real? I don’t know. It might be. What I can tell you is that it will feel real to you and for now that is all that really matters.
I do recommend, though, that if you try to use other methods for communicating, such as Ouija, you read a bit about it to find out that, in the case of Ouija at least, it isn’t real.
i have been hitting the bottle a bit, so I don’t knoe if this will make total sense. I don;t really believe in any religions but when people follow the religion as in a way to live its not bad as long as it doesn;t involve hurting people. EX. People who follow the bible and live according to the 10 commandments is fine because the commandments are pretty much a guide to being nice and friendly. But the people who think a suicide bombing is part of thier religion is messed up. they are hurting and killing people and hurting the families of people they kill which is just wrong. anyway…
Yes r3m0t is right if you want to experiment with this in your dreams is ok. But do not go to some one and pay money to communicate with some one who has passed on. People who profit of others misfortune make me angry. 
I have a very open mind about most things like OBE and even shared dreaming. I am unaware of the study that r3m0t is referring to. I did not know that they proved that ouija did not work. However, (as open minded as I am) I find it hard to believe that something you can get in the game section of toy stores is going to help you communicate with a loved one.
Now I have gone off topic 
Sorry
i believe crime is more related to ignorance and uneducation than religion/nonreligion
i mean, take a look at the middle east, or the abortion clinic bombers, the kkk, etc.
they’re all religious and extremely violent (well not ALL middle easterners, no)
but you know, take someone that is well educated and open minded, and it doesn’t matter whether hes religious or not, he’s probably not going to be violent and hateful toward others.
holy reality,
I think you’re right. There have even been studies done that show that non-religious people do not engage in less crime than religious people. To me beliefs make more sense if you believe them because you believe them, not because you think you need to.
And I do believe that it is possible that spirits can communicate through dreams, but clearly not all dreams of dead people are really that person… at least some must be created only in our mind.
Peace,
Sruthan
No, I think that it would have little effect. Criminals are criminals, religous or not. Religion has caused more death (although, prehaps not), than without relgion as an excuse.
Dash Iros originaly asked:
It sounds like she was in a ND when this happened. If she were lucid she most likely would have been able to talk and move. Maybe you should teach her lucid dreaming and maybe next time she will have more control. Was it real? There is no way to know for sure. Like I said the is no proof either way. There are a lot of reports of things like OBE, shared dreaming and other things that seems to suggest there may be something beyond just simple dreaming.
Sorry Dash Iros I tried to get things back to your original question but as you can see religin is a hot topic.