Near Death Experiences and Religion

[Lekatt]

Near death experiences are not similar to religion and so are rejected by some religious folks. Yet NDEs are very close to the teachings of Jesus. My experience was one of love and caring. This is what Jesus taught. I am asking the question of how do you view NDEs when comparing them with your religion.

 

[Lain]

Near death experiences are not similar to religion and so are rejected by some religious folks. Yet NDEs are very close to the teachings of Jesus. My experience was one of love and caring. This is what Jesus taught. I am asking the question of how do you view NDEs when comparing them with your religion.

I do not believe people who have NDEs truly died, and that often what they "see" (which is more akin to a dream) is based on what they already think. It can often be a positive experience for the person and cause them to change their lives for the better, so I think that's a good effect of them and one of the reasons God allows them in His Providence. Depending on the contents of them I may or may not consider a person to be going on a false path based on them.

As for the teachings of the Lord, I think He taught love in a highly specific way, yet people often use the term indiscriminately, so whether or not an NDE reflected the teachings of Jesus would depend on what it is and in the case of an experience of love how that person came to view what is loving.

That's my opinion at least.

 

[Lekatt]

As for the teachings of the Lord, I think He taught love in a highly specific way, yet people often use the term indiscriminately, so whether or not an NDE reflected the teachings of Jesus would depend on what it is and in the case of an experience of love how that person came to view what is loving.

The Christian religion came about through the teachings of Jesus. Jesus , however, never built a church. It was Paul that started the Christian Religion in churches. But churches don't always follow what Jesus taught. They have a doctrine and rituals which Jesus didn't. NDEs are without doctrine and rituals. Jesus said "Judge not." Should churches be judging Gays of women who want abortions?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Near death experiences are not similar to religion and so are rejected by some religious folks. Yet NDEs are very close to the teachings of Jesus. My experience was one of love and caring. This is what Jesus taught. I am asking the question of how do you view NDEs when comparing them with your religion.

Why are they rejected? A lot of Christians have NDE and met God, Jesus, and family members. Some say they even started believing in god once they had the experience.

I'm not familiar with where NDE would be on the bible but find it limiting to judge the authenticity of ones experiences in a book that only has roughly 1,200 pages give or take.

 

[Lain]

The Christian religion came about through the teachings of Jesus. Jesus , however, never built a church. It was Paul that started the Christian Religion in churches. But churches don't always follow what Jesus taught. They have a doctrine and rituals which Jesus didn't. NDEs are without doctrine and rituals. Jesus said "Judge not." Should churches be judging Gays of women who want abortions?

I just disagree with a lot of that (actually and potentially), but it's an interesting opinion you have there.

 

[AlexanderG]

I mean, NDEs are what happens when a brain is starved of oxygen for a while. If you just stand up suddenly, sometimes the blood will dump out of your brain for a few seconds, and you can have tunnel vision, feel disoriented, see weird flashes of light, feel dislocated.

So, just imagine that effect but x10. It would pretty easily explain the NDEs I've read about. And Christians are trained from childhood to attribute any strange physical or emotional feelings to the presence of a god, so it makes sense their brains would make that association while experiencing extremely strange and disorienting sensations.

I've never quite understood why this is such a mystery for people. Or why it's any kind of evidence for the supernatural. Then again, I've never almost died due to oxygen deprivation. I imagine it leaves quite an emotional impression.

 

[ChristineM]

My father in s christian, CofE but not devoutly so, he believes god exist but rarely attends church. He can go better than NDE, his is death experience...

He was mugged and hit across the head with half a brick that broke his skull in several places, he was in a coma for over a month and literally died 3 times.

Each time the eeg showed an increase in brain activity for a few seconds before all brain activity ceased when he died, then no brain activity for a few moments until he was revived.

To this day he says the only reason he is here now is because god is a lousy poker player.

 

[Lekatt]

Why are they rejected? A lot of Christians have NDE and met God, Jesus, and family members. Some sat they even started believing in god once they had the experience.

I'm not familiar with where NDE would be on the bible but find it limiting to judge he authenticity of ones experiences in a book that only has roughly 1,200 pages give or take.

I am glad you asked. I have read thousands of NDEs in the last 30 years after my experience. Only a few experiencers have asked about the Bible. They were told the only thing they needed to read was the love chapter.

My take on the Bible is a book written by 44 people, 66 chapters, depending on the version of the Bible you use. The Bible was written over many hundreds of years, and the authors did not know anything about each other. So there are many contradictions and many parables, metaphors of events.

What stands out among it all is the teachings of Jesus:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you."

That is pretty much what an NDE teaches the experiencer. I learned that God is within us and loves us for ourselves. We don't have to perform for God, He knows we will make mistakes. He does not judge us or punish us. We came from a spirit world and will return to it when we die. If we feel bad about our life or ourselves it is due to our beliefs which can be changed by doing what Jesus taught. Although Jesus' name is not used, I added that because I found a new meaning in the words of Jesus.

 

[Lekatt]

Why are they rejected? A lot of Christians have NDE and met God, Jesus, and family members. Some sat they even started believing in god once they had the experience.

I'm not familiar with where NDE would be on the bible but find it limiting to judge he authenticity of ones experiences in a book that only has roughly 1,200 pages give or take.

That is true, I started to believe in God again after my experience. But there are many paths NDErs take. Some quit church and some go back to church.

 

[Lekatt]

My father in s christian, CofE but not devoutly so, he believes god exist but rarely attends church. He can go better than NDE, his is death experience...

He was mugged and hit across the head with half a brick that broke his skull in several places, he was in a coma for over a month and literally died 3 times.

Each time the eeg showed an increase in brain activity for a few seconds before all brain activity ceased when he died, then no brain activity for a few moments until he was revived.

To this day he says the only reason he is here now is because god is a lousy poker player.

I found this very interesting. You should ask your father what he experienced during the time of his death. Many who have the experience are reluctant to talk about it. If he tells you please post it.

 

[PureX]

Anything that we experience has to by grasped through the context of all that we have already experienced, and how we have come to understand existence as a result. So that whatever it is that's happening when people 'experience death' it must inevitably be perceived and understood through the paradigm of their past experiences and how they understand them.

Since death is something that we would have no experiential precedent for, we will naturally reach for whatever context seems to offer the most sensible correspondence. Which is why these experiences are recounted similarly, but often with unique 'interpretations'. Sometimes the "light" is God, or Jesus, or an angel, or just a light. Sometimes there is a 'life review' and sometimes not. And I think this happens because we all tend to 'understand' an unprecedented experience through whatever context we expect it to correspond with.

I also think this happens with living 'God experiences'.

 

[ChristineM]

I found this very interesting. You should ask your father what he experienced during the time of his death. Many who have the experience are reluctant to talk about it. If he tells you please post it.

What he remembers is playing poker with god and winning, his prize to return to life

 

[Brickjectivity]

Near death experiences are not similar to religion and so are rejected by some religious folks. Yet NDEs are very close to the teachings of Jesus. My experience was one of love and caring. This is what Jesus taught. I am asking the question of how do you view NDEs when comparing them with your religion.

I can understand if people wonder about the NDE's. That's one thing. Its an interesting experience to see a light when you've banged your head at the bottom of a swimming pool. We should never act like morality is the price of an afterlife, as if it is simply a currency. That is what I don't like about the writing and use of NDE books. There are exceptions and not all NDE books are like that. Some are universalist in flavor, but they're still used for the above. They're still used to argue "Be good for the sake of the afterlife." This undermines morality. The child grows up subconsciously thinking "I am not making moral choices but am doing what I must to receive an afterlife." As soon as someone stops believing in the afterlife they have to rebuild their moral base, rediscover meaning in old age. Its not fun or cute, and it costs money, time, opportunity, hurts friendships and hurts families.

So...my opinion is that NDE are curiosities but useless in any practical sense and more likely harmful than beneficial.

 

[George-ananda]

I am asking the question of how do you view NDEs when comparing them with your religion.

My take is that the NDE argues for a broad form of religion where brotherly love is the keystone. The NDE argues against any narrow religious interpretation of there being only one right way of belief.

 

[sun rise]

Not all NDE's are positive Distressing Near-Death Experiences: The Basics although most are.

To answer the OP, since I believe in reincarnation, a temporary separation from the physical body affirms my belief.

 

[Lekatt]

I can understand if people wonder about the NDE's. That's one thing. Its an interesting experience to see a light when you've banged your head at the bottom of a swimming pool. We should never act like morality is the price of an afterlife, as if it is simply a currency. That is what I don't like about the writing and use of NDE books. There are exceptions and not all NDE books are like that. Some are universalist in flavor, but they're still used for the above. They're still used to argue "Be good for the sake of the afterlife." This undermines morality. The child grows up subconsciously thinking "I am not making moral choices but am doing what I must to receive an afterlife." As soon as someone stops believing in the afterlife they have to rebuild their moral base, rediscover meaning in old age. Its not fun or cute, and it costs money, time, opportunity, hurts friendships and hurts families.

So...my opinion is that NDE are curiosities but useless in any practical sense and more likely harmful than beneficial.

It has not been my experience that NDEs teach morality for the benefit of an afterlife. They teach love for the benefit of the experiencer. The afterlife is assured. It is known as "whatsoever ye give, that ye will receive."

 

[Brickjectivity]

It has not been my experience that NDEs teach morality for the benefit of an afterlife. They teach love for the benefit of the experiencer. The afterlife is assured. It is known as "whatsoever ye give, that ye will receive."

If I could be convinced that the afterlife were assured then I could see that as a positive thing. Some think it best to promise an afterlife even though evidence is scant or absent. I think if people know that we likely face an unfair and unrewarding end that we have a greater chance to be and to put our best forward every day. There is joy in having done something right, even if no one rewards you and no one tells the tale.

 

[Lekatt]

If I could be convinced that the afterlife were assured then I could see that as a positive thing. Some think it best to promise an afterlife even though evidence is scant or absent. I think if people know that we likely face an unfair and unrewarding end that we have a greater chance to be and to put our best forward every day. There is joy in having done something right, even if no one rewards you and no one tells the tale.

I don't know if I can convince you of an assured afterlife that is pleasant, but I will try. After reading literally thousands of NDEs over more than 30 years, this is what I found as the norm. Most have pleasant experiences. They feel loved and cared for by the light that surrounds them and the spirits they meet. A few people do have negative experiences of monsters, demons, and even the fires of hell. These negative experiences are brought on by a huge fear of death, and possibly some religious preaching. I have noticed that many of these negative experiencers are preachers. But as soon as the person having the negative experience calls out for help from God, Jesus, or anyone, they are pulled out of the negative experience into the light. There they are surrounded by love and light. Fear is not good for anyone.

Next, if you have a long experience you will go through a life review. Here all the bad and good things you did while in the physical will be revealed. Now, if you have been bad, that review might be painful for you to watch from a position of unconditional love. Dannion Brinkley was an assassin in life and he said his life review was very painful. But he got to the light and now heads an org called "Compassion In Action." Brinkley worked for the CIA in life.

You and only you are the judge of your life, you and only you punish yourself. God is only unconditional love. That is why treating others with kindness and care is important, because how you treat others is how you treat yourself. You create your own future. There is a writing I got from a spirit, when I find it I will post it for all to read. I hope this helps some it is only a quick picture of the afterlife.

 

[Brickjectivity]

I don't know if I can convince you of an assured afterlife that is pleasant, but I will try. After reading literally thousands of NDEs over more than 30 years, this is what I found as the norm. Most have pleasant experiences. They feel loved and cared for by the light that surrounds them and the spirits they meet. A few people do have negative experiences of monsters, demons, and even the fires of hell. These negative experiences are brought on by a huge fear of death, and possibly some religious preaching. I have noticed that many of these negative experiencers are preachers. But as soon as the person having the negative experience calls out for help from God, Jesus, or anyone, they are pulled out of the negative experience into the light. There they are surrounded by love and light. Fear is not good for anyone.

My view (currently) is that whatever we do in love is lasting but that we ourselves are not.

I am curious about where one can read thousands of NDE stories?

Next, if you have a long experience you will go through a life review. Here all the bad and good things you did while in the physical will be revealed. Now, if you have been bad, that review might be painful for you to watch from a position of unconditional love. Dannion Brinkley was an assassin in life and he said his life review was very painful. But he got to the light and now heads an org called "Compassion In Action." Brinkley worked for the CIA in life.

What of the pagan explanations of the afterlife? Of the Egyptian explanation, the Roman, the Norse, etc which ones are most consistent with what you have read about NDE's? Should they be considered as evidence for or against a loving afterlife?

You and only you are the judge of your life, you and only you punish yourself. God is only unconditional love. That is why treating others with kindness and care is important, because how you treat others is how you treat yourself. You create your own future. There is a writing I got from a spirit, when I find it I will post it for all to read. I hope this helps some it is only a quick picture of the afterlife.

That is to me a whole different question from whether there is an afterlife -- whether God is only unconditional love. Its fair to say that love is one area in which we (minimally loving animals that kill or destroy to eat) encounter or overlap with God, but love is only a tiny part of us. Mostly we are not loving creatures but are mere creatures who are often not loving. If love is what matters to God then we mostly do not matter. If God is love then where in the afterlife do minimally loving creatures like ourselves belong?

In I John a book in the NT love is the path to becoming children of God. A lot of people read in the NT "God is love" and think its a definition. Actually in that book God is not definable, so there is a different implied meaning for 'God is love'. There are some theological problems with defining God as anything even as love. For a human "God is love" in the NT should be taken as a command to let love be the judge and to forgive others and one's self. Its a command written with a figure of speech. It is not easy to explain why its a command and not a definition, but just for sake of conversation its what I think causes many to mistakenly think God exists as pure love only, as if God could be defined and understood. Its a nice thing to say but ignores the fact that words fail when it comes to God. Saying this to me is very confusing and detracts from the question of the nature of the afterlife.

 

[Lekatt]

To Brickjectivity

Rather that you ask questions and I try to answer them I urge you to read a bunch of NDEs. There are over 300 on my web site. That is the only way to see the patterns form. Remember these people have nothing to do with one another. The only common thread they share is their heart stopped beating for an indeterminate time.

Here is the message from Emmanuel.

"Your entire human experience is predicated on your viewpoint.
Your viewpoint is predicated on your
inner belief system and that is predicated on
how much you believe in fear
and how much you believe in love."