From time to time we hear about NDE’s (near death experiences). I have presently avoided adding anything to this blog about them, as they are really more or less subjective experiences, and someone listening to one of them is really thrust into the position of simply finding the account believable, or not. There usually isn’t any physical evidence that can be traced back, other than there may be medical records on file that corroborate the fact that a person actually died for some time. And a good many people report seeing or feeling nothing when they were gone. As we are entering the 21st century, we have medical advances such that people can (and are) often resuscitated after they flat line. An interesting thing has occurred, in that as modern medicine has become more proficient in “re-animating” people, accounts of NDE’s have also gone up proportionately.
Does this mean we can trust all of these stories? Of course not. There are different versions of what happens after death which exist in the different religions in the world; there are also different versions that people give account of that happens to them after their death and resuscitation. There are also different motives. Whenever I read about or hear about someone who had one of these experiences, or something of the miraculous has occurred – I often look back just to see if all of this is hinging on a book deal, or rights to a movie, etc. If Joe Blow is charging $50 per book, then a financial motive exits, at least as opposed to charging $10 per book or giving them away on donation.
But there are some interesting things to take account of. The number and frequency of these occurrences seem to indicate with a certain degree of alarm that there IS something out there, whether or not you choose to believe it. Immediately subsequent to this, is the interesting point that not all of these NDE experiences are pleasant. And finally, the astounding number of people (even from different religions and cultures) that report seeing Jesus, or a presence similar to that of Christ. Let’s face it – this phenomena is either happening, or it isn’t. There is either a percentage of this pool of experiences that are legitimate, or it is all nonsense. Some belief systems will explain away all of this by making statements like “remember, these people weren’t really dead… they came back”, or “it is all a product of the chemicals inside the brain firing randomly during the death process.” These statements may both be accurate, we won’t know until it is our time.
But the interesting thing is, when we actually stop to listen to some of these stories. The people are either exquisite actors, ravenous liars, or worse…. Or they are telling the truth.** As I said before, near death experiences are far more difficult to discuss in that they don’t provide a central document or book from which to make arguments or trace historical accuracies (the way we can from the Bible for example). They are subjective. The person gives their testimony, and we believe it or we don’t. But interesting how much persecution some of these people endure for the sake of their testimony. Intriguing how these testimonies often end up matching what the Bible says. Even more intriguing the number of these experiences that describe a meeting with Jesus. I have included a video clip of the well-documented NDE of Howard Storm, the atheist turned preacher that had died in a Paris hospital and found himself in a place he couldn’t explain. You will need to make up your own mind as to whether or not he is telling the truth. May we all come to the realization that Jesus is the way.
** Certain religious denominations and sects are curiously adamant that all of these experiences are spiritual deceptions. It has always fascinated me, because in maintaining that all of these people are simply wrong seems to miss the larger point, that either good or bad: something is out there. At any rate, if you choose not to view this video I don’t blame you. Move on and read the Bible if you like. By God’s Word we can always rest assured.
Does this mean we can trust all of these stories? Of course not. There are different versions of what happens after death which exist in the different religions in the world; there are also different versions that people give account of that happens to them after their death and resuscitation. There are also different motives. Whenever I read about or hear about someone who had one of these experiences, or something of the miraculous has occurred – I often look back just to see if all of this is hinging on a book deal, or rights to a movie, etc. If Joe Blow is charging $50 per book, then a financial motive exits, at least as opposed to charging $10 per book or giving them away on donation.
But there are some interesting things to take account of. The number and frequency of these occurrences seem to indicate with a certain degree of alarm that there IS something out there, whether or not you choose to believe it. Immediately subsequent to this, is the interesting point that not all of these NDE experiences are pleasant. And finally, the astounding number of people (even from different religions and cultures) that report seeing Jesus, or a presence similar to that of Christ. Let’s face it – this phenomena is either happening, or it isn’t. There is either a percentage of this pool of experiences that are legitimate, or it is all nonsense. Some belief systems will explain away all of this by making statements like “remember, these people weren’t really dead… they came back”, or “it is all a product of the chemicals inside the brain firing randomly during the death process.” These statements may both be accurate, we won’t know until it is our time.
But the interesting thing is, when we actually stop to listen to some of these stories. The people are either exquisite actors, ravenous liars, or worse…. Or they are telling the truth.** As I said before, near death experiences are far more difficult to discuss in that they don’t provide a central document or book from which to make arguments or trace historical accuracies (the way we can from the Bible for example). They are subjective. The person gives their testimony, and we believe it or we don’t. But interesting how much persecution some of these people endure for the sake of their testimony. Intriguing how these testimonies often end up matching what the Bible says. Even more intriguing the number of these experiences that describe a meeting with Jesus. I have included a video clip of the well-documented NDE of Howard Storm, the atheist turned preacher that had died in a Paris hospital and found himself in a place he couldn’t explain. You will need to make up your own mind as to whether or not he is telling the truth. May we all come to the realization that Jesus is the way.
** Certain religious denominations and sects are curiously adamant that all of these experiences are spiritual deceptions. It has always fascinated me, because in maintaining that all of these people are simply wrong seems to miss the larger point, that either good or bad: something is out there. At any rate, if you choose not to view this video I don’t blame you. Move on and read the Bible if you like. By God’s Word we can always rest assured.
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