Amigo42

On 3/7/2023 at 12:56 PM, Jayne said:

Also @believeinHim, I saw an advertisement for the MyPillow guy's house shoes.  He said in the commercial that "You can save $90 if you call right now!"

I couldn't imagine how much those around-the-house shoes must cost!!  So I looked them up online and saw that they were $149.99!!

I don't pay that much for church shoes.  My very good house shoes - I get at Dollar General.

Well, ya know.  He's got to make money to pay for that billion dollar lawsuit for his kooky election lies 😂

19 hours ago, Starise said:

Well I don't believe we can sit on the fence with regard to this. If we hold to the bible, then New Age ideas are not condoned.

Well, the only thing is that some "New Age" ideas aren't clearly defined.  During the time of Jesus, the pharisees may have considered in New Age to expect that they should love their enemies and treat others as they want to be treated.  It was acceptable at that time to look down upon the "dogs" or pagans, gentiles, and Samaritans.  So that was kind of radical at that time.

On 1/15/2023 at 6:22 PM, Waggles said:

In an environment that is timeless and without reference to days and years both eternal life and eternal condemnation simply are. There is no tomorrow or next week.

Bodies in the lake of fire are not on fire as we see wood burn, for this is a spiritual torment, a spiritual death and a spiritual punishment.

The weeping and gnashing of teeth is not just being cast out from the glory of the kingdom of light, but the most horrifying knowledge that there is no parole, no comeback, no redemption, no hope.

Luke 16:22  The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, 
23  and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 
24  And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 
25  But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 
26  And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 

The only problem is that the passage you quoted basically makes the argument that I was making which is that some thing Jesus said were not meant to be taken literally.  This passage is certainly not literal as no one really thinks that someone could bring someone a drop of water in hell to cool their suffering.  

Here's another example of a symbolic and not to be take literal passage in the Bible.  In Jeremiah 17:27 it states

"But if you do not obey me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying any load as you come through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire in the gates of Jerusalem that will consume her fortresses."

Jerusalem was burned to the ground and destroyed several times throughout history, and yet the gates of Jerusalem are not still burning to this day.

On 1/16/2023 at 3:01 PM, Waggles said:

What evidence do you have that any of what you allege is true?

Malachi 4:1  "For look! The day is about to come, burning like an oven, and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble. The coming day will consume them," says YHWH of hosts. "It will not leave behind for them root or branch.

Psalm 21:8  Your hand will find all your enemies; your right hand will find those who hate you. 
9  You will make them like your fiery furnace at the time of your appearance. YHWH will swallow them in his wrath and fire will consume them. 
10  You will destroy their offspring from the earth, and their descendants from among the children of humankind.

I'm simply speaking from documented experiences and accounts for those who have had near death experiences and those who claim to have connected with their higher spirit.  

Even the passage that you stated says "It will not leave behind for them root or branch."  That sounds like complete erasure and not eternal torment.  

It seems like the God that Jesus describe seems like a completely different being than the jealous, wrathful one described in the Old Testament.  I think that it seems to show that humans have applied their characteristics to the Creator as a way of justifying their choices such as wars, slavery, etc.  I believe Jesus came to gently correct the record of God's true character which is love.

On 1/15/2023 at 11:25 PM, Starise said:

I was at a bible study recently. One of those in attendance said she attempted to make both Christianity and New Age work together. She eventually realized this was not possible.

I wondered how many others once dabbled in New Age belief before becoming a believer,or attempted to hold on to it after being saved?

It seems many professing believers see no issue with holding onto New Age and similar while professing Christ.

New Age itself claims Jesus was only a prophet, while Jesus Himself said He was THE Son of God.New Age says there are multiple ways to God. Christianity says there is only one way through Christ.

The two are not compatible. I just could not understand how a person can see any association between two strongly opposing teachings.

Well, I'd agree most New Age thought is kind of sketchy.  However, there are concepts that I think actually fit quite well with some things that Jesus said.  For example, Jesus's main message was that God is love.  People who had NDEs claim that is exactly how God presented himself. 

Do all paths lead to heaven.  If one is a strict literalist then that'd be no if one has Christian beliefs.  However, if you believe of heaven in that it is simply going home then there is a different perspective.  This is actually hinted at in the Bible.  In the Bible it says that man's spirit returns to God.

15 hours ago, Waggles said:

In an environment that is timeless and without reference to days and years both eternal life and eternal condemnation simply are. There is no tomorrow or next week.

Bodies in the lake of fire are not on fire as we see wood burn, for this is a spiritual torment, a spiritual death and a spiritual punishment.

The weeping and gnashing of teeth is not just being cast out from the glory of the kingdom of light, but the most horrifying knowledge that there is no parole, no comeback, no redemption, no hope.

Luke 16:22  The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, 
23  and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 
24  And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 
25  But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 
26  And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 

What about people who live in the Amazon or other jungles and never heard of Jesus or seen the Bible but live more Christ-like than some churchgoers?

17 hours ago, Marathoner said:

In this, I'm in agreement with my brethren who believe in eternal torment. We differ regarding the disposition of the condemned who are cast into the fire --- I'm convinced this is eternal destruction, according to God who is merciful --- but it is the custom of philosophical pagans to proclaim that truth cannot be known by us. That's false

Thank you for your thoughts, and I respect your viewpoints.  I will ask though does the God of love that Jesus described really sound like someone who'd punish ANY of his children even the worst ones with eternal torture? That sounds more like a Satanic and sadistic person who'd even think of that.  God is love, and it might surprise people that God might not actually judge like people think he might.  In fact, during the life review process it appears instead that he allows souls to judge themselves based on how well they did guiding their human self.

2 minutes ago, Saved.One.by.Grace said:

It would be, and has been, more powerful for Jesus to appear to a Muslim.

Indeed, he has done that countless times.  There's a plethora of stories about such even on youtube.

25 minutes ago, Saved.One.by.Grace said:

I do not believe Jesus would ever manifest himself as Buddha or Krishna. The Bible states we are born with a Soul.

Deuteronomy 13:3 - you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deuteronomy 13:6 - “If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife you embrace or your friend who is as your own soul entices you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which neither you nor your fathers have known, [ESV]

Two of literally hundreds of Bible examples regarding the soul.

I agree.  I just meant that some people may have NDEs that a pertinent to their culture.  It doesn't mean that every aspect of NDEs is literal or true necessarily.

3 minutes ago, coheir said:

At one point I was interested in these NDE's but I found many of the story's they told did not line up with the Bible.

That is true.  A lot do not.  For example, a lot seem to affirm the concept the reincarnation which is considered only an eastern belief concept.  It definitely takes an open mind.  I would say that the Bible doesn't give the answer to every single spiritual question.  It is the best guide we have in this world.

Just now, Saved.One.by.Grace said:

I should be more open to NDE's because I am a Born-Again Christian because of the testimony of a outlaw biker's NDE that physically affected me some 15-20 feet away and he wasn't even speaking to me. [More details are in my testimony.] But I've been witness to so many false teachers in the Church I've become cautious of everyone. I am very, very cautious what I accept as truth. I am always testing.

I can completely understand.  It's a complicated principle.  It's also complicated by the fact that on the other side, there is sometimes what I can "benign deception" which seems like an oxymoron.  In other words, sometimes God will show us things that in themselves may not be literally true but it is the truth we need to hear or so at that point in our lives.  

For example, as you mentioned NDEs aren't always literally but the experience is real.  Some people might see buddha or even Krishna, but most western NDEs  state that they see Jesus or God.  Some simply experience a being of light and love.  It appears that on death, initially, it is important that the expectations of the human mind are validated.  After that, various layers, of the human pysche are slowly removed as the soul gets further along in the tunnel.  After all layers of humanity are gone, the only thing that is left is spirit.  Once this is achieved, the soul reconnects with an all-knowing knowledge that has been provided by God.  Once we return home, the feeling may be akin to someone who has just jumped out of an airplane and landed like "wow, that was a rush!"

31 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

What is that?

Sorry, NDEs are Near Death Experiences that millions of people today and in ancient times have had.  These were widely accepted until relatively recent because many people who've experienced these were afraid they'd be thrown in an insane asylum.  With these experiences, people state their soul or spirit leaves their body on near death.  Some of these people were declared clinically dead and had no heartbeat for minutes.  These people report that during this time period they were able to travel around the room, visit heaven, communicate with relatives who passed on, etc.  Some of these are veridical NDEs that have essentially been confirmed by medical and family members and even documented in medical journals.  

56 minutes ago, Figure of eighty said:

So I told an aunt about my situation. Not being treated well at home and my kids father not being the best person to live with and having everything taking from...job ,car,daycare...mental health deteriorating. 

She said she thinks Gid is trying to get my attention...but he isn't saying anything. I can't pray much bc my kids are always on the move and I struggle with depression sui* thoughts and self harm .... 

But God is silent. Why do I have to play a guessing game? I feel God left me for dead. He seems to be just as harsh as my parents. 

Hi @Figure of eighty I'm sorry to hear about your situation.  I know it's tough living in this life sometimes.  It seems like everyone goes through it at times.  However, be encouraged that you're not truly alone even though it can feel that way sometimes.  Sometimes God, angels, and what some people call guides speak to us all the time.  If you've ever had a strong inclination, idea, thought in a time of need or distress, and even during your daily life, in a lot of these cases, these are these beings attempting to guide you.  Sometimes it's the most simplest things that God uses to speak to us that people so often ignore.  Keep your eyes, ears, and heart open for these little moments that don't seem like much but can be God speaking.  Sometimes God speaks by putting roadblocks in our path to keep us from a certain direction.  For example, one may be about to make a decision that they shouldn't, and they suddenly realize they left their keys at home.  That may not seem like much, but believe that's how God speaks to us.  It's not always some grand display that we may expect.

I don't recommend that you harm yourself as that could set back your spiritual development in terms of your soul and it could have a ripple effect on your children and family.  People are shown these things during their life review which takes place after death on the spiritual plane.

6 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

I suggest we come into this world to experience and demonstrate the magnitude of God's love in Christ.

I agree completely!  That's essentially what NDEs confirm also.

This is indeed an interesting topic, and one that I think has been sadly distorted by dogma and church leaders through the years.  To start this topic, one must understand the origin of the idea of hell, which is remarkably absent from the ancient Hebrew and Old Testament thought.

The idea of hell especially a place of eternal torment is only viewed as doctrinal after the Hellenization of the Jews.  Why is this important?  Well, the Greek myths of hades (a cruel place of eternal torment) was mixed with Jewish religious thought and further expanded in Christian thought.  Now some might say well, didn't Jesus talk about hell.  

Yes, but one must also remember that Jesus spoke in many parables and also attempted to speak in references and ways that people could understand at that time.  Most Jews at that time were illiterate and unschooled.  The only reference to the topic that made sense was the Valley of Gehenna, which was a trash heap outside of Jerusalem where refuse was constantly burning.  This was used as reference point, but should not be considered as literal.  

Now, with questions like this, everyone should use common sense that God gave all of us.  Does it really make sense for a God in particular a God of love to punish his own creation endlessly for trillions of years for a few years of mistakes and sin?  How is that just or right.  No, it makes no sense, but hell fire baptist preachers would say otherwise.  I'm more interested in the truth, and according to our God-given common sense that makes no sense.  The punishment must fit the crime.  Even sinful humans are fairly good at making sure the punishment fits the crime, so even more so a God of infinite love and compassion would do so.

Taking some parts of the Bible too literally can be a major stumbling block for many people unfortunately as this is not what God intended.  Now, there is another view of life that some may not agree with.  It is akin to universalism.  It is that as opposed to saying that one will go heaven after receiving salvation that all souls are actually just "returning home."  Home is where all souls must go when they leave this planet.  There is no literal hell as religious dogma teaches, but there may be certain spiritual planes of existence where correction occur for souls whose human sides messed up badly in life.  However, even for these souls, they eventually go home to the Creator who brought into this world.  In other words, God's judgment for the human being who has a temporary existence is different from how he views the originally perfect soul that inhabited that body.  All souls are created perfect and sinless.  It only the human side that is sinful and the spirit or soul may not always be able to properly guide the human side away from darkness.  Once the human side dies, it is gone completely, but the souls retains the lessons learned from that human experience.

Again, this is just a theory, and no one should state that this is complete truth.  Only God knows the complete truth.

On 1/14/2023 at 7:20 AM, R. Hartono said:

Isn't God omnipotent ? Why did He keep creating billions of sinful souls under bondage of sins ? 

Why cant God create these souls sinless like Adam ? If He still create those souls of birthed babies.

Just asking.

Well, there are other alternative hypotheses that have some support from Near Death anecdotal evidences.  Some of these alternative explanations may not appear to go hand-in-hand with Christian teachings, but Christian teachings also don't negate them per se.  One hypothesis that is observed time and time again from NDEs is that all souls in the Spirit realm are perfect and sinless like God, however, God designed physical worlds with free will in order to allow souls to experience things that could otherwise not be experienced in a perfect place like heaven.  How does one know what true goodness if one does not know what evil is hate.  How do you know what love is without knowing what what hate looks like?  In heaven, there is only love and goodness and no evil can exist.  However, in this world free will allows experiences and knowledge that was otherwise not be understood very well in the spirit realm.  When souls leave this plane of existence they shed human conditions and feelings and return to their original state with experience under their belts.  According to some, some souls that made poor choices in their human condition choose to come back to repeat experiences to hopefully learn whatever spiritual lesson that was missed. In a sense, that is sort hell.  To have to come back to this planet is a type of hell.  Only God knows the full truth of this.  However, if it evaluated differently, it kind of makes more sense.

God didn't create billions of souls under the bondage of sin.  He allowed souls to come to this plane by choice to experience the opposite of heaven to truly know the difference.  From a strictly common sense perspective, it doesn't make sense that God would throw people to a world where he knew they would mess up unless there was a reason.  If the Bible didn't exist, how would one know right from wrong?  It would be the internal guide of common sense provided the spirt of the breath of life from God.  All humans have it, but not all realize God has already given the tools we need to make the right choices in this life as best as we can.

On 1/9/2023 at 8:31 AM, Ray12614 said:

Well . . . I have to disagree with them . . . their experiences will not, nor can it ever replace the clear teachings of the Bible.

Hebrews 9:27  -  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Basic conclusion of reincarnation is that if we don't get the desired outcome of our lives, not to worry because we will get another chance in the next reincarnation . . . and  . . . According to the scripture above . . . it is flat wrong!

I myself will defer to the Bible instead of peoples 'experiences'. Their experiences are subjective.

Regards . . . Ray . . . 

I understand, and I respect that.  I don't want to believe or accept that concept either because it certainly doesn't fit in with the way I was taught growing up.  I also find it incredibly disturbing to imagine having to come back to this world.  However,  from another perspective, if you look at Jesus as an example, isn't that kind of what he did?  He was already a pre-existent being who chose to incarnate as a human being to bring the message of salvation.  Now, we obviously have no indication from the Bible on this either way, but how do we know that Jesus did not do the same thing in other worlds and universes?  God forbid that there are other planets as jacked up as ours is, but what if there are, and he came to help them too?  If he did that would he look the exact same as he did on our planet?  I think that is doubtful.  If another planet has humanoid beings, I'm sure he made himself look like they do.  Is that considered reincarnation?  I don't know.  IF there is any truth to this concept, I think it is more likely that our temporary existences as a human are akin to a massive multiplayer video game, where each time a player chooses a different character or different video game for the experience and the fun.  I don't know if there is any truth to this or no.

Also, I do love the Bible and believe it is the best guide available to humanity, however, I also understand that it was written by people who are fallible.  It is not an inerrant book because nothing that humans touch is inerrant.  Even the Bible itself doesn't claim to be inerrant.  However, it was certainly inspired by the spirit of God.  However, there are some stories in the Bible that humans have misinterpreted to be literal or true when in fact some stories may very well be a mix of history, truth, legend, and even myth.  I'm not referring to the New Testament which I personally believe is very much historically accurate.   However, some stories such as Jonah and Noah may never have been actually meant to be literally even by the author's viewpoint.

On 1/9/2023 at 2:47 AM, Saved.One.by.Grace said:

I'm not a believer in near death experience studies, so I don't accept your conclusions. I only believe in the ones that have happened to me. I have highlighted in green where we seem to have significant differences.

I go back to the joining of sperm and egg. A spark occurs which I believe is the beginning of life. This spark has been photographed and published on the Internet.

I understand.  It's tricky because these things aren't a complete science and can be difficult to decipher for the human perception.  I also understand because indeed, some aspects of NDEs are unique designed for that specific person in order to help them in some way in their life, and there are other aspects of NDEs that are common like the tunnel of light, experiencing great love from God, a life review, and etc.

On 1/8/2023 at 7:01 PM, Starise said:

@Amigo42

I look at this topic now with some apprehension.

lol, I understand, but no need for apprehension for something so natural.  It's like every human must eat, drink, and breath to survive.  It's just what has to be done.  I think death is no different.  It's just a rite of passage.  Sadly, religion has put the literal fear of God into people about death when I don't believe he wants us to fear death in particular if one is even a half-way decent human being.

I think that people fear the unknown, but in reality billions of people have died and all 8 billion people on this planet will have died in the next 130 years and a new crop of people will exist.  With something so common dying is like drinking a cup of water.  It literally is just a transition.  Real death does not appear to exist in the spirit realm.  Human life gives us the illusion of death which is all for the experience sort of like a thrill.  It seems odd, but if you're an eternal soul and want to experience what's it like to have limitation and struggle, then coming here to earth is a way to experience that.  

Near Death Experience studies shine a lot of light on this topic.  There are several common traits of people on their death beds.  Suddenly these people start to see angels or deceased relatives in their hospital bedrooms.  Sometimes, these people are told that their relatives will bring them home soon and surely enough within hours or days the person leaves the physical world. 

People who've had NDEs common state that they leave their bodies and can see themselves on the operating table or hospital room.  Sometimes they leave this realm entirely and go on a trip to space or other universes.  These people report that when they leave their bodies, they feel a shedding of human concerns and connections.  They report that they reconnect with knowledge of who they truly are before incarnating into this world.  They report immense love from God and other souls including deceased loved ones in heaven.  In this realm, it is a place of peace, love, and joy where their spirits live and exist.  Some or most undergo a life review which they report is not so much God judging them but rather them judging how they did during their time on earth.  

As much as I don't like this concept, I have to report what is stated by a substantial number of those who've returned, which is that they have a remembrance that they made this transition or trip several times as a soul.  I don't like the concept of reincarnation, but it's reported from even Christians who didn't believe in it that they remembered or been shown the number of times they have come home.  In other words, it's almost as if this planet is like a Massive Multiplayer Video game that allows non-physical beings to experience things that they could otherwise not experience in the spirit realm or heaven.  

2 minutes ago, Saved.One.by.Grace said:

We have been talking about the Spirit and Soul from a Hebrew viewpoint, but does that mean from a scientific point of view? If human cloning is ever perfected, will the clone have a full measure of God's breath forming the soul and when does the Spirit arrive, if ever, in the process? If there are multiple clones, will each be unique? What say you?

Well, you make a good inquiry.  I think it's important to look at the dynamics of the soul and the body.  Some of these concepts will come from evidence from Near Death Experience studies.  Theoretically, a body is just an empty organism without a soul.  Souls join with a body at a certain point early on maybe a few months of existence while still in the mother's womb.  A soul may choose or be assigned a body by God and/or angels in order to best experience a set of lessons determine prior to birth.  The body without the soul  is like a car without a battery.  The soul is what makes the body and human a living being.  

So, from that perspective, a cloned body is just an empty organism until a soul joins with it just like any other human.  If that person is able to breath, talk, and live like any other person then that means that it has a soul.  Otherwise, it'd be akin to a vegetable.  In fact, people in comas sometimes report that their souls are elsewhere while the body is in a coma.  Interesting thoughts indeed.  One thing is clear that these human bodies don't fully define who we are because they fade away and dissolve, but the soul doesn't.

On 1/6/2023 at 11:24 AM, Starise said:

When you worship God what part of Him do you focus on? 

My understanding is we can only worship the Father through the Son, or the Father only sees us through the Son.

Thoughts?

I think that Jesus is the great example.  He always prayed to the Father and would direct attention to God instead of himself.

2 hours ago, Marathoner said:

There's no scriptural support for the pre-existence of man, but there is ample support for the foreknowledge of God. Indeed, the Lord knew us before we were born. The testimony of scripture affirms this time and again. 

I understand how some might extrapolate this to mean that we stood before God before we were formed in the womb, but this is nothing more than the fruit of human imagination. 


 

I'll say this that there are a great number of mysteries that we will not know till we leave this world.  I think that's part of the challenge.  If we knew it all, then there'd be no challenge or way to learn.  All answers are not provided in the Bible on every topic.  I love the Bible, but some mysteries are not all reveal there.  Some things God will show us when we leave this world.  

23 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

Hello Amigo42,

Please insert the music for X-Files as you read this.  😊

That's as good of an explanation as any, I suppose. There is definitely a veil between the spiritual and physical world. For the time being, we are limited to the physical side; nature's physics does not limit the spiritual side.

It was two very brief and unexplainable experiences I filed in my brain as this is not normal. I do not think or dwell on them very much, and I had not thought about them until reading this thread.

One thought popped into my head, though. Things were lost after the fall of man; what gifts did Adam & Eve possess before the fall? Eve could communicate with the spiritual realm and animals. Is having a conversation with an animal or spiritual being prevalent throughout history, save the donkey, of course?

I thought about something in terms of DNA being passed down, masked or broken. As I said, it was extraordinary, and I can see no purpose for such an event or why it happened.

It's my belief that like Jesus probably all souls already preexisted in heaven prior to incarnation on this planet.  It's my understanding that only a portion of our conscious energy is brought to the planet while the rest stays in heaven.  People who have mind altering events like NDEs leave their bodies and connect with the rest of their soul, and they suddenly have an awareness and understanding of all things.  When they return to their bodies, the other part of the soul that was all-knowing is removed hence why so many claim they had all this knowledge that was removed when they came back to their bodies.  Some people claim that hypnotism can also allow people to connect with the other part of their soul temporarily.  I have to admit.  I'm very skeptical of hypnotism.  I don't believe it yields true results.

On 10/16/2022 at 5:38 PM, Dennis1209 said:

Since we are discussing the unexplainable and something speculated. I want to throw something else out on the table very strange I experienced “twice” in my life. I do not even know what you would call it or why it would happen.

Many years ago, I talked to someone I don’t even remember who or what about. The strangest feeling (sensation) quickly entered me when listening to the person speaking. I instantly knew word for word what that person would say and how for their next paragraph or so. It left as fast as that sensation came, then business as usual.

I thought to myself, if that ever happens again, I will interrupt that speaking and say everything verbatim they are going to say. I don’t know why, probably because I wanted confirmation or to let it be known of that experience.

Maybe twelve years ago, my wife was talking to me about something. That same sensation came over me, and I knew what was coming. I immediately remembered what I would do if that ever happened again. I abruptly interrupted and finished her paragraph of what she would say word for word, and how she would communicate it. No, it was not familiarity or such.

I cannot even describe in words what that unexpected sensation felt like. It was like a heightened awareness, with no physical senses involved, other than it was not normal, strange, and exceptionally different.

I can think of no explanation or reason something very odd like that would happen. What is the purpose?

Anyway, my wife gave me a quizzical look and brushed it off. I did not tell her of that experience, not wanting her to think I was Looney Tunes.

Hi I believe your experience.  Here's why.  I fasted for weeks for more spiritual insight from the Lord.  Afterwards, a flood of knowledge came my way.  I don't know it all and would never claim to.  However, if I may attempt to explain what I think occurred with you.

All humans are spiritual beings and some people are more spiritual than others.  All of us have had moments where we had a feeling or intuition about something.  For example, the night before 9/11 I had a very strong foreboding feeling.  There are countless examples of this kind of situation.

It's my understanding that there is a type of veil that separates us in this physical world from the beings on the spiritual realm.  In the spiritual realm communication is telepathic.  Sometimes in life as a result of an nde or some other consciousness altering occasion the veil may thin for people.  When the veil thins people can interact or connect to the spiritual realm.  Then we connect to the spiritual realm we connect to our higher soul which is still in heaven and we have an expansion of knowledge and awareness.  In addition, in the spiritual realm all communication is telepathic so one can know the thoughts of others without using words.  So for whatever reason maybe at a few points in your life the veil thinned for you.  That's my humble explanation.