Near Death Experiences

[~candice~]

There are many reported near death experiences, and sometimes we hear of people using these reports to convince others of the existence of God and Heaven. I think each of these reports need to be held up to the light to see if they have truth in them.

1 Thess 5:19-22 (NASB)

Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.

The bible does not deny NDE's (although I personally believe them to be very rare). Here is what Paul had to say...

2 Cor 12:1-6 (NASB)

Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a man was caught up to the third heaven. And I know how such a man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows-- was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses. For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.

In a recent thread, there was discussion about the reported NDE / visit to heaven of a preacher, Don Piper. While it sounds good on the surface, I do believe that his account has some details which go against scripture and thus cannot be a true account of heaven. The link here is to a biblical assessment of his account.

A quote from Don's account ...

As I stood before the gate, I didn

[Guest shiloh357]

Well the problem with this blog's assessment is that it is trying to manufacture a "contradiction" where none exists. All that Don Piper said was that He did not hear the familiar hymns that He heard on earth.

Nothing in Don's account excludes the event in Revelation. Don was only recording what HE heard. The limited scope of his 90 minutes in heaven cannnot be construed to deny or exclude what was already in Scripture.

Secondly, what is described in 5:9-10 is that of a particular event that is still future and which Don did not witness. The fact that He did not see the event described or hear the particular song, cannot be construed to be a denial or exclusion of that specific event that to our knowledge, has not happened yet.

Again, the author of that blog is just trying to manufacture a problem where none exists.

[~candice~]

OK, that contradiction is cleared up . I am a sceptic of most (not all) of these kinds of accounts, especially in cases where the person experiencing this event is not a christian. I believe it sets up a message that people can enter heaven without Christ.

By the way, does everyone speak english in heaven? I thought we all understood each other (many of us from different tongues), so does it make sense that the songs he heard were in english?

[Guest shiloh357]

OK, that contradiction is cleared up . I am a sceptic of most (not all) of these kinds of accounts, especially in cases where the person experiencing this event is not a christian. I believe it sets up a message that people can enter heaven without Christ.

By the way, does everyone speak english in heaven? I thought we all understood each other (many of us from different tongues), so does it make sense that the songs he heard were in english?

That is a good question. We wil know when we get there.

[Guest shiloh357]

I don't believe in near death experiences in the spiritual sense. I think its a hallucination of sorts. Given that not all of them are similar (in fact one guy said he saw the universe before the big bang-without God/god, and when he came back he became interested in quantum mechanics).

"Scientists have found that the drugs ketamine and PCP can create sensations in users that are nearly identical to many NDEs. In fact, some users think they are actually dying while on the drug."

I think its our minds playing tricks on us.

Unfortunately for you, many of the near death experiences defy hallucination. There are cases where deaf and blind people die and are able to see and hear things in room where the doctors were working on them and are able to recall in detail events and conversations that a person hallucinating would not have known about. There are also cases where the person is able to recall conversations out in the hallway out of earshot of anyone in the room working on them. They can recall things that were said between doctors and loved ones waiting in hallways and waiting rooms and as such, defy "hallucinations." In many cases, these people are dead long after brain death and return to life anyway.

Not all of them are believable and there will always be frauds looking for their 15 minutes of fame, but there are cases that defy explanation.

[~candice~]

I don't believe in near death experiences in the spiritual sense. I think its a hallucination of sorts. Given that not all of them are similar (in fact one guy said he saw the universe before the big bang-without God/god, and when he came back he became interested in quantum mechanics).

"Scientists have found that the drugs ketamine and PCP can create sensations in users that are nearly identical to many NDEs. In fact, some users think they are actually dying while on the drug."

I think its our minds playing tricks on us.

A lot of reported NDE's are in hospital settings where we are sure that ketamine and PCP were not factors. Hallucinagins operate on the physical body, so I fail to see how this can affect a person post-death. It only explains some of the weirder NDE's, where there is no evidence of a physical death.

As Shiloh stated, I think that there are many people out there who report NDE's for their 15 minutes of fame. This is evidenced by the fact that not all of them are the same. However, it would be such an amazing experience, in such a different dimension, that 10 people could have an identical (real) experience and their accounts would differ significantly. It would be so hard to put into words.

The existence of fake NDE's doesn't invalidate the true NDE accounts.

[Rest is a weapon]

I think some may be............*Gasp* uch! ufffptch!......aughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

[Brenda the barber]

OK, that contradiction is cleared up . I am a sceptic of most (not all) of these kinds of accounts, especially in cases where the person experiencing this event is not a christian. I believe it sets up a message that people can enter heaven without Christ.

By the way, does everyone speak english in heaven? I thought we all understood each other (many of us from different tongues), so does it make sense that the songs he heard were in english?

[Brenda the barber]

OK, that contradiction is cleared up . I am a sceptic of most (not all) of these kinds of accounts, especially in cases where the person experiencing this event is not a christian. I believe it sets up a message that people can enter heaven without Christ.

By the way, does everyone speak english in heaven? I thought we all understood each other (many of us from different tongues), so does it make sense that the songs he heard were in english?

...................The bible states that we will have the mind of christ. We will be of one mind and one body.....I don't think speaking will be nesesary.