Imagine VISITING HEAVEN? A neurosurgeon did...and lived to tell quite a story.
Do you believe in heaven? What do you think it looks like? If you don't believe in an afterlife, what are the near-death experiences about and how can so many be so similar? Tell us your thoughts on this subject, please!
Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Have a heavenly Sunday!
Z and Mustang
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41 comments:
I read his story. It was interesting. It definitely changed him. Yes, I do believe in heaven.
Have a wonderful Sunday Z, other contributors, and all your readers.
There was another surgeon years ago who had a number of patients experiencing the "come to the light" phenomenon.
I told my mom one day at lunch when she was up to visit.
She told me that she had that same experience when on the operating table. She got hepatitis through the blood they were giving here, went into shock and they pronounced her dead. She described rising above the table, watching events unfold, started toward the light, was told to go back, it wasn't time yet.
She said she described events to the medical team she couldn't have known, being under a sheet, etc.
She hadn't heard of anyone else having this experience til I brought it up.
I believe in heaven. I have only a vague idea of what it will be. I will take the scriptural over the anecdotal, however.
The only reason I believe in an afterlife is because one man died for my sins and to prove it, He rose from the dead. He, however, did not give an account of what He saw (that I recall).
Have a blessed day.
Visiting?
That's an odd idea.
I believe in heaven and hell.
I think both will be like something we've never experienced, because they are outside of earth and time.
Peter Kreeft wrote a good book years ago titled "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Heaven But Never Dreamed of Asking."
I highly recommend it.
My fate is to be trapped at the gates of heaven checking the applications to get in.
I can see it now
Hmmm Ducky lifetime Communist and Jooo hater.God is merciful, so you might make it to heaven after spending a few lifetimes with Liberterian Zionists.
Ducky: Can I just go to hell with the rest of the social science faculty at U Mass.
SF...Peter Kreeft is a total genius. He writes fascinating books.
Thanks for the recommendation.
Teresa, it's interesting, isn't it? I hope you and your readers and husband have a good Sunday and that you're feeling much better.
Ed...accounts like your mother's or this doctor's are promising.
Ducky, I thought that, too. But I suppose when someone goes somewhere and comes back, it's called a visit!?
Beak...I don't think that's how it works, but your comment made me smile!
Interesting coincidence, Z!
I posted on this very item on Thursday, October 11.
http://freethinkesblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/afterlife-exists-says-top-brain-surgeon.html
I, personally, believe that Life, itself, is eternal. What we call "death" is a transformation into another state of consciousness.
Just as matter can neither be created nor destroyed, but is at its heart PURE ENERGY neither can WE be destroyed.
God is Life. God is Love. God is Truth. God is Principle. God is Spirit. God is Intelligence. God is Soul.
He is the embodiment and perfect expression of all those attributes, and as such He is ALL-IN-ALL.
Much of the mythology that comprises the Bible is an early attempt by the ancients to put into words the INSIGHT and INTUITION they glean through earnest contemplation attempting fathom the nature of REALITY. They used physical terms to describe what is Infinite, Incorporeal, and not fully knowable at this stage -- or plane -- of Existence.
Words and images of physicality are poor tools for any attempt to define and explain the Essence of Existence which is entirely SPIRITUAL.
I wouldn't dare say that anyone has to accept what I have come to understand after sixty-odd years of earnest seeking. I only share it as a Vision that works better for me than the traditional, earthbound theology that seems to result in forever keeping people divided into warring splinter factions and unable to love and care properly for one another.
Of course Heaven exists, but I do not believe it is a geographical "place." Instead it is a profoundly Altered State of Consciousness.
May I suggest we all focus our most positive, earnest, thoughts and prayers toward the hope that Truth and Justice will prevail in tomorrow's debate and in the election soon to come.
~ FreeThinke
Z
My punishment for my sins is to continue my present vocation into eternity. I can just see it now processing endless requests.Evertime
I complain about working conditions
the big guy upstairs hits me with a bolt of lightning.
I complain about the need for a union for the clerical workers at the Big Guy tells me the after life
is a right to work state.
When Mr Beamish arrives all the Angels wear gas masks in honor of the last American Patriot.
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the Throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be his people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.
When Mr Beamish arrives all the Angels wear gas masks in honor of the last American Patriot.
I just hope I'm ushered away from the line of "conservatives" who see abominations in the sight of God as "no big deal" and voted for the cultist founding father of gay marriage anyway.
Z - I believe in Heaven. I think we all have our own idea what Heaven is like. For me - it simply is a place I would like to go when my life is over. A place where I can commune with God/Jesus
and do the things I like best and be with those I love.
Have you ever read Intra Muros by
Rebecca Ruter Springer - Z?
A book that tells of a lady's 'tour' of Heaven. He brother came down to take her there when she was near death. She was able to come back afterwords as it wasn't her time.
It's very interesting.
Have a good Sunday - Z.
Yes, I too believe in heaven or as some call it, an after life. There are a few in my family who have had "out of body experiences".
Those experiences have given a whole new meaning to our lives, and that is, to be unafraid, and to believe that mortality is simply a phase to our existence.
Ducky, it is not an idea, it is a reality to those of us who believe, and/or have had an experience which can't be denied.
God bless us all.
Z, thank you for this wonderful post. It's food for thought, and for our souls.
I believe that heaven is real and that we cannot begin to imagine how wonderful it will be. A totally different world beyond anything we can relate it to in our earthly realm.
But I do hope that heaven includes one thing for me: reunion with my beloved pets!
Z - Intra Muros was originally published in 1940 but was reprinted a few years ago.
I think you'd like it.
I also did a post on this a while back: http://watchpraystand.blogspot.com/2012/10/another-heaven-lie.html
Interestingly, just about an hour ago I got an email about this from my New Age friend, with whom there is quite a bit of strain as she won't let me say anything gospel oriented and I tell her that her New Age stuff is false but still we stay in touch. People are quite happy to believe there is an afterlife though if you believe the Bible it isn't going to be a pretty one for those who are not in Christ, but these visits to heaven make it seem to them that it will be just hunky dory. Big deception Christians should not support.
"I just hope I'm ushered away from the line of "conservatives""
I sincerely hope so, too. You COULD start now, beamish! :-)
Faith, God is merciful and this wasn't a hallucination...people can't have the same hallucination every time there is a near-death experience. It's tiring for me to think mostly of judgment and hellfire; though I believe we don't talk of that enough and it certainly exists.
I worry more for those of their own opinions on Heaven as if it's some "THING" that created itself.
If it's GOD'S CREATION, how do we rewrite the meaning of it, or what GOD HIMSELF says about it. SIlly, really.
It's like those who speak for Jesus but ignore the Scripture, when Scripture is absolutely all we have FROM Jesus.
Sue, I'll Google that..thanks very much. I hope you're doing well.
AOW, I thought you were going to talk about reunion with........beloved humans! I'm not sure about the subject of pets but if I don't see my Marcello or Musetta again, I'll be one angry cat-lover!
Pris, it is reassuring, isn't it. xx Especially for us, now.\
I used to feel so rigid as if I was the one who decides who enters heaven because I had Scripture in my head; now I know that God can change a heart at the flick of death...we MUST not sell Him short on that. And we must remember he is all about LOVE and GRACE.
Faith, this is not New Age stuff! It's simply that people now, feel free to discuss it.
Furthermore, being one of faith, should bring you solace, not such negativity.
With all due respect, you are not above the rest of us in your approach to religion.
You might try relating to others instead of thinking you're superior and above it all!
Sue, I had never heard of that. It bothered me that one link of her book quickly and spontaneously went to a link of some FREE GOD thing that's all metaphysical, so I hope that doesn't represent her book's thrust.
I read on another link (I quickly clicked off that one) that many have found solace through her book; I had never heard of it before but apparently it's quite well known.
It's curious and amazing that nearly everyone who's ever come close to dying or died and came back has such similar experiences to recount; particularly the little children who haven't anything to compare to, or can't have learned different at their young age.
it's all fascinating....
Belief is an interesting thing...today at church, the sermon and music lifted me up and spared me from my usual, if usually not strong, doubts; it happens often and to deny something happening from the HOly Spirit is naive and probably stupid!?
THanks for telling me about the book.
"Pris, it is reassuring, isn't it. xx Especially for us, now.\"
Yes Z, and "God is about Love and Grace".
Beautifully said.
"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 4:10
"...the Father himself loves you because you have loved me (Jesus) and have believed that I came from God." John 16:27
I have a dear friend who was born and raised in the church. He struggles with that church's teachings but I don't want to identify which church it is here.
He veered toward metaphysical/New Age beliefs and I admired that he was at least searching even if I hoped so strongly he'd not fall for all of that because it gives so little peace, so little refuge of knowing it's not what WE DO that saves us, that calms us, but what GOD does.
He emailed me recently that he has now recently read Matthew and understands Jesus and His love and it's opened his heart tremendously.
"I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me." Proverbs 8:17
I was stunned because I'd told a friend about my 'seeking friend' and he said "If he's seeking, he WILL find Christ." a week later, it happened.
I'm with Faith aka Connie.
I posted my above comment and expounded on it along the lines of Faith's comment. Pascal Fervor posted an interesting comment in reply.
I don't want to get doctrinaire and tick off anybody here from their POV, but if you believe that there is a reward that is based on faith or behavior or both, it implies not everyone gets that reward.
There have been reports of people seeing hell.
If there are malevolent spiritual beings trying to keep people from faith or behavior that would reap a reward, an excellent tactic would be to set up a deception that would encourage a belief that everyone gets heaven.
I too believe that Heaven is real. I think it will be everything we are accustomed to in our world, but also another reality.
Can you imagine us interacting with the blessed souls from the Dark and Middle ages? Or those that will come long after us?
I think our realities must merge into a unfathomably beautiful reality.
Z: Good news about your friend!
I had an extremely close friend in high school who I got in touch with after my service.
He had moved to a commune based on New Age stuff and it came between us.
Or my new faith came between us.
Or both.
I don't think it's a hallucination, I think it's quite real as far as its being external to the person goes, but it's been manufactured by demons to make people think that's where everybody goes after death, which denies the gospel of Christ.
Thanks Ed.
Ed, There are MANY who believe that the our final reward is based on actions and that's not what this blog believes..nor does Scripture, of course! Nor have I ever EVER even hinted at that.
Heck, I was a Lutheran for 20 years :-) And even then, I only left because of a pastor who showed little connection and less love for some in his congregation and even was untruthful and hurtful; things I witnessed and many still can't believe. I don't blame Lutherans for that, but I have left a terrible, faith-hurting time (which actually has made me so much stronger in my new church), though I'm SO SO glad for my Lutheran training.
DOes this blog believe that we are saved by faith?..partially. But
I also believe in election.
And that's where we'll end the conversation. Too complicated and not something all are interested in or have studied enough to even want to comprehend. Everyone at their own time.
Solo Gratia, Solo Scriptura, Solo Fide.
Misleading by not reminding of hell (which I find deplorable because we SHOULD be talking about hell, too) is at least as faith-killing to Christians looking to strengthen their faith as misleading by leaving out God's amazing mercy and love.
Why don't these savants ever experience hell?
There are books about hell experiences, too, Ducky. I have one.
"I just hope I'm ushered away from the line of "conservatives" who see abominations in the sight of God as "no big deal" and voted for the cultist founding father of gay marriage anyway."
I sincerely hope so, too. You COULD start now, beamish! :-)
Surely a devoted pro-gay, pro-abortion Romnunist like yourself is not knocking my conservatism.
Actually, Ducky, I think only Conservatives go to heaven.
:-)
C.S Lewis's The Great Divorce is a wonderfully disturbing tome on just what hell might be like, for there is nothing more disturbing to me than the self punishment of absense of God.
Z, Well, my experiences are:
I've had 51 of my 9 lives so far, and your life does pass in front of your eyes in an indescribable minute period of time.
My sister passed away and her 3 yr old grandson who was her favorite was walking away from the cemetery proceedings with my mom and others when he looked up at the sky and said "I love you too. I'll miss you too".
Here's my best guess - I think the occupants of Heaven become the caretakers of the universe (for the most part) and it's why self absorbed buttheads can't go.
;-)
Here's my best guess --- the truly self absorbed are those who can't imagine the cosmos comfortably carrying on without them.
Da Blade..very well said.
Ducky, who do you know who actually would think THAT? That's nuts.
It doesn't even jive with the topic.
Kid, the story about your sis's grandson is the kind that REALLY gets to me.... I've heard so MANY like that. beautiful story.
Z, the grandson - it's pretty compelling.
Duncy
You and your kind are well acquainted with hell. You create it in gulags and in executions of class
enemies.
Good olde Che was a wonder for executing people without trials. As some died they chanted Christ is King.
When you get up there I hope Christ
lectures you about a lifetime of feigning to be a Christian while rationalizing Joooo hatred.
Marxism is your true religion.
Just one more comment. Regardless what you believe one cannot deny the constant struggle between good and evil on this rock since the beginning of time, and concede it won't end until the Earth does.
excellent point, Kid.
you, too, beak!
Z - About Intra Muros - I hadn't heard about the Free
God thing - so I hope I didn't steer you wrong on that one.
As I said - I did like the book.
Thanks for checking it out.
Sue, no problem. It's apparently quite famous, so I was glad you brought it to my attention.
I do hope you're doing well.
Z - Thanks for your concern for me.
I really do appreciate it.
I'm working hard at staying above water - and it has made my Faith stronger - as I'm sure you know.
I hope all is well with you - too
Z.
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