No doubt, his previous exposure colored the experience. When i had mine, i still believed in the bible god. He was nowhere to be found. Instead, i experinced something completely different.
S
Neurosurgeon Has Near Death Experience
by metatron 78 Replies latest jw friends
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OnTheWayOut
Lot's of interesting things go on in the brain when oxygen is cut off, blood pressure drops, etc.
Yes. Great thought. I will have to check out the James Randi video tomorrow.
I don't think the masters of the underworld or Heaven or whatever would be allowing the near death experience with flatliners doing it on purpose. Not only is this an event of the brain when these happen, but it is also an event of the brain when the spirit realm contacts people.
Flame on, but facts are facts.
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King Solomon
Here's more from the article:
One of the few places I didn’t have trouble getting my story across was a place I’d seen fairly little of before my experience: church. The first time I entered a church after my coma, I saw everything with fresh eyes. The colors of the stained-glass windows recalled the luminous beauty of the landscapes I’d seen in the world above. The deep bass notes of the organ reminded me of how thoughts and emotions in that world are like waves that move through you. And, most important, a painting of Jesus breaking bread with his disciples evoked the message that lay at the very heart of my journey: that we are loved and accepted unconditionally by a God even more grand and unfathomably glorious than the one I’d learned of as a child in Sunday school.
So he was exposed to the physical stimuli in the Church before the coma (although he claims he didn't consciously notice it before) which he used to build the hallucination? Putting cart before the horse?
Same thing happened to me under general anaesthesia: I experienced vivid imagery of hooded figures which I later realized was inspired by the film noir classic, the Seventh Seal. It was trippy, but it's kind of like detangling a dream to figure out why the elements appeared, recollectiing the prior days stimuli to see the influence.
But here's a more likely terrestrial ($) motivation:
Dr. Eben Alexander has been a neurosurgeon for the past 25 years. His book, Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife, will be published by Simon & Schuster on Oct. 23, 2012.
The dude's got a book to sell.... People want to believe in heaven, and will buy this book as scientific "proof" of the after-life.
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Satanus
He appreciated the spiritual aspects in his church; the stained glass (colored light), the music from the organ, and what jesus represented. Yah, he probably is emphasizing that to sell his book. However, what is there in his nde that is that much of a religious/church nature?
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King Solomon
Satanus said:
However, what is there in his nde that is that much of a religious/church nature?
Uh, the title of the book IS "Proof of Heaven"? You mean like that?!?
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doofdaddy
I'm not so interested in the cause of his experience (I used to be very interested) but the effect. Has his life been changed for the positive? Is he a better, more compassioate doctor? Is he a better husband, father and a better man in general? I have listened to many self indulgent stories of spiritual experience but occassionally I meet a humble soul who is reticent to discuss their experience but is clearly the better for it.
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Satanus
'Uh, the title of the book IS "Proof of Heaven"? You mean like that?!?'
Yah well, given he wants to sell his book to christians, he would call it heaven. But, in his nde, he doesn't identify biblical images. Heck, his escort is a woman, not jesus, as it should be, from the biblical perspective.
The total acceptance that is communicated to him is in stark contrast to the biblical message of humankind living in a sinful nature, until they die, only to face judgement. There was not a shred of judgement in his nde.
As well, god and the throne on which he sits was not seen by him.
S
Ps, the great randi is merely a fundamentalist of another stripe.
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still thinking
The great Randi? He is a sceptic and a magician...he uncovers a lot of magical thinking with evidence of how tricks work and how they are done to fool the gullible. I don't think he is a fundamentalist anything. He simply questions and tests many extraordinary claims and has disproven the truthfullness of many of them.
http://bigthink.com/jamesrandi
James Randi is the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF). Randi began his career as a magician, but when he retired at age 60, he switched to investigating paranormal, occult, and supernatural claims, which he collectively calls "woo-woo." Although often referred to as a "debunker," Randi rejects that title owing to its perceived bias, instead describing himself as an "investigator". He has written about the paranormal, skepticism, and the history of magic.
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Satanus
Definition of a fundamentalist:
'1. A usually religious movement or point of view characterized by a return to fundamental principles, by rigid adherence to those principles, and often by intolerance of other views and opposition to secularism.'
He rigidly adheres to scientific materialist principles, and is intolerant of 'woowoo'ism. Tell me if he is not fundamentalist.
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King Solomon
Well, his 'escort' (as you put it) made it clear upfront that it was a day visit, only, and not a one-way trip or move-in for him; that kinda begs the question, why did they bother? Who screwed up? Close only counts in horse-shoes, so why is he so special to warrant a backstage pass? Maybe they're nicer on day-passes to heaven, so no judging?
But yeah, trying to align this with theology is going to be messy, ESP since heaven is a generic term and common to many religions.
Edit: Randi a fundamentalist? AFAIK, he's not religious (your definition said "usually religious") and he's not opposed to secularism. That's a stretch to claim he is (at least by the commonly-accepted definition of the word).