Hi Anti-
Glad you mention this, I was going to start a thread with a topic on near death or out of body experiences.
A couple of weeks ago on British TV there was a program all about this subject (I hope any UK posters who saw this will comment), it was quite balanced, and it looked at both sides of the argument.
I was so moved by the stories of those who claimed to have "seen the light" that I had to tape it for my JW wife. After watching it, even she had to agree that the WT doctrine could be wrong.
One specialist said that all those who have had this experience, afterwards it as changed their lives for the good. They become less worried about materialistic things and concentrate on family life, love, and compassion and become more humanitarian. They all become spiritually focused in life. One man gave up it lucrative job in the city , apologised to those he had wrong, asked their forgiveness and now lives in a modest home. His career as has done an about turn; he works as a councillor for people with serious problems.
Most of the examples mentioned seeing themselves looking down on their bodies (all pronounced clinically dead). Even though they could not see or hear what was going on around them, they could relate to the hospital staff later what was done and said, were instrument was kept etc; to the astonishment of the staff that were in the operating theatre at the time.
They mentioned being pulled to a bright light, which felt like going over a hill in a car at high speed. When they got into the light, they all mentioned feeling intense love all around them; one person said that this was the place of all knowledge. There were relatives waiting for them, one lady asked if the light they were standing in was God! The answer was that the light was the breath of God. She said here uncle told her, it was not her time and she had to go back. This lady did not want to go back, but her uncle argued the point and took her back to the operating theatre. She said he pushed her back and her body jumped on the table, she was back!
The one experience that really got me was of a Lady who had been blind from birth, had never seen the world around her, and could not explain what light was even, before her experience that is. She describe similar to the above, as she came out of her body she could see! She said she could see her self, what was going on around her (again to the amassment of the hospital staff), her body void of life etc. She went up through the roof, could describe cars, trees, birds, you name it. To cut the story short she when "to the light", but was brought back again.
I cannot remember the figures but out of a study of hundreds of people who had been clinically dead/near death and brought back that, the ones conducting the study said that a big percentage of them had had out of body experiences!
It made me realise and gave me a sense of peace and contentment to know that beyond this life, life I believe does go on. After coming out of the Borganisation, it is comforting to know, God is BIGGER than we were lead to believe as Witnesses.
Wow my posts are getting longer for a change!
Thoughts anyone?
Qwerty.
