Life After Death

[CoffeeCanuck]

Thank you Jo.

~D

[CoffeeCanuck]

Fascinating topic. We're probably not meant to understand the framework of our existence.

You could very well be right. Because I do believe in the afterlife, I also believe it is a huge mystery. I never used to believe in reincarnation, absolutely rejected it, but now I'm not so sure. As I've said before, I do believe we all will be surprised when our physical body dies, and we go on into the afterlife, whatever and whereever that is.

I love listening to people tell their personal NDE. What I think it comes down to with many people is whether they believe these people truly experienced it. I am one to believe they did.

~D

[CoffeeCanuck]

I prefer staying Agnostic.... at least I sit on the fence, but certainly lean far to the Scientific side.... until further evidence presents itself.

My question to you Alan is, do you believe there are many, many people who have truly experienced life after death? Let me put it this way. If a close friend or relative had such an experience and told you of it in great detail, would you believe them simply on knowing who they are, or would you require some form of proof before you believed?

~D

[CoffeeCanuck]

The following is from zz's evidence link. I'm going to have to go in and read this guys study as I find it simply fascinating! Personally I dont require 'proof', however I do realize many do and I will also admit that when proof is offered up into anything to do with spirituality I feel satisfied (for lack of a better word).

In 1977, Kenneth Ring, a brilliant young professor of psychology at the University of Connecticut, read Raymond Moody's book, Life After Life, and was inspired by it. However, he felt that a more scientifically structured study would strengthen Moody's findings. He sought out 102 near-death survivors for his research. This web page documents some of Ken Ring's basic insights based on his meticulous research.

His latest research involves the ground-breaking work of investigating near-death experiences among blind persons. His findings are detailed in his latest book Mindsight which is bound to become a classic in the annals of near-death research much like his previous books, Lessons From The Light, Heading Toward Omega, Life At Death, and The Omega Project. Ken Ring researched NDEs that involve the experiencer witnessing events while out of their body which is later proven to have taken place. Ken has also researched NDEs that affirms reincarnation. Ken has also examined NDEs among those who attempted suicide. During his extensive research, Ken was also able to examine NDEs where the future was foretold. The following information is Ken Ring's research conclusions from his study.

(1) Those cases who came closest to death, or were clinically dead, just as Moody's cases reported, told of being outside of their bodies, of moving through a void or dark tunnel toward a luminous light, of meeting with departed relatives and friends, of having a feeling of great comfort and bliss and of being surrounded by compassionate love, a feeling so beautiful they longed to remain, and when they returned to the "earthly" realm, they were affected by this feeling the rest of their lives.

(2) No one type of person was especially likely to have this experience. It cut across race, gender, age, education, marital status, and social class.

(3) Religious orientation was not a factor affecting either the likelihood or the depth of the NDE. An atheist was as likely to have one as was a devoutly religious person.

(4) Regardless of their prior attitudes - whether skeptical or deeply religious - and regardless of the many variations in religious beliefs and degrees of skepticism from tolerant disbelief to outspoken atheism - most of these people were convinced that they had been in the presence of some supreme and loving power and had a glimpse of a life yet to come.

(5) Drugs, anesthesia and medication did not seem to be a factor in inducing these impressions and exquisite feelings of a NDE. Indeed, drugs and anesthesia seemed to be more likely to cause a person to forget memories of a NDE.

(6) He definitely concluded that NDEs are not hallucinations because hallucinations are rambling, unconnected, often unintelligible and vary widely, whereas NDEs tend to have similar elements of a clear, connected pattern.

(7) Based on the information of those who had reported such incidents, the moment of death was often one of unparalleled beauty, peace and comfort - a feeling of total love and total acceptance. This was possible even for those involved in horrible accidents in which they suffered very serious injuries. Dr. Ring found there was a tremendous comfort potential in this information for people who were facing death.

(8) After going through a NDE, people reported a loss of fear of death as well as a greater appreciation of life. They also reported stronger feelings of self-acceptance and a greater concern and sense of caring for other people. They had less interest in material things for their own sake. Many tended to become more spiritual - though not necessarily more involved in organized religion.

(9) Almost all subjects who experienced a NDE found their lives transformed and a change in their attitudes and values, and in their inclination to love and to help others. Dr. Ring was convinced that these were absolutely authentic experiences and noted that since returning, many of them had occasion to think about ‘what might have been.' And their subsequent lives were powerful testimony to our common ability to live more deeply, more appreciatively, more lovingly, and more spiritually.

I know from listening to my grandma's experience, she had absolutely no fear of death, and in fact welcomed her physical body dying so she could return to the place she did call heaven, a place that is saturated with a love and peace so deep and pure she could not really put it into words. She lived till the age of 95 and I know that she is now in that place and will one day be waiting for me.

~D

[cerealkiller]

It's called Oxygen Deprivation of the brain. Tons of research and thesi.
What is peculiar to me that so many people spend so much time thinking, wishing, believing in an afterlife. I got news: WE DON'T KNOW.
So why spend all this enegy on something after death instead of concentrating on the short life we know we have? It is so easy, live a decent life, concentrate on the common good instead of individual salvation or afterlife, give and share as much as you can and let other people decide how they live their lives as long as they don't interfere with other's.
*off-topic remarks deleted/Jo*

[zzontar]

I've always thought reincarnation existed, with people, especially children, being able to describe events and places in history which they couldn't have known about, but I've never heard of xenoglossy before, this confirms it even more.

(40)  Xenoglossy supports reincarnation and the survival theory.

One of the most amazing psychic phenomena, which religionists, skeptics and atheists have continuously and deliberately ignored is xenoglossy - the ability to speak or write a foreign language a person never learned. After all other explanations have been investigated - such as fraud, genetic memory, telepathy and cryptomnesia (the remembering of a foreign language learned earlier), xenoglossy is taken as evidence of either memories of a language learned in a past life or of communication with a discarnate entity— a spirit person. There are many cases on record of adults and children speaking and writing languages which they have never learned. Sometimes this happens spontaneously but more often it occurs while the person is under hypnosis or in an altered state of consciousness. In some cases it is only a few words remembered but in other cases the person becomes totally fluent and able to converse with native speakers sometimes in obscure dialects which have not been in use for centuries. There are literally thousands of xenoglossic cases, many hundreds of which have been documented. They involve modern and ancient languages from all over the world. Psychic investigators, such the highly credible Dr. Ian Stevenson, used scientific method to illustrate xenoglossy and claim that there are only two possible explanations — either spirit contact or past life memory both of which are evidence for the afterlife.

[cerealkiller]

taken off completely. Good bye.

[Big ned]

Interesting posts on this. My personal belief (that seems to fall into line with what others are posting) is that we stay who we are... This life is simply a part of a progression. No one goes to hell... that is simply a state of mind some will experience as they pay for unrepented sins. Therefore, the place that everyone experiences in their near death experiences is a sample of the beautiful and peaceful rest one experiences after death. Joseph smith explained (after having a revelation of what the next life is like) that it is far superior to anything we could experience here on earth.... That is why there is a veil of forgetfulness, because no one would want to be here knowing how great the next life is like.

Also, there is a language that we spoke before we came to earth. This may account for is being lodge in our deep subconscious.

Just some of my beliefs...

[CoffeeCanuck]

This life is simply a part of a progression.

This is what I believe as well ned. Do you as either a Morman, or just yourself believe in reincarnation?

There are literally thousands of xenoglossic cases, many hundreds of which have been documented. They involve modern and ancient languages from all over the world. Psychic investigators, such the highly credible Dr. Ian Stevenson, used scientific method to illustrate xenoglossy and claim that there are only two possible explanations — either spirit contact or past life memory both of which are evidence for the afterlife.

Now this xenoglossy truly intriques me! I recall hearing something about it years ago. Thanks for bringing it up zz, I'll have to do some research into it.

~D

[Big ned]

We don't believe in reincarnation in the sense that we come back to earth as someone or something else... No, our spirit being remains the same through eternity... our personality, our progression etc belongs to us.

We come to earth only once for a test of faith etc. When we are done, we become resurrected beings with perfected bodies and continue to progress and become more like our Father in Heaven... We literally believe the family unit is an eternal unit and we are literal spirit children of a Father in Heaven (who made us in His image)

[CoffeeCanuck]

I just bought the book 'Embraced By The Light' by Betty Eadie. It is her personal account of her NDE. I read it years ago and it made a big impact with me. It's not a big book, so I would encourage anyone who is interested in NDE's to pick it up and give it a read.

~D

[nolanrh]

I love listening to people tell their personal NDE. What I think it comes down to with many people is whether they believe these people truly experienced it. I am one to believe they did.
~D

I don't think that's what it comes down to. I think most are willing to concede that these people had an experience while they were near death. I'm sure many, even possibly the majority accurately describe their experience.

However, there is no scientific basis for associating those experiences with a "taste of the afterlife". Why not explore other possibilities?

[zzontar]

I love listening to people tell their personal NDE. What I think it comes down to with many people is whether they believe these people truly experienced it. I am one to believe they did.
~D

I don't think that's what it comes down to. I think most are willing to concede that these people had an experience while they were near death. I'm sure many, even possibly the majority accurately describe their experience.

However, there is no scientific basis for associating those experiences with a "taste of the afterlife". Why not explore other possibilities?

This link http://www.near-death.com/evidence.html is full of scientific basis, it seems impossible to prove it any other way... other possibilities may exist, but if you read the link, saying all these things happen because of something like oxygen deprivation is very unscientific IMO.

[CoffeeCanuck]

This thread is not intended to debate and 'prove' or disprove the afterlife. It's more about each persons own personal belief and or experience.

~D

[bdbnkr]

I do believe in an afterlife.... not sure what it is going to look or be like. I just know that when I reach the end of this life I have two options... 1. An ongoing relationship with God. 2. No ongoing relationship with God (to me the definition of Hell is being diconnected from the Grace of God).

What either of these really looks like is completely beyond my comprehension... but I do not sweat it.

Cheers.