Posted on 01/23/2010 3:48:39 AM PST by Biggirl
Is there life after death? Theologians can debate all they want, but radiation oncologist Dr. Jeffrey Long argues that if you look at the scientific evidence, the answer is unequivocally yes. Drawing on a decade's worth of research on near-death experiences — work that includes cataloguing the stories of some 1,600 people who have gone through them — he makes the case for that controversial conclusion in a new book, Evidence of the Afterlife. Medicine, Long says, cannot account for the consistencies in the accounts reported by people all over the world. He talked to TIME about the nature of near-death experience, the intersection between religion and science and the Oprah effect.
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
Thank you for this reply - it is very interesting. Some questions:
1. Are you a Christian? These descriptions of spirits and death certainly do not conform to what I hear in church.
Yes, I am Christian... very much so. I study the Bible daily (mainly the NT as I am not much for the history and legalism of the OT. But I do not discount it. I had the same problem. That’s why I got a Strong’s exhaustive concordance and started digging. I also try to read the early Christian writings. Problem is... not enough hours in a day.
2. What is your academic background? I have a law degree, so I have no academic background on these topics.
LOL.. I taught tax law at a Big 10 university (make that Big 11 LOL) for years and left to return to pick up a degree in psychology and then continued studying cognitive neuroscience and Jungian psychology for the depth aspect. I love the history of psychology.
3. Have you written books or articles? Do you recommend other books or articles by scientists/Drs on this topic? I have held off for varius reasons. I am right now working on three books.. But I prefer to teach in person in order to not give the right knowledge to the wrong person. Honestly, the best book to understand the soul is the New Testament. I bridge the gap using that to teach neuro anatomy.
4. Did you check to details of the man’s auto accident to see if they were accurate, and was this made public? His widow and kids might be interested. Yes I did. I try not to make waves, and to date have managed to stay out of the press. This is not about me and I do not want to be elevated as in doing so I lose my ability.
5. Lastly, your experiences are very interesting to say the least. I am 63 and have been reading science all my life in the popular press, yet I have never heard of your work. Why is that? I’m not exactly sure why God has given me this ability other than the sign’s of the times sure are interesting right now. What I disclosed here is but the tip of a huge iceberg of information I have been allowed to learn. It just comes to me. I often say, bring me the atheists, agnostics, and scientists and I will lead them to understanding and accepting religion. Religion is scientific and logical if you understand the soul.
Logic dictates that you should live as if there were a life after death.
“the only reason you’ve given me to believe this guy is because he went to college?
I guess I wasn’t clear enough. He has a PhD. His position is Assistant Professor: Division of Perceptual Studies, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia Health System. “”
Take some time to read his writings and rebview his research. It’s pretty good and done in a scientific investigative manner. I’ve reviewd some videos of his work and was impressed. People should know after climate gate, the credentials do not matter. It is the methodology and the results that matter! Not the credential.
As for credentials, they do still matter. They don't guarantee anything one way or the other, but they do suggest whom to pay attention to. They're sort of like pedigrees in horse racing. Lots of big races are won by horses with undistinguished bloodlines, but a disproportionate share of such races are won by horses with strong breeding.
ML/NJ
ML/NJ
bump
I mean, I could give you a million other doctors with similar credentials who believe the opposite.
Um, in the context you used it, it was rather odd, as if death were somehow willed on others.
The conclusion that there is no life after death, or that death brings a big nothingness, or WHATEVER is just as much a leap of faith as concluding that life continues in some way after the body changes to what we call "dead."
Not at all. We define life not by some imaginary collection of ideas, but by the observation of specific life functions--respiration, excretion, mobility, etc. We look at a living being and say "This being exhibits the functions of life, thus it is alive." If someone DID show evidence of such functions but no longer does, We do not say "Well, it COULD be alive, and we just can't SEE certain life functions, so keep feeding it and see if it comes around." We say "It is not alive."
That's not a leap of faith. We have a definition of life. When something doesn't meet that definition, it isn't "alive but we just have to take a leap of faith to see it," it's dead.
How is that a leap of faith?
All one needs to prove it is to show evidence of life after death that can be scientifically verified using the scientific method.
Basically, people argue it's okay to kill (euthanasia) or help kill (assisted suicide) people because death is better than life, at least in some circumstances. That assumes an awful lot. What else does it mean when people argue that it's okay to kill people because death "alleviates suffering"? How in the world do they know that?
Don't Christians believe that when you die you go to the afterlife God has prepared? How can that be worse than this one? And if it is, doesn't the person deserve what they're getting?
My guess is that you would have difficulty finding your "million doctors" who have read Tucker's book and would still dismiss it out of hand, as you seem to.
ML/NJ
Thank you. Three more questions:
1. Did the accident victim’s story check out? Did he have a wife and kids? What was their reaction?
2. If soldiers become “possessed” by their enemy and, under hypnosis speak their language, why hasn’t this become widely covered by the academic and/or popular press? Odd that the soldiers in question would ALL keep quiet.
3. Where may I go for more scientific credible information on this topic?
Is there life after death?
Try burglarizing my house and find out!
Interesting ping!
Thanks.
Will check it out.
INDEED.
WELL PUT.
THX.
First, as to the "um" comment, I wasn't meaning to come off snarkily. If I did, I apologize.
As to your major points, above:
I think you are conflating "death" of the organism (body) with the "state of being dead." You are using what is observable (physical) to define or deny the existence of what is not observable (the nonphysical).
You're exactly right that we define "life" and "death" of the body. (And our definitions even change over time!) And there's not much room for making a leap of faith as to whether the body is "alive" or "dead." First we can physically observe the body for ourselves. Secondly, we literally make up the definitions of "life" and "death," so of course we make them workable and based on observable facts.
But we are talking here about whether there is "life" --- which, of course, has to have a different definition here than physical life --- after the death of the body. As your post shows, you are viewing "life" as a set of specific bodily (physical)functions. And, yes, we declare (physical) "death" of the body when those functions no longer occur.
But then what? The first question is how can a definition of what constitutes life or death of a physical body (such as you posted) prove one way or the other whether there is a nonphysical aspect associated with the physical body?
I don't think it can. I think, no matter what you believe about the existence of a nonphysical aspect associated with a physical body -- whether you believe there is no soul or there is -- it requires a leap of faith. There is nothing else upon which to base such a conclusion!
And if there is a nonphysical aspect associated with the physical body, our definitions of physical life and death (i.e., of the body) don't inform us one way or the other how that aspect functions once the body is physically dead.
Since you can't avoid having some conclusion about whether or not a physical body has a nonphysical aspect, and if you conclude it does, you can't avoid having some conclusion on how that nonphysical aspect functions after physical death of the body, everyone's view of the afterlife or lack thereof is based on FAITH.
It’s been said that saving faith is not only fire insurance, it’s also life insurance.
Hypoxia doesn’t explain raising up over one’s body, visually observing and ascending through acoustical tile ceiling in a trauma center, and reading serial numbers on light fixtures above the ceiling directly above the body not visible from the body, then immediately returning to the body and awaking when ammonia capsules are snapped beneath one’s nose.
Well first we know that energy is neither created nor destroyed, merely changed.
Ecc 12:6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
Ecc 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
I am late to the party as usual, but I read your comments with interest. I would like to learn more about this healing. Can you direct me ?
Thank you. Three more questions:
1. Did the accident victim’s story check out? Did he have a wife and kids? What was their reaction?
Details checked out including names and address of wife and kids. They were not told. I do not want to harm anyone, especially emotionally. There is no reason to upset people, especially if the event is outside their belief system. Events such as this happen to me quite often. It is a real pain in the rump as most of the time they approach me to communicate (not using hypnosis) and I end up with their physical and emotional pains. Very similar to Whoopie Goldberg in the movie with Patrick Swazie...”Ghost.”
2. If soldiers become “possessed” by their enemy and, under hypnosis speak their language, why hasn’t this become widely covered by the academic and/or popular press? Odd that the soldiers in question would ALL keep quiet.
They are unaware of it. The power of darkness is in its influence while not being detected. Most earthbound spirits are just misguided, not evil. Some are truly evil though. Symptoms arise in the host such as medical problems, personality changes, food cravings, allergies, addictions..... Some of you might remember several years ago when Casey, our former PA Govenor got a heart lung transplant.. He then craved coffee, a drink he never like prior to the transplant.
3. Where may I go for more scientific credible information on this topic?
This is a taboo subject in most academic communities as not all people perceive the spirits. I have developed a technique that proves the existance of the soul by touching it, causing people’s physical bodies to move (many times it knocks them off their feet) , all while bypassing the stimulation of the five senses. I use this to tell people what happened to them in their life...since conception. I have no idea why I can do what I do and I did not do anything to deserve the ability. It was dumped on me. My coursework and study in psychology and cognitive neuroscience has only been to understand what has been happening to me. I do not want to be center stage, but i am willing to answer questions for others experiencing similar occurances.
Some of the best material comes out of the University of Virginia. But also read about NDEs.
For those of you who are Christians, read what Peter said in Acts 2 where he was quoting the prophet Joel. This is happening. If you understand that the phrase “as above, so below” has much merit. Then read Matthew 13 where Jesus explains the meaning of the tares in the wheat, and then go on to read the NASA web site about the current changes in the earth’s magnetosphere. If you understand these you will understand also why the divorce rate is so high. Souls are growing like crazy right now. The shackles have been removed. Why... I have no idea! I know this sounds far fetched, but it is easy to demonstrate and explain in detail. I know, I just lost all credibility with many of you, but that is ok. Recently my brother came to me and exclaimed that what I had told him 15+ years ago is exactly what is happening and in the news now. He no longer thinks I’m crazy. I still question it! Bottom line is that the time line from the visions to here is really distorted and hard to comprehend. What appears in a vision to be happening in minutes may actually be many, many years from now.
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