Two books arrived in recent weeks that are written from the scientific standpoint and have to do with near-death experiences. We'll be drawing articles from them, starting with one by a researcher named Roy Abraham Varghese. Posted on 02/17/2010 6:27:26 AM PST by NYer
Two books arrived in recent weeks that are written from the scientific standpoint and have to do with near-death experiences. We'll be drawing articles from them, starting with one by a researcher named Roy Abraham Varghese.
As Varghese points out, in There Is Life After Death, near-death experiences cannot be explained by anesthesia, chemicals in the brain, lack of oxygen, sedatives, hallucination, or other factors skeptics have sought to use in explaining the death episodes. Even those blind from birth have been able to describe their environment once they "leave" their body!
When -- in trying to duplicate near-death experiences -- scientists use electrical impulses on parts of the brain, they may produce a few fleeting disjointed images similar to certain near-death visions but the images are just that: fleeting and fragmentary where near-death experiences are extended and cogent with remarkable consistencies.
And perhaps most importantly, unlike electrical prods, they cause profound changes in the lives of those who experience them.
For this, there is no neurological explanation.
From that viewpoint, astonishing was the case of a 35-year-old Atlanta woman named Pam Reynolds -- who, as reported by Varghese, as well as in a previous book, Light and Death, by Dr. Michael Sabom, underwent the most radical surgery known to man.
It was a remarkable case because Pam's near-death episode occurred after she had been placed in what they call a "standstill" state -- clinically dead.
In order to operate on a large aneurism in a brain artery, neurosurgeons put her under anesthesia, stopped her heart and breathing, lowered her body temperature to a frigid sixty degrees, and as her brain waves flattened, allowed blood to completely drain from her head.
For all practical purposes, she was deceased -- under what is also known as hypothermic cardiac arrest, which was pioneered at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix.
She was "dead" -- according to extensive monitoring (they planned to revive her after removing the aneurism) -- and yet Pam did not lose consciousness, instead describing at great length how she felt her spirit pulled out of the top of the head during the procedure and then "watched" from above as surgeons and a slew of technicians worked on her body! She not only described instruments and procedure in tremendous detail -- instruments she could not have seen during or after (besides everything else, her eyes had been taped shut) -- but also the movements of doctors and technicians.
During the procedure, the top of her skull was removed with a Midas Rex whirlwind bone saw and Pamela was medically induced into cardiac arrest once they verified that the aneurism was too large to otherwise remove and they would have to cause "complete electrocerebral silence," in the words of Dr. Sabom years before the two new books (the other of which is also written by a doctor).
"The blood was drained from Pam's body like oil from a car," Dr. Sabom had written. "During 'standstill,' Pam's brain was found 'dead' by all three clinical tests -- her electroencephalogram was silent, her brain-stem response was absent, and no blood flowed through her brain."
Yet, her consciousness was never extinguished.
If anything, she was more aware than when she had been in a normal state.
It was at that point Pam felt like she was being taken up by a "tornado" and began to hear a deceased grandmother calling her. She also saw an uncle and a great-great cousin.
Pam saw the Light so many report -- she was most drawn by this (which experiencers describe as the Light of the Lord), and encountered a barrier she could not pass (or she would not be able to return). As in so many near-death cases, those encountered on the other side looked like they had at their prime.
An hour later, after the aneurism was removed, her blood was warmed and pumped back into Pam's body and her heart was restarted -- in this incredibly risky procedure that is used only as a last resort by surgeons.
When the monitors blipped back to life, Pam came back from the place of Light.
It wasn't just that she had all the classic detail of such an experience, but -- as Varghese puts it -- that "she gave remarkable accurate descriptions of the unusual instruments used in the surgery, as well as the activities taking place in the operating room."
This is significant, even decisive, because a dead brain cannot misfire (or hallucinate).
So dramatic is Pam's case that one prominent skeptic, Susan Blackmore (who has since retired from her role as chief skeptic), remarked: "If the case you describe is true [in all the medical details with which it was presented], the whole of science would need rewriting."
Jesus fountain of divine illumination
May Your light shine forth to aid our adoration.
Sun of Justice pour Your light, on the path to heaven's height.Holy One, You live in realms of joy eternal
Make us worthy to receive Your light supernal,
Crushing all the pow'rs of hell, give us strength to serve You well.Praise the Lord all you peoples,
Praise Him all nations
Allelulia
A beautiful way to begin the lenten season, reflecting on the awesome beauty that awaits us in heaven.
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My father while in the hospital recovering from a heart attack suffered a cardiac arrest. After the efforts of the ‘code blue’ team, he recovered from the arrest. He said he was walking toward a bright light and a friend from childhood who had previously died was leading him toward the light.
He said that he wanted to go on with this friend but turned around and ‘came back’.
I never really knew what to think of this.
I’ve read several books on this subject over the years. Some of the pioneering work on this was done by a Dr. Raymond Moody, who has written extensively on the subject of Near Death Experiences (NDE’s). In fact, he coined the phrase.
Suffice it to say.....absolutely fascinating stuff. I highly recommend his books.
Dr. Melvin Morse’s book Closer to the Light and a few others he has writen in the 80’s also varifies this. They are good reading.
Folks may not believe in a reported appearance of the Blessed Virgin, but a documented situation from a medical procedure might be just what they need to jumpstart their religious Faith. They're the ones who need more physical proof, just like Thomas, the Apostle, and the Lord provides!
Obamacare.
In the nineteenth century near death experience was expressed as crossing a river, going over etc. For example, the last words of Confederate General Jackson were-(from memory)-”lets cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees.” What some people ‘see’ is at least in part culturally defined. Curiously Morgan Earp and his Brother Wyatt were talking about such experiences the day before Morgan Earp was fatally shot. As he lay dying he called his brother and reportedly reminded the brother of their conversation and then said he saw “nothing.”
Most NDE’s are relatively brief...the duration of resuscitation efforts.
As freeper mlizzy already commented, Anyone who needs a story like this to believe in heaven, hasn't got the faith of a mustard seed to begin with. .
The purpose of the article was not to prove the existence of heaven, or hell, or purgatory. It demonstrates that what we already believe, is true! Those of faith do not need this proof. Those who are challenged to believe what they cannot observe with any one of their 5 senses, benefit from the testimony of the experience.
One of my most favorite Gospel stories is the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man.
Luke
Chapter 16
- 19
- 12 "There was a rich man 13 who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day.
- 20
- And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
- 21
- who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
- 22
- When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried,
- 23
- and from the netherworld, 14 where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
- 24
- And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.'
- 25
- Abraham replied, 'My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
- 26
- Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.'
- 27
- He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him to my father's house,
- 28
- for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.'
- 29
- But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.'
- 30
- 15 He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
- 31
- Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"
Ultimately, for those who believe, no proof is necessary; for those who do not believe, no proof is sufficient.
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