Why is it that NDEs are always described as very pleasant events? It’s as if nobody who almost dies is destined for Hell. Has anyone here heard of such “negative” NDEs?To answer your second question first: NO. At least I haven't heard of any. So probably you may be right, that "23 Minutes in Hell" is not a description of an NDE. I.e., the person who wrote it was not undergoing the physical death process at the time the epiphany/meditation (whatever it was!) on the reality of Hell occurred.
Beliefnet reports:
Wiese claims that he was lying in bed at 3 a.m. when he was plunged into hell — not in a dream, but in actuality; not because he had died and was being punished, but because God wanted him to experience hell and warn others.FWIW, I had a similar experience once, "lying in bed at 3 a.m." However I was spared the vision of Hell; something entirely different was presented to my view. To boil it all down to essentials, what I heard and saw was that God loves His creation so very, very much; but that above all, He loves His creature, man — not in the abstract, but as unique, individual souls, individually called to be sons of God. That was it, in a nutshell. With "full graphics" and "voiceover." Next thing I knew, I was safely restored to my bed, and crying my eyes out for the sheer beauty and glory of what I had seen and heard. I am absolutely sure this was no mere dream.
So I have to say these things do happen. But as far as I know, I, like Bill Wiese, was not "at death's door" when it happened to me. Therefore, it was not an NDE.
There have been such meditations of Hell across Christian creedal confessions. A particularly harrowing one is St. John of the Cross' "dark night of the soul." I don't think he was at death's door when this vision came to him. So that couldn't be called an NDE. Or St. Theresa of Avila's vision of divine Love, in which she dies to herself, the victim of a divine arrow of Love struck straight into her heart. I don't think she was at death's door when this happened to her. So that couldn't be called an NDE either.
It seems to me that nobody who has ever had such an experience asked to have it. It is something that simply happens to one, unasked for. Such experiences get classed into the category of "mystical experience." And as such, in our thoroughly rationalistic age, are simply dismissed (e.g., as hallucinations, maybe even as the result of bad digestion). Notwithstanding, they tend to be life-changing events for the persons who suffer them....
Which is presumably what they have in common with NDEs. Which brings us to your first question, Future Snake Eater: "Why is it that NDEs are always described as very pleasant events?" Well, it seems to me if you are at death's door, and then you see loved ones who have died, and you see them "well"; you've gotten to a "place" where an angel tells you, "You're not ready to die yet, because you still have something to accomplish in the world, so you have to go back," from the standpoint of mortality, you'd probably find that pretty pleasant, too.
I think you're right about this, Future Snake Eater: "NDEs seem to only brush with the actual afterlife." YES. It's as if in an NDE one comes to the boundary of incarnated existence and one's eternal spiritual being, and one is denied the ability to cross it. One is "sent back" into the world, presumably for a purpose which God intends.
Or so it seems to me. But then, what do I know? There are no "experts" in NDEs or mystical visions — not even among the ones who experience them.
Thank you ever so much for writing dear Future Snake Eater!
I didnt even believe in the biblical concept of "visions" until I had one.. My vision had no language at all only images in my mind, while fully awake.. But the image(s) were worth many thousands of words.. each.. Actually I've had three visions.. All different but all with no words.. only images.. I'm open that others can visions of another character than mine.. My visions keep me fairly sane in an insane world.. Could be visions are "for us" to strengthen our faith.. or "a peek" at what we cannot "see".. in some respect..
Could be that's what NDE's are too.. a form of encouragement.. or gift from the other realm.. or even an answer to prayer like mine was.. an answer to questions asked in prayer.. Call them Near LIFE experiences(NLE)... LoL.. I've had 3 NLE's.. which have made me wealthy in a spiritual sense.. Answered many questions of mine.. and made my faith full and robust.. Leading me to anticipate life here or there (wherever there is)..
My last vision was what is heaven and hell going to be like.. I think we shared that one in past discussions.. Visions are so cool.. Is God Kool or WHAT?...
Actually, I forget who did the research . . .
HOWEVER, NDE visits to hell are fairly common
IF—A BIG IF—
IF SOMEONE ASKS QUESTIONS
IMMEDIATELY UPON RESUCITATION.
OTHERWISE,
THE EXPERIENCE IS SO HORRIBLY TRAUMATIC THE PERSON EVIDENTLY REPRESSES IT SUCCESSFULLY.
I think it was Dr Eby sp? who was an atheist MD . . . died 11 times!!! in the hospital. Every time he’d come around, he was
SCREAMING—I’M IN HELL—GET ME OUT OF HERE—GET ME OUT OF HERE!
Finally, in desperation, the attending MD remembering something from Sunday School in exasperation said
‘OH, PRAY TO JESUS AND SHUT UP!’
Dr Eby did and became a believer, was saved and lived many more years with his testimony.
placemark.