Comments on: Near-death experiences

By: barry waterfield

barry waterfield — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 14:49:08 +0000

A Pastors son, and in America. Oh surprise surprise. This sounds so corny I wonder they even thought to try it on. The religious right wing in America is just about the most bogus religious outfit outside of a Taliban prayer meeting. If there is any truth to the near death experiences we hear about, and I think there could be, trying to understand what’s going on this side of the grave is rather like probing the insides of a television set to better understanding where the toilets are in broadcasting house. We don’t have the facility to understand this phenomenon.

By: Joan Parker

Joan Parker — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:21:37 +0000

On her deathbed, my mother was quiet and whispered softly, “Sonja.” Who is Sonja, Mother?” we asked. Without opening her eyes, she whispered, “An angel.” Someone inquired, “Does she have wings?” “Yes,” Mother said. Does she fly?” another granddaughter asked. Mother whispered, “Yes.” Mother whispered, “Sonja<" once again and stopped breathing. There has never been a Sonja in our family, and the only one I ever remember Mother knowing about was the famous ice skater, Sonja Henie. I think that Sonja whom Mother met that day of Mother's death at five days before what would have been her 101st birthday, was an angel sent by God to take Mother home to heaven so she would not be frightened.

By: Diane Goble

Diane Goble — Thu, 17 May 2012 22:05:28 +0000

Scientific experience may suggest that all aspects of the near-death experience have a neuro-physiological or psychological basis but it certainly doesn’t explain how consciousness can persist after the patient has flat-lined for 10-15 minutes or so… or how a person who has a NDE can remember every detail 40 years later.

By: James

James — Thu, 17 May 2012 20:43:43 +0000

I remember reading about that boy and “his” book, and though I’ve lately been on my own spiritual quest, I tend to get turned off by people who espouse the “Us vs Them” mentality (ie, that’s it’s necessary for God to wage some kind of war against all the “bad” people – which in itself opens a can of worms about all the self-contradicting proclamations from those who know the “absolute truth”).

Since he was four, and his father is a pastor, I’m tempted to think he’s either just repeating what he’s heard or that there’s something much more worldly going on – that his dad decided to write a book.

And the kid just doesn’t look trustworthy. Make of that what you will, fair readers.

Here is a link to a review from The Washington Post that I think pretty much sums it up:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/spirited-atheist/post/heaven-is-for-real-and-the-immature-american-mind/2011/03/30/AFhr112B_blog.html