Do near-death experiences prove that there is life after death?
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by: Joe.
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A NDE or near-death experience can be described as one or more out-of-body sensations, including apparent levitation, a mental or physical feeling of detaching from the Earthly body, an overwhelming sense of security and warmth, and/or the feeling or vision of a all-loving being or light. To the experiencer this sensation is honestly believed to be supernatural - a glimpse into the afterlife or perhaps residing temporarily with God. The experiencer feels that what has just happened to them is evidence, at least to them, that death is not the end. They strongly believe that some part of us survives the physical death, and that this part of must therefore live on forever.
NDE cases are reported when a person that is clinically dead claims to remember life-like experiences, in the immediate area of the death or seemingly in other dimension or location. NDE reports are increasingly more frequent with continual advances in medical technology and resuscitation techniques. Whether this experience is truly supernatural and spiritual or a natural part of the death experience is the source of ever expanding debate in scientific, religious and spiritual communities.
To agnostics and most scientists, the idea of whether a part of us survives physical death is unknowable and therefore unknown. To the experiencer, what they sensed was as real, if not more real, that life itself. For the rest of us the question remains - is the NDE proof of life after death?
With the recently merging of cultures and beliefs, Westerners have become more receptive to Eastern thought. Traditional thoughts of heaven and hell, and this one life being the determining factor of our eternity in one of these locations, are being scrutinized. This process is allowing minds to open to new/other concepts and beliefs. Paranormal topics that were once considered taboo are now receiving a second look. Because of these recent changes, the stories of people who have claimed to remember what it's like to be dead are not simply swept under the rug as they were in the past.
On one hand, even though a NDE seems very real we must also remember how real our dreams feel while we dream. It seems that our brains can't tell the difference between dreams and the reality that we are only laying in our bed. We are physically only laying in bed still while our emotions are tied up in the imaginary story occurring in our dream. Are NDEs truly experienced or are they life-like experiences that are only occurring in our minds? On the other hand, if our brain is dead during the NDE what is creating this life-like experience? Also, why are NDEs so similar and consistent, even between people of different backgrounds and religions?
It seems that this puzzle will only be solved for each of us with time, literally. NDEs give us hope that this life matters. What we do in this life we may take with us - it may all be part of a long-term plan for our spiritual growth. Near-death experiencers teach us that we should make this life count - we should try our best to do what we feel is morally correct.
About the Author
To read more about near-death experiences and other Mormon beliefs, please visit Mormon Church Beliefs .com or The Mormon Religion .com.
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