Monday: Near-Death Experiences
Some of the most popular modern arguments to “prove” the theory of the natural immortality of the soul are “near-death experiences.” In his book, Life After Life: The Investigation of a Phenomenon — Survival of Bodily Death (Atlanta, GA: Mockingbird, 1975), Raymond A. Moody, Jr., presented the results of his five-year study of more than one hundred people who experienced “clinical death” and were revived. These individuals claimed to have seen a loving and warm being of light before coming back to life. This has been regarded as “exciting evidence of the survival of the human spirit beyond death” (back cover). Over the years, many other similar books have been published, promoting the same idea. (See lesson 2.)
Read the resurrection accounts of 1 Kings 17:22-24, 2 Kings 4:34-37, Mark 5:41-43, Luke 7:14-17, and John 11:40-44. How many of them talk about any kind of conscious existence while the resurrected ones were dead, and why is that answer important?
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All near-death experiences reported in modern literature are of people considered clinically dead, but not really dead, in contrast to Lazarus, who was dead for four days and whose corpse was rotting (John 11:39). Neither Lazarus nor any of those raised from the dead in biblical times ever mentioned any afterlife experience, whether in Paradise, in purgatory, or in hell. This is, indeed, an argument from silence, but it is in full agreement with the biblical teachings on the unconscious state of the dead!
But what about the “near-death” experiences so commonly recounted today? If we accept the biblical teaching of the unconsciousness of the dead (Job 3:11-13, Psalm 115:17, Psalm 146:4, Eccles. 9:10), then we are left with two main possibilities: either it is a natural psychochemical hallucination under extreme conditions, or it can be a supernatural satanic deceptive experience (2 Corinthians 11:14). Satanic deception could indeed be the explanation, especially because in some cases these people claim to have talked to their dead relatives! But it could be a combination of both factors.
With this deception prevalent, and so convincing to many, it is crucial that we stick firmly to the teaching of the Word of God, despite whatever experiences we or others might have that go against what the Bible teaches.
| How fascinating that NDEs often now come with the imprimatur of “science.” What does this teach us about how careful we need to be even of things that science supposedly “proves”? |
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Growing up on a farm meant that I had an early introduction to death. We used to get 200 day old chicks from the hatchery every year and grow them into laying chooks (chickens for the Americans). The chicks were supposed to be sexed but occasionally we would get a rooster (male chook) in the batch. We of course only learned of its sex when it was old enough to start crowing. Now a rooster has a very short life in a chook paddock because, you guessed it, they don't lay eggs. While we were vegetarians, my grandparents weren't. So the Rooster was duly put on the chopping block and its head was chopped off with a sharp axe. Now it is a bit gruesome in today's age of clinical cleanliness where most people's first experience with a dead chook is buying a bloodless de-feathered one from a supermarket shelf. But, this is what would happen on the farm. The rooster's body would fly off spurting blood and without the guidance of its chook brain would fly across the paddock where it would eventually land kicking its feet. (If people who wanted to eat chicken today had to do this before they ate it, there would be a lot more vegetarians around)
The point that I want to make is that at the point of death there is a period of time when the body and brain do random things as they are starved of oxygen. Anybody who has had anything to do with death knows that. The issue that we have with so-called near-death experiences is that people who have them often superimpose their beliefs and expectations on the experience they have had. I know that there is an industry of books, entertainment, Youtube videos, and such that capitalize on near-death experiences, but that is all it is; speculation and entertainment.
I have to say that this is one point where I and my atheist friends agree.
Hello, Maurice. Your explanation is too simple. If we study these books and cases, we cannot get to any other conclusion than that supernatural forces, either the Holy Spirit or evil spirits, are at work. That is the case in many supernatural manifestations in this world. But atheists do not study these, probably because the enemy stops them from doing so until he sees that it would be beneficial to him. Some atheists believe all is science, and the Holy Spirit and evil spirits, Satan and fallen angels, do not exist. But we can use these supernatural phenomena to show to them that we believe differently, and to urge them to do the same. I believe in the experiences of Roger Morneau, and that Satan and demons have not been showing themselves as much in this generation, especially in the developed world. Although we should focus on Jesus and His work, there is also a place for revealing the works of the enemy. The Bible and Jesus focus on doing good, but also mention the work of the devil. People who think there is an explanation for everything in this world without believing in spirits, are blind. And we must not be blind to that blindness but help them. God gave humanity miracles and the Bible to help us to live against evil and for good.
Paul, I wouldn't say Maurice is being too simplistic, I'd say he is giving a different perspective of death than you are. Working in healthcare for 35 plus years, I have been present many times when someone died. Meaning no heartbeat, no breathing. Then you will see a blip on the EKG or the individual takes what we call an agonal breath. Are they still dead yes! The body desires to live and will struggle to do that to the very end. When you add in people speaking of what they have seen or experienced while "dead", now you bring in the possibility of satanic involvement. Either way, when you confront these situations, the belief in what God said has to kick in and reign supreme.
The devil preys on the vulnerable. After my father died, spirits came to my frail and grieving mother. They apparently looked like and sounded like my dad. We reminded Mama what the Bible said about death and wrote out texts that she could and did read when they manifested themselves.
These are all very interesting points. I hope I will get comments from some wiser minds on what I have to ask about NDE‘s.
Near death is, of course, not death. But those who report NDE’s are in a situation where their body is so compromised that they are near death (but never die). The descriptions of these NDE’s usually include seeing a bright light, a tunnel, often times, angelic beings, and very often a personal conversation with someone they identify as Jesus. Most of what they experienced in this state is an indescribable beauty.
Is it not possible for these kinds of NDE’s to be visions or dreams from God?
Now, Paul reports having had an experience in 2 cor 12 that sounds very much like what NDEers describe. He does not give the time frame for this, but it is possible that it coincided with one of his physical persecutions… Like in Acts 14, for example, when the people dragged him outside the city after stoning him because they thought he was dead.
Can we really say that the narrow kind of experience I described is just a deception? Could they indeed be dreams or visions from God?
I can tell you this... if the experience does not line up with what the Bible clearly has taught, then it is not from God - Jesus says unless you be born again (you) cannot see the kingdom - in another place it speaks of those who have lived in rebellion and rejected God's word in their lives - not able to enter. I have researched this issue for quite some time, listening to various NDE stories of both Heaven and Hell visits - beware of these because more than often you find people who say they didn't even live godly lives - going to heaven in the NDE and meeting Jesus and angels, spirit guides and even aliens!
I have talked greatly about this in a podcast - and compared these accounts to what the Bible, Christ, the apostles and prophets have given testimony to and the question on my minds is this... if we can die and go to heaven regardless of living holy or obeying God's word, then for what purpose were the Scriptures written? Why did Christ come and suffer? Why did God raise up prophets and Jesus' apostles? What a huge waste of time for all involved! God has given us the Spirit of Truth - that we should use discernment and prove all things! God is holy! and is not the author of confusion... and Christ came that you might have life - but he instructed you how to obtain it. if you have to do nothing, and will enter the kingdom and his rest - then there would be no need to for us to conduct ourselves and our lives centered around what the Bible teaches!