NDEs

[Kathryn E]

Hi, I wanted to introduce myself.  My name is Kathryn Elsie and I'm a former atheist turned theist. I was an atheist for about 15 years.  I became an atheist around 14 when I decided to say goodbye to the church and everything to do with it, for every reason that is common to atheism.  I had a huge hatred for Christianity and everything to do with religion, until I decided to just go and live my life as a non-believer.  That all changed when, years later, in 2016, I had a very dramatic spiritual experience that completely changed my perspective on life and how I view things.  I don't know if anyone on this forum has heard of near-death experiences, but I basically had a vision from God and then I had nearly died in a car crash and started going to Heaven.

I'm sure I have offended everyone on this community, and I'm sorry.  Introductions don't always feel necessary to me, but I realize they are to most people, so here I am.  I wanted to come here because I still enjoy atheists, and I find a level of intellectual discussion and clear thinking that doesn't always take place in the church, but I also would like to to shed light on NDEs.  If you don't believe them, good for you. We can still be friends one way or the other, but I think this makes for an interesting discussion.

I'm curious if anyone here has ever heard of near-death experiences?  There's a lot of them coming out now.  Just search in youtube: "NDE" or "I died" and you'll find many, many videos.  I'm here just to hang out and discuss.  I'm not really here to shove my views down anyone's throat, but I will write and have an opinion when I have one.  I'm also more than happy to answer any questions, as long as they are genuine questions coming from a place of curiosity and interest.

There are also tons of books about the subject of NDEs:
To Heaven and Back by Dr. Mary C Neal
Proof of Heaven by Dr. Eben Alexander
Just type into amazon "heaven" or "NDE"

Books by Dr. Raymond Moody
Books by Dr. Jeffrey Long
Books by PMH Atwater
Prominent grief specialist Dr. Elisabeth Kubler Ross, who wrote the seven stages of grief, also wrote several books on the topic of NDEs

Other sources:
Life After Life by Dr. Raymond Moody
[/url]IANDS by Dr. Raymond Moody
NDERF by Dr. Jeffrey and Jody Long
[url=https://spiritualawakeningsinternational.org/]SAI by Dr. Yvonne Kason

Spirituality Sites:
Spiritual-experiences.com
Near-death.com

[Minimalist]

Welcome, for now.

We can discuss NDEs and oxygen deprivation in another thread outside of the intro forums later on.

[Inkubus]

...but I also would like to to shed light on NDEs.

What in your opinion is the most convincing NDE report?
Now before you proceed you must understand that if this 'report' is not accompanied by signed witness statements from all those precent in the operating theatre then it is not a report, it's a story.

Eben Alexander? Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

Alexander was let go from at least two of his jobs as a neurosurgeon after repeated malpractice lawsuits. For example, Dittrich notes that “In August 2003, UMass Memorial suspended Alexander’s surgical privileges ‘on the basis or allegation of improper performance of surgery.'”

In two of those lawsuits, Alexander appears to have altered or falsified medical records to cover his incompetence. He settled those suits, and still retains his medical license, but no longer practices as a doctor.

An incompetent surgeon turns to bullshit and fleeces the feeble minded out of million$.

Eben Alexander’s bogus trip to heaven

[Dom]

Hi, I wanted to introduce myself.  My name is Kathryn Elsie and I'm a former atheist turned theist. I was an atheist for about 15 years.  I became an atheist around 14 when I decided to say goodbye to the church and everything to do with it, for every reason that is common to atheism.  I had a huge hatred for Christianity and everything to do with religion, until I decided to just go and live my life as a non-believer.  That all changed when, years later, in 2016, I had a very dramatic spiritual experience that completely changed my perspective on life and how I view things.  I don't know if anyone on this forum has heard of near-death experiences, but I basically had a vision from God and then I had nearly died in a car crash and started going to Heaven.

I'm sure I have offended everyone on this community, and I'm sorry.  Introductions don't always feel necessary to me, but I realize they are to most people, so here I am.  I wanted to come here because I still enjoy atheists, and I find a level of intellectual discussion and clear thinking that doesn't always take place in the church, but I also would like to to shed light on NDEs.  If you don't believe them, good for you. We can still be friends one way or the other, but I think this makes for an interesting discussion.

I'm curious if anyone here has ever heard of near-death experiences?  There's a lot of them coming out now.  Just search in youtube: "NDE" or "I died" and you'll find many, many videos.  I'm here just to hang out and discuss.  I'm not really here to shove my views down anyone's throat, but I will write and have an opinion when I have one.  I'm also more than happy to answer any questions, as long as they are genuine questions coming from a place of curiosity and interest.

There are also tons of books about the subject of NDEs:
To Heaven and Back by Dr. Mary C Neal
Proof of Heaven by Dr. Eben Alexander
Just type into amazon "heaven" or "NDE"

Books by Dr. Raymond Moody
Books by Dr. Jeffrey Long
Books by PMH Atwater
Prominent grief specialist Dr. Elisabeth Kubler Ross, who wrote the seven stages of grief, also wrote several books on the topic of NDEs

Other sources:
Life After Life by Dr. Raymond Moody
[/url]IANDS by Dr. Raymond Moody
NDERF by Dr. Jeffrey and Jody Long
[url=https://spiritualawakeningsinternational.org/]SAI by Dr. Yvonne Kason

Spirituality Sites:
Spiritual-experiences.com
Near-death.com

Welcome! It's a welcome thread, not a discussion forum. If you want to discuss NDE experiences, please start a thread for it.

Your avatar looks awfully familiar. Have you been here before? Or maybe on TTA? Or is it a random picture?

[vulcanlogician]

Welcome to AD.

[rocinantexyz]

Hi. Maybe you could make a thread about: "every reason that is common to atheism"; I'd be interested in hearing that list of reasons.

[TheGentlemanBastard]

Welcome.

Hi, I wanted to introduce myself.  My name is Kathryn Elsie and I'm a former atheist turned theist. I was an atheist for about 15 years.  I became an atheist around 14 when I decided to say goodbye to the church and everything to do with it, for every reason that is common to atheism.  I had a huge hatred for Christianity and everything to do with religion, until I decided to just go and live my life as a non-believer.  That all changed when, years later, in 2016, I had a very dramatic spiritual experience that completely changed my perspective on life and how I view things.  I don't know if anyone on this forum has heard of near-death experiences, but I basically had a vision from God and then I had nearly died in a car crash and started going to Heaven.

I'm sure I have offended everyone on this community, and I'm sorry.  Introductions don't always feel necessary to me, but I realize they are to most people, so here I am.  I wanted to come here because I still enjoy atheists, and I find a level of intellectual discussion and clear thinking that doesn't always take place in the church, but I also would like to to shed light on NDEs.  If you don't believe them, good for you. We can still be friends one way or the other, but I think this makes for an interesting discussion.

I'm curious if anyone here has ever heard of near-death experiences?  There's a lot of them coming out now.  Just search in youtube: "NDE" or "I died" and you'll find many, many videos.  I'm here just to hang out and discuss.  I'm not really here to shove my views down anyone's throat, but I will write and have an opinion when I have one.  I'm also more than happy to answer any questions, as long as they are genuine questions coming from a place of curiosity and interest.

There are also tons of books about the subject of NDEs:
To Heaven and Back by Dr. Mary C Neal
Proof of Heaven by Dr. Eben Alexander
Just type into amazon "heaven" or "NDE"

Books by Dr. Raymond Moody
Books by Dr. Jeffrey Long
Books by PMH Atwater
Prominent grief specialist Dr. Elisabeth Kubler Ross, who wrote the seven stages of grief, also wrote several books on the topic of NDEs

Other sources:
Life After Life by Dr. Raymond Moody
[/url]IANDS by Dr. Raymond Moody
NDERF by Dr. Jeffrey and Jody Long
[url=https://spiritualawakeningsinternational.org/]SAI by Dr. Yvonne Kason

Spirituality Sites:
Spiritual-experiences.com
Near-death.com

Welcome! It's a welcome thread, not a discussion forum. If you want to discuss NDE experiences, please start a thread for it.

Your avatar looks awfully familiar. Have you been here before? Or maybe on TTA? Or is it a random picture?

She joined nearly seven months ago and has already been posting some. That's probably why the avatar is familiar.

[Dom]

I moved this thread out of introductions. As a known member, and given the content of the OP, it's not an intro but a discussion thread.

[no one]

I die a little inside each time one of these horseshit thread pops up.

[Dānu]

[Thumpalumpacus]

Hiyas. I'm unconvinced that NDEs provide any support of any gods or afterlife, but if it works for you, it works for you.

[pattylt]

I think our brains are amazing organs and oxygen deprivation and/or drugs can trigger all manner of “experiences”. What people claim as NDEs are just one example of our brains doing brain stuff, just like dreams are our brains doing brain stuff. There’s not a whole lot of difference except the state of the rest of our body.

Besides, religious/spiritual people experience NDEs in a quasi religious manner and each religion experiences their own religion. How often does a Muslim NDE see Jesus? Did your NDE show you a Hindu experience or was it in common with your knowledge of a western religion?

[GenesisNemesis]

What of atheists who have had a near death experience and had no "experience of the afterlife" whatsoever? Can I use that as evidence for atheism?

[Minimalist]

I'll always go to science first, before any of the Woo-Woo stuff.

https://www.livescience.com/11010-death-...ation.html

Near-Death Experiences Linked to Oxygen Deprivation

People who report near-death experiences have elevated levels of carbon dioxide in their blood and may be suffering oxygen deprivations, according to a new study published in the medical journal Critical Care.

The study, by Slovenian researchers, examined 52 heart attack patients in three large hospitals. Of those, 11 reported having near-death experiences (NDEs), such as movement toward a bright light, feelings of peace and joy, and profoundly spiritual moments during their heart attacks. Studies suggest that between 10 percent and 25 percent of heart attack survivors report NDEs.
Exactly why has remained a mystery, but the new study provides a clue. The link between oxygen deprivation in the brain and near-death experience has been suggested for many years. British researcher Dr. Susan Blackmore, author of "Dying to Live: Near-Death Experiences" (Prometheus Books, 1993), notes that many NDEs (such as euphoria and the feeling of moving toward a white light) are in fact typical symptoms of oxygen deprivation.

[Dexta]

Simple and plausible explanation for NDEs - a part of your mind thinks you're dying (perhaps caused by oxygen deprivation) and so you have a "dream" which plays out like a classic theistic story of going to heaven/meeting god etc.

[Dānu]

From what I've read, Hindu NDEs typically recount the person discovering that they've been sent on due to a bureaucratic mistake and the experience consists of an encounter with a cosmic civil servant.

That's probably closer to reality than any NDE experienced by Westerners.

[pattylt]

I’ve had multiple surgeries. I’m not easy to keep knocked out and have become semi aware of what was going on in two of them. Neither is what I’d identify as an NDE but both gave me an otherworldly experience . Neither caused panic and there was no perception of pain (thank the stars!). After officially coming to, I mentioned that I became somewhat awake during the procedure. Both times the anesthesiologist recommended I let it be known for any further surgeries. They say it’s not uncommon. Would this be related to an NDE? I don’t know but it was interesting where my brain went because I certainly didn’t feel cut open or in agony. It felt like I was dreaming that I was awake yet knew I was in a surgical suite.

[Minimalist]

I had a pacemaker put in 2 years ago.  When they woke me  up on the table there was a very bright light..... because the sons-of-bitches were shining a very BRIGHT LIGHT down on me.  I heard a voice say "he's still with us."  It wasn't god.  It was one of the technicians.

[pattylt]

I had a pacemaker put in 2 years ago.  When they woke me  up on the table there was a very bright light..... because the sons-of-bitches were shining a very BRIGHT LIGHT down on me.  I heard a voice say "he's still with us."  It wasn't god.  It was one of the technicians.

Yeah, I’ve had that “experience”, too. ?

[SYZ]

G'day Kathryn, and welcome to the forum.     

Firstly, there are no such things as God or gods.    They're simply
figments of people's fertile imaginations, and there's never been
any viable proof of their existence in humankind's written history,
beginning between 550,000 and 750,000 years ago.

There's also no such thing as NDEs; once again they're just a figment
of people's fertile imaginations, or as a result of psychotropic drugs
such as  Ketamine, a common dissociative anesthetic.

According to Dr. Karl Jansen, ketamine can reproduce all the main
features of the NDE, including tunnels, experiencing God (even if it
is you) and oneness, meeting others, out-of-body experiences,
life-changes (including “values”), sometimes frightening experiences,
seeing the future, experiencing a true reality, believing that you have
died, and experiencing things that words cannot describe are all common
elements of ketamine hydrochloride and NDE experiences.

[Deesse23]

Why should i believe reports from NDEs any more than reports from people high on *insert your favourite drug here*, from people who experienced massive mental traumas, people who claim to have seen UFOs/aliens or ghosts?

I dont deny they all had experiences.....

[Cavebear]

We should wait for Kathryn Elsie's future posts in other threads (if any) and then reply. I don't expect to be kind, but let her say her bit and reply then.

[Gwaithmir]

I had a NDE when I was 10 years old. I fell into deep water of a lake that autumn and came close to drowning. Just before being rescued, I had a vision that I was standing in front of my fifth grade class, being stared at by several students who I recognized. None of them were dead at the time. This convinces me that NDE's are nothing more than hallucinations brought about by oxygen deprivation to the brain.

[Cavebear]

I had a NDE when I was 10 years old. I fell into deep water of a lake that autumn and came close to drowning. Just before being rescued, I had a vision that I was standing in front of my fifth grade class, being stared at by several students who I recognized. None of them were dead at the time. This convinces me that NDE's are nothing more than hallucinations brought about by oxygen deprivation to the brain.

I had a cousin my near age who drowned around 12. I wonder what he thought in his last moments of oxygen deprivation. I bet he wasn't thinking about god. I bet he was thinking about air.

[emjay]

Personally I fully expect at least the possibility of having an NDE when my time comes. Mainly because I see the.brain as largely dealing in predictions/expectations, so why should this be any different? Ie we have culturally or otherwise conditioned expectations about what's going to happen to us when we're dying, so this would just be those expectations playing out under those conditions. That combined with other weird stuff happening in a dying brain, it seems perfectly reasonable to expect NDEs... but that's all they'd be; near death experiences not post death experiences.