I grew up in Christian churches until I became old enough to choose whether I would go to church or not. I chose not to go to church around the age of 16. I had listened to all the lessons diligently and knew them by heart. But they had little appeal for a teenager setting out to make his mark in the world.
A big surprise when I went to college, and took a minor in religion. I was asked to read the entire Bible, and found that much of what I had been taught in church wasn’t in the Bible, and there was a lot of stuff in the Bible that I had never heard about in church. Disbelief, confusion, and other emotions rising from this discovery caused me to become agnostic, and generally forget about religion altogether.
I remained agnostic right up to the last second before my near death experience. During the experience my beliefs about life and the physical world were shattered and lay as dust about my feet. I gained a new knowledge, an expansion of consciousness, an enlightenment that has stayed with me for over twenty years now, and will remain with me forever.
I now know the difference between spirituality and religion, that I am loved unconditionally, that I am eternal, that I am spirit, in a physical body, living in a physical world created by Higher Intelligence. But the most valuable thing I received was an understanding of the teachings of Jesus.
People are leaving church today more than ever before. I think it is because the churches are not teaching love. They seem more concerned with doctrines and social issues than following the teachings of Jesus. I even had a minister tell me the teachings of Jesus were OK for His time, but were impractical in today’s world.
Jesus taught: John 13:34
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
This is the core teaching of the near death experience. Surrounded by the light of unconditional love, every experiencer feels the compassion and caring of a loving God, and knows he is expected to emulate that love with everyone in the world.
Jesus taught: Matthew 5:43
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”
This is consistent with near death experiences and the theme of love one another. We can not love only those who love us, we are to love all people. There are no exceptions to God’s love, nor should there be to our love of one another.
Jesus taught: Matthew 18:21
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”Jesus said: Matthew 7:1:
“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”
Near death experiencers feel total acceptance in the light. There is no judgement from God. We are loved for who we are, God’s children, and not what we believe or what we have done. There is no religion in the spirit world, only love. Experiencers do go through a “life review.” In this review their whole life passes before them, they feel the pain they have caused others as well as the joy. It is like changing places with others you have hurt and feeling exactly what they felt. It is a learning tool and not a judgement. We learn through the life review just how important it is to treat everyone with kindness and love.
Jesus said: John 14:1:
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
“Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
“Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
“Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
“Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”Jesus said: Luke 17:20:
“The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”
These teachings of Jesus are about the Oneness of all creation. The Oneness that near death experiencers feel within the light. We are within God and God is within us. We are One. All creation is One. Like drops of water in the ocean, or leaves of a giant tree, we are all connected. The sum total of all creation is God. If we wish to know God we look within ourselves with prayer and meditation. Asking for knowledge, strength, and gratitude to be like Jesus, to love ourselves and all others so we may do as Jesus does.
Jesus said: Matthew 25:35:
“For I was an hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
“Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee as hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
Most near death experiencers are impelled to help others. The experience, almost always, causes profound personality and life style changes in the experiencer. Some NDE experiencers go back to school to become teachers or counselors. Some lecture, write books. Others do volunteer work at Hospices, Nursing Homes and Hospitals. Some open “Centers of Learning” or start classes/support groups. Even those who don’t “go public” with their experience are changed into kinder and more loving individuals. The impact of the experience is to change the experiencer, and the change lasts a lifetime. As Jesus said we are to help others, especially those in need.
This does not begin to cover all the teachings of love by Jesus. But it is a beginning in the right direction. I wish churches will begin to return to the teachings of Jesus as their main message of hope, and purpose in life.
Below is a quote from Paul lest we forget the real definition of love, and then a final quote from Jesus. God bless all.
“Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love doesn’t demand its own way. It’s not irritable or touchy. It doesn’t hold grudges and will not notice when others do it wrong. It’s never glad about injustice, but rejoices in truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends”. — Saint Paul.
The final quote comes from Jesus.
Jesus said: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” –John 14:15
Some near death experiencers see and talk to Jesus during their experience. They say He is always kind and loving to them, just as He asks them to be with others. I hope this helps in understanding near death experiences.
© 2009 – 2019, Lekatt. All rights reserved.
Your testimony is so much like the dozens I have read in the research books that record this phenomenon. What I find most remarkable, and your case is consistent with all the others, is that the ‘uplift’ you felt at the time has stayed with you for twenty years. No other experience has this duration. However people interpret their NDE, there is something unique in human experience here
It has stayed with me for over twenty-five years now and I am sure it is forever. It is more than just an experience it is knowledge of the afterlife and eternity. How could that not stay with you. Love
Of course, many of these experiences are indeed as we would call them, “positive”, and compatible with our religions often.
And yet…there was one more unusual NDE I read, in which the experience claimed that he “learned” from his experience that Jesus did not at all die on the Cross, and had no “God connection”, as he put it…and other even more strange and even disturbing details. This particular experience does seem to conflict with those of many others, who allege that the NDE revealed that the Bible speaks great truth, and one experiencer even saw Christ on the Cross.
All I am saying is that maybe we should consider everything carefully, even in these NDEs. While I must admit that they have given me hope indeed in more difficult times, it was not because of them that I accepted Christ as my Savior, and certainly they will not cause me to forsake Him, now or ever.
Each NDE is unique to the person that experiences it. No two are alike. As for religion compared to spirituality there is a great difference. I would say just follow the teachings of Jesus as best you can and help others. The path to God is love.
So, I don’t really understand… We die, and go towards the LIGHT, (in your case, it was Jesus; but, to some it may be Buddha, Allah, etc., right?) …then, we go through our “life review” and learn where we succeeded and/or failed to be loving during our lifetime. Umm, …and then what??? We get to spend eternity with God despite our sins? What about the murderers? …and thieves? …etc., etc.?? It seems that the slate is simply wiped clean for everybody. Where’s the incentive to be GOOD??? ….just wonderin’..???
No the slate is not cleaned. There is a life review where we get to actually feel how we hurt or helped others. If you have hurt a lot of people it can be very painful. Then those that did poorly go back into the physical in order to learn more. If you graduate from the physical school there is many more adventures waiting. It is never boring. Love
How different was your consciousness and sight during an NDE from what you normally experience?
I’m very grateful for this website btw, I came across it by accident but I’m really glad I did.
I can’t say NDEs make me believe 100% in god or anything else (perhaps since I haven’t experienced one firsthand), but they certainly make a good argument for it.
My awareness or consciousness was the same, I was me with all my faculties in place including vision, I just didn’t have a body, and didn’t miss it.
Probably most people have a hard time believing until they experience it first-hand. But it is real.
I’ve just found your NDE account on this website and I notice that there doesn’t appear to be any mention of what it is that caused you to be near death at the time it happened.
Was this actually an NDE you experienced or an out of body experience that occurred instead?
I should have given more background material. It was a heart thing. You can find more information at http://aleroy.com/Person.htm
Love
Were you able to verify anything that you saw during the out of body experience when you returned to consciousness?
When you’re out of your body, is it true that your consciousness/thoughts/knowledge changes? Does it feel very different?
It is interesting that you say everything is all one and in a way connected as I have noticed this theme at times in other NDE stories as well.
Perhaps this could be one of the reasons why we’re encouraged not to harm others as we’re ultimately hurting our self in the end…
Well, yes, everything could be verified. Over time I came to realize what I had leaned in the experience was true by testing it in daily life.
You are correct, when we harm others in any way we are indeed harming ourselves. It was so clear after the experience, your knowledge and perspective of life changes dramatically for the good.
Love
Sorry for asking so many questions, it’s just that this is an interesting topic for me and I’m curious about many aspects of it.
Better to ask questions, than to remain in doubt.
What does it feel like when you’re out of your body? Is it true that space and time are different in the spirit world?
It feels like you have just been released from a heavy burden you have carried a long time. In the spirit world there is no time and no space. That is why eight hours sleep may seem like only a moment or two. Your dreams are within spirit.
What is it about your NDE that makes you so sure it was real and not something that could be a product of the brain as cynics tend to claim?
How do you feel your experience compares with NDEs that are experienced by others?
Does this mean you believe that Jesus is the son of God or something else?
Because I was out of my body, so the brain had nothing to do with it. My experience was similar to others, some events, and some not. Pretty much like they all are. Jesus is a Master Teacher, and we all are the children of God.
Just out of curiosity, what did you learn about Jesus during the NDE and did you actually see Jesus?
Thanks
No, I didn’t see Jesus during my NDE. But later during a lucid dream I did see Him. He taught forgiveness.
Most people are probably curious about what lies ahead after death, beyond the border of death. This may be a reason why they seek knowledge from spiritism sessions or books that discuss this issue. Many have also had personal close-to-death experiences – i.e., experiences when their heart has stopped in the hospital or in connection with an accident and when they may have seen themselves as if from the outside; they may have seen the operations done to them or the entire operating room. Some may have also seen in connection with their experiences a being of light that seems to be full of ‘love and compassion’.
The major topic as comes to this conversation is indeed generally connected with the question of whether all near death experiences are positive and will everybody end up fine beyond the border in spite of the way they have lived on the Earth. Many researchers want to believe this but is it true.
The answer to your question is yes. It is true that some experiences are less than positive, but these experiences produce the same positive reaction as the others. There have been experiences where monsters and other nasties were present, and when the experiencer asked for help it was immediately given. Near death experiences show we are loved despite our actions and beliefs. Our Creators love is greater than any mistake we may make. It is love that teaches us to love.