This blog is more than an account of Near Death Experiences. It ponders in detail the tough questions of life. Who are you, and why are you here in this physical world? What happens when you die, and is there a judgment? However, most anything could appear here. This is not a news blog, archived posts are just as relevant as new posts. Check the boxes at the top of the page for the Contents, Contact, Forum and other links.
There is an immense difference between religion, and spirit. Religion preaches a set of rules, commandments, rituals, and procedures. How, where, when and what to worship, as well as, what to wear, and eat while you are doing it. All enforced by the interpretation of sacred literature. Is this bad? No, of course not, there is room in this world for all religions, and each presents its uniqueness as a learning experience.
Spirit is what/who you are. Some are born knowing about their spiritual nature, others discover spirit during their life time, and still others are unable to discover spirit due to their narrow belief systems. Spirit has no limits, everything you see, and touch is spirit. No sacred literature, all things are sacred, it is what we are.
Most religions do teach the path to spirit, but this path has become overgrown with obstacles of compliance to the religion. The rules, and rituals have covered the path. Jesus taught spirit, and following His teachings will lead to discovery of spirit. He taught unconditional love, and that is the path to spirit.
When I was young, I had no choice. I went to Sunday School and Church. I belonged to a protestant church, in a small neighborhood. Even at an early age I began to question the doctrine. Questioning the doctrine of “The Trinity” got me sent to the pastor. After some discussion I was told to simply “believe it, or end up in hell.”
The doctrine of salvation was another big question. How could believing Jesus was God and, He died for our sins save me from eternal hell? Didn’t I have to do something, feel something. It was easy to say “yes, I believe,” however that didn’t make me feel any different than before. I was missing something, but no one seemed to have the answer that worked for me.
Religion made me plenty afraid of going to hell. So afraid I had nightmares and would wake up crying and shaking. I had given my heart to God dozens of times by going down to the front. It didn’t help, the fear got worse.
I went to different churches, and studied different religions. This did help me with the fear. I learned not all churches, or religions believed in hell. But the nagging fear remained. When I returned to college I took “Religion” as a minor. “Old Testament,” “New Testament,” “Comparative Religions,” “Religion Founders,” are some of the classes I attended. Here I lost most of my fear, but what about spirituality. I still didn’t know what to believe about an afterlife, if there was such a thing.
Further studied revealed that most people do believe in an afterlife. But there was no consensus on what this afterlife might be. Some believed in God, and some not so much. From many different people I learned many different things about how the afterlife was supposed to work. But most just said “I don’t know.” I was confused. But I never gave up studying the question of spirituality and the afterlife.
Then the answer to this question came to me in the form of a heart attack. I was 49-years-old at the time, this heart attack and subsequent “Near Death Experience” started a spiritual journey that continues to this day. I found out what I was supposed to learn in church, and to do with my life. When I did it I felt the results of my efforts.
What I had missed going to church was now evident, bright and bold in my mind. It was Jesus, not believing Him to be God, or not God. Rather believing and following His teachings. It was very important to heed and do what He preached. Jesus knew about spirituality, He knew about the afterlife, and He knew exactly how our Creator wanted us to live our life.
Jesus’ basic teaching is Love. Love your enemies, your neighbors, those that hate you, those that use you, cheat you, just love everyone. Serve those in need. Feed the hungry, visit the sick, and those in prison, give to those that ask of you do not turn them away. That is exactly the kind of unconditional love that surrounded me and held me in my near death experience. It is exactly the kind of unconditional love thousands of other near death experiencers also feel. It is the love our Creator feels for us, and the love we are to feel for each other.
I called myself a Christian for years. All you had to do was join the church and you were a Christian. Now the word Christian means “a follower of Jesus” to me. This set the bar a lot higher, and over the years I have tried to reach those heights on a daily basis. No more judging, ridiculing, or belittling others. No more exaggerating, or overstating my deeds, only the simple truth will do. Choosing carefully to support leaders who are truthful in their words.
After my experience I worked in Hospice care, and attended spiritual groups where I helped others. Eventually I started a website on near death experiences and a blog. These sites are my contribution to mankind. I know they helped others because they tell me.
So if you want a happy and joy fulfilled life then follow the teachings of Jesus. You will be amazed at how well it works.
If you had a spiritual experience I would really like to hear about it. You can type your NDE or other spiritual experience here. If you would like to read more near death experiences. Some NDE are not positive if you wish to know about them.
Many times I have been approached by a person asking: “Are you saved?” I was raised in evangelical religion so I knew what they were asking. My common answer is yes. I try not to get involved in religious discourse.
But one day a young girl asked me that question. Then she told me she wasn’t worthy of God’s love until she accepted Jesus as her Savior. He had died for her sins. Accepting that belief made her worthy of God’s love.
I remembered my early struggles between religion and logic. I could not reconcile the differences and left the church. On one hand I was told God is love and on the other that He would sacrifice His own son to Himself for the sins of the world. Just didn’t make any sense.
I know well the story of Jesus’ crucifixion, I do not see the hand of God in it. It was the priests that wanted Jesus eliminated. Jesus was preaching love for all, forgiveness for all. Jesus was not preaching rules, rites, and protocol of a religion. He was preaching unconditional love for all. It was something new and the priests felt appalled that this teaching would excel their message and wanted Jesus exterminated. They were willing to tell any lie, go to any length to kill Jesus, and they succeeded.
I explained my thoughts of God to the young girl, telling her worthiness is freely given by God. Everyone is worthy of God’s unconditional love. It is the very essence of God to be forgiving, and loving. Jesus’ teachings tell us the nature of God. Jesus speaks for God, not man. The young girl relaxed her frown of determination to save me. Believing the teachings of Jesus, I was never lost.
Me
first; my family first; my city first; my state first; my country
first; does it end? My group first; my religion first; my nationality
first; my politics first; my decisions first; etc., etc., ad
nauseam.
If
any of these expressions sound selfish to you, it is only because
they are selfish. Jesus’ teachings are just the opposite of “me
first” language. When the people using this language reach Heaven
Jesus will explain it to them before sending them to the back of the
line. “The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.”
