Sample Header Ad - 728x90

Christianity

Q&A for committed Christians, experts in Christianity and those interested in learning more

Latest Questions

2 votes
6 answers
4711 views
Is there biblical support for near death experiences?
I'm currently fascinated by extraordinary cases of NDEs reported by individuals who have been declared blind from birth. I recently watched a 33-minute video (available [here](https://youtu.be/5qX0zBUYLFs)) featuring an interview with one of such blind-from-birth NDEers (title of the video: *Vicki N...
I'm currently fascinated by extraordinary cases of NDEs reported by individuals who have been declared blind from birth. I recently watched a 33-minute video (available [here](https://youtu.be/5qX0zBUYLFs)) featuring an interview with one of such blind-from-birth NDEers (title of the video: *Vicki Noratuk Blind Person NDE*). This case is quite impressive, because the lady in question experienced two NDEs in which she saw very vivid details of her surroundings as she left her body, with what appeared to be perfect 20/20 vision in spite of her congenital blindness, in addition to the evidently mystical aspects of her story, which includes being transported at extraordinary high speed to a paradise in heaven, meeting deceased loved ones and even Jesus himself. In fact, this case is put forward as a strong piece of evidence by a [journal article](https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc799333/m2/1/high_res_d/vol16-no2-101.pdf) titled *Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind: A Study of Apparent Eyeless Vision*, Kenneth Ring, Ph.D. Sharon Cooper, M.A. University of Connecticut. Journal of Near-Death Studies, 16(2) Winter 1997. 1997 Human Sciences Press, Inc. These cases are fascinating to me because they are harder to "explain away" skeptically by appealing to naturalistic hypotheses, such as (1) *the Dream Hypothesis*, (2) *Retrospective Reconstruction*, (3) *Blindsight*, and (4) *Skin-based Vision* (which the aforementioned article mentions explicitly and eliminates one by one). Having said all this, I would like to know if these sorts of reports are supported by or at least theoretically consistent with the Bible. Do NDEs find support in Sacred Scripture?
user61679
Dec 16, 2023, 03:28 PM • Last activity: May 12, 2025, 06:00 AM
1 votes
2 answers
375 views
How do 'soul sleep' adherents explain reports of astral projection, out-of-body experiences (OBE) and near-death experiences (NDE)?
Testimonies of [astral projections](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astral_projection), [out-of-body experiences (OBE)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out-of-body_experience) and [near-death experiences (NDE)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near-death_experience) abound, both within and outside Christia...
Testimonies of [astral projections](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astral_projection) , [out-of-body experiences (OBE)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out-of-body_experience) and [near-death experiences (NDE)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near-death_experience) abound, both within and outside Christianity. Many interpret these experiences as evidence that consciousness persists after a person's spirit departs from the body. Of course, this cannot be the case if [Christian mortalism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_mortalism) (a.k.a. 'soul sleep') is true. **Question**: How do 'soul sleep' adherents make sense of the abundant reports of astral projections, out-of-body experiences (OBE) and near-death experiences (NDE) both within and outside Christianity? ________________ Some examples: - A very insightful article on these experiences: [Science, Medicine, and Near Death Experiences © May 2015 Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D. Magis Center of Reason and Faith](https://magiscenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Science_Medicine_and_NDEs.pdf) - [Doctors' give scientific evidence for the afterlife from near death experiences (NDEs)](https://youtu.be/qDhH8jpU7Ks) - [Neuroscientist Sees 'Proof of Heaven' in Week-Long Coma](https://abcnews.go.com/Health/neuroscientist-sees-proof-heaven-week-long-coma/story?id=17555207) - [Eben Alexander, Neurologist and Author Talks About His Dying & the Afterlife](https://youtu.be/AUF2yqUMBic) - [Near Death Experience - Wayne Fowler Dies and Meets Jesus Face to Face](https://youtu.be/wXAOoeKDTIo) ___________ Related questions: https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/83470/50422 https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/81227/50422
user50422
Jan 12, 2022, 04:33 AM • Last activity: Jun 29, 2022, 12:29 PM
2 votes
1 answers
360 views
What was the first recorded near death experience of a Christian claiming to have one?
What is the first recorded description of a Christian claiming to have what we would today call a [near death experience][1]? Did perhaps any of the early church fathers describe such an event that happened to themselves or others? While near death experiences have become more common with modern res...
What is the first recorded description of a Christian claiming to have what we would today call a near death experience ? Did perhaps any of the early church fathers describe such an event that happened to themselves or others? While near death experiences have become more common with modern resuscitation techniques, they were described in ancient times, such as with Plato describing Er (c. 380 BC) and Plutarch describing Aridaeus of Soli (c. 560 AD). Both describe non-Christians claiming to have near-death experiences. Note that I am interested in someone who nearly died and came back to life and then told their tale, thus I wouldn't count the Biblical accounts of Lazarus (the one Jesus resurrected) or the rich man associated with another Lazarus (the one of whom Jesus described his post-death experiences in one of his parables). If there is an obvious one in the New Testament that I am forgetting, let me know so I can edit my question. I am interested in post-Biblical times.
Thunderforge (6467 rep)
Nov 13, 2017, 01:28 AM • Last activity: Sep 3, 2021, 08:39 PM
Showing page 1 of 3 total questions