"Ive seen Gods light...

[meow139]

And there is something out there"~ Random friend of Meows, Circa today

Gotcha there, huh? anyway, I recently saw this show about folks who have had near death experiences and supposedly saw heavenl. I wrote it off as all nuts, until today, my friend, a math teacher at a catholic school, said he saw Heaven when he died as a teen. It made me wonder, what is this REALLY? My religion doesn't believe closely in Heaven, and I'm more of an atheist than anything. But what could this be that these people have seen? So, I'm gonna let you FJers duke it out. What do YOU guys think?

Personally, my opinion is its hallucination. That, or they just went mad. But this guy is a freakin MATH TEACHER and quite sane as far as I can tell.

Edit: His experience described a bright light and the feeling of longing and not wanting to go back. So unspecific that it could have been anything.

[Guest Anonymous]

Did your friend elaborate on what his experience of 'heaven' entailed?

[valsa]

But this guy is a freakin MATH TEACHER and quite sane as far as I can tell.

Being a math teacher means jack about jack. They aren’t any more logical than the next person.

Anything "seen" is likely a result of the brain shutting down. Either hallucinations or even something they only think they saw when they recover (almost everyone has some memories that never actually happened (and a false memory is pretty easy to manufactory in people), especially if heaven was what they expected to see)

Our brains are weird. I was just reading the other day about a room that so soundproof that the Guinness World record for someone staying in it is only 45 minutes- because in the absence of outside sound people stay to hallucinate things like hearing their own blood and heart pumping.

[Artemis]

My grandmother had a near death experience. She was ill with cancer, (metastatic melanoma) and was being treated with what was then a new drug, vincadifformine, and she reacted badly to it and developed an embolism. She was very near death but did not die - I remember my Dad sitting with her talking to her, making her use the oxygen mask and telling her to keep breathing.

When she recovered she recounted the classic near-death experience- being transported down a long, glowing tunnel, to what was a beautiful garden in the distance. What was odd though, was that she swore afterwards that she had been given a choice, either to go into the garden or go back. She felt she had not finished living, and asked to go back.

She lived for a few months after that. She was a very devout Catholic, which may have coloured what she saw, but she was no liar. Apparently the effect is caused by the body systems shutting down, but who really knows?

ETfix typo

[breadprincess]

There is a fantastic documentary on this subject (I think by NatGeo, please correct me if I'm wrong, or possible part of The Universe series) that details the science behind what people see as part of a near death experience. It's really fascinating.

[BelieveinScience]

I had a near death experience but I don't remember seeing lights or anything.

[snarkbillie]

My friend is an atheist and he nearly died and had "an experience" he chalked up to his brain going crazy while he was nearly dying/dreaming. I think there's an expectation to "see the light" so we do. I say this as a Christian who fully believes in heaven. I think the people who have near death experiences, aren't seeing heaven so much as having some kind of hallucination.

[Kitchen Princess]

You should read My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor. Here's her TED talk about it: http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_tay ... sight.html

I believe people lose contact with the rational half of the brain. Listening to Jill will demonstrate it.

[snarkbillie]

rational half of the brain

:lol: my first thought was "some people only have a rational quarter of a brain to begin with".

[PennySycamore]

Thanks for the link to Dr Taylor's talk, Creaky Steel. As a recent stroke patient, it was fascinating.

[deelaem]

There is a fantastic documentary on this subject (I think by NatGeo, please correct me if I'm wrong, or possible part of The Universe series) that details the science behind what people see as part of a near death experience. It's really fascinating.

Yes, isn't that the one where researchers identified the "god center" of the brain? When they stimulated that section of the brain in volunteers they would have a near-death type of experience.

[NurseNell]

I had a near death experience while in critical condition with septic shock and DIC. Like others have described there was a white light totally surrounding me, a sense of warmth, and an absolute sense of peace and well being. Then I was back. I was thankful I came back but during the experience I was perfectly at peace.

[Kitchen Princess]

Thanks for the link to Dr Taylor's talk, Creaky Steel. As a recent stroke patient, it was fascinating.

You must read her book. It is wonderful.

Hope you're well now.

[PennySycamore]

You must read her book. It is wonderful.

Hope you're well now.

I've recovered well after a mild stroke at the end of January. I only have a bit more occupational therapy to go.

[Glass Cowcatcher]

Being a math teacher means jack about jack. They aren’t any more logical than the next person.

Anything "seen" is likely a result of the brain shutting down. Either hallucinations or even something they only think they saw when they recover (almost everyone has some memories that never actually happened (and a false memory is pretty easy to manufactory in people), especially if heaven was what they expected to see)

Our brains are weird. I was just reading the other day about a room that so soundproof that the Guinness World record for someone staying in it is only 45 minutes- because in the absence of outside sound people stay to hallucinate things like hearing their own blood and heart pumping.

QFT.

I've had a few "experiences" that, while I do not think they were supernatural in any way, I can totally see how other people would be so freaked they would interpret them as "proof" of the other side.

No NDE thankfully, but I've had sleep paralysis and the hallucinations of hearing one's own blood. it was all very strange.

ETA: A very good thing I've heard to debunk NDE, at least as proof of Christian heaven, is that if that's really what they were then everyone should see Jesus/Christian iconography, but they don't.