Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Latter-day Saint
Must one first believe in the supernatural in order to regard near-death experiences as real?

Must one first believe in the supernatural in order to regard near-death experiences as real?

Last updated on: August 31, 2020 at 6:27 pm by Dan Peterson

Must one first believe in the supernatural in order to regard near-death experiences as real? 2020-08-31T18:27:25-06:00 Dan Peterson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A Fibonacci spiral (Wikimedia Commons public domain)

A chambered nautilus shell, cut in half. The chambers are clearly visible and arranged in a logarithmic spiral.

(Chris 73/ Wikimedia Commons public domain image)

This 2.5-minute-long video vividly introduces an astonishing fact:

“The Mind-Blowing Mathematics of Sunflowers …From Scientific American Magazine on Their 175th Birthday”

And even seemingly simple little animals still pose surprising puzzles:

“High-Tech Tracking Reveals ‘Whole New Secret World of Birds’: A study of Kirtland’s warblers found that some continue exploring long distances even after they reach their breeding grounds”

***

Some short notes from J. Steve Miller, Near-Death Experiences As Evidences for the Existence of God and Heaven: A Brief Introduction in Plain Language (Acworth, GA: Wisdom Creek Press, 2012):

According to Dr. Bruce Greyson, now Chester F. Carlson Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia and one of the foremost researchers in the field,

“Most near-death researchers did not go into their investigations with a belief in mind-body separation, but came to that hypothesis based on what their research found.” (cited at 38)

Here’s an NDE-experiencer named Chen, from China, in his own slightly non-standard English:

“I believed in Marxism. I joined the Chinese Communist Party when I was in university and I had a great ambition when I was employed. I deeply believe[d] in materialism and I strongly rejected anything that relate to idealism. Neither did I believe in God. However I experienced an NDE and it has changed me completely.”

“After the NDE . . .I started to concern about the suffering in the world. I comfort others who is in despair. . . . I filled my life with love and I loved to help others. I don’t care about money or fame anymore.” (cited at 102)

This is Victor, from Russia, who had no religious background. Previously, he had been plagued by depression, especially related to his difficulties in completing his college education. “I simply didn’t see the point of my own existence,” he says of his state of mind before having a near-death experience:

“The light was extraordinary. In it were love and peace. I was completely enveloped by love and I felt totally secure.”

“Some invisible force had opened up new paths along which I must travel, something to strive for, that my life was not in vain, and that I should have goals that fill the needs of those around me as well as my own, and that every day should be filled with good and meaningful activities.” (cited at 102)

***

Finally, two important articles from the Deseret News:

“Who gets a vaccine? A simple question with complicated answers, and why your reaction is just as crucial as the experts’ work to create it”

“Inside the newsroom: When it comes to COVID-19 and a vaccine, what’s the most important number? With a week before Labor Day, this is no time to let up on the 55-day Moonshot Challenge”

I don’t live in Provo, but I work there, and the Provo City Council deserves praise. Good for them!

“Provo City Council overrides mayor’s veto of mask mandate”

near-death experience

near-death experiences

separation

survival

Previous Post

August 30, 2020

Revision 4.12 "The Treatment of Women"

Next Post

August 31, 2020 Revision 4.13 "The Five Pillars of Islam" (Part 1)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 March 2014 August 2013 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What vision did Daniel have of four beasts representing empires?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Four dragons Horse, eagle, serpent, leopard Ox, ram, goat, lion Lion, bear, leopard, terrifying beast