Wow, no one wanted to talk about heaven? Huh. I find that odd given the time of the year it is. I understand that religion is a sticky subject, since it is so personal and everyone thinks they are right. But come on, man, Heaven rocks!\
BW’s special also included a snippet from a scientist who located a “mutated” gene in some people and these people are more likely to believe in a higher power. Because I am already a believer, this just confirms my belief rather than make me question it. Perhaps God has given some people the extra gift of believing easily through this unusual gene.\
BW also talked about near death experiences. Some scientists claim these experiences are simply hallucinations caused by a dying brain. Having never had one, I can’t say. However, I am confused that some people would be greeted and welcomed into Heaven but then “returned” back to their bodies. Wouldn’t God know that these people weren’t really going to die? So what’s with the big unneeded “welcome”?\
Just in case it wasn’t clear before, I don’t know everything. 🙂 But it is fun to speculate about.\
Now then, on to the more pressing topic: who stabbed Felix?
Not even my family?
I heard a similar thing to the gene thing on a radio program. Some guy found that stimulating a certain part of the brain elicited a feeling akin to a comforting, unseen presence being in the room. He claimed it disproved heavenly beings, but I figured it just showed that God hardwired us to be ready for spiritual experiences.
And as long as I’m writing a really long post, I’ve also read that near-death experiences are culture specific. People here see a bright light. People in asian countries more often have a sensation of floating down a river full of lotus blossoms. Just an interesting tidbit.
That cultural NDE tidbit is intertesting. It could be viewed either way though: as proof that they are hallucinations or that God guides us and interacts with us in a way that is most comforting to the individual.
Kubler-Ross’ “On Death and Dying” had many near-death experiences recorded in it, and the similarities were going towards a “bright light” and being lovingly welcomed by loved ones they recognized. Cultural or not, I took from it the comfort of believing our relationships are eternal and our family ties binding. That’s takes most of the fear out of this great unknown. I also expect my marriage will be everything it was here and more.