meeting death with hope and understandingcarol zaleski’s phd is now a book “otherworld journeys:...

MEETING DEATH WITH HOPE AND UNDERSTANDING

A bookstudyACTS

St David’sUnited ChurchCalgary

Text

Internet Page: death.stdavidscalgary.netMonday, 24 February, 14

Meeting Death with Hope and UnderstandingSession 4 - Science & Religion

Opening

Review Ch 6 - The Researchers

video - Tom Harpur Science and NDE

video - 14 cases

Review Ch 7 - Explanations

Break

Discussion

Closing

Internet Page: death.stdavidscalgary.net

Monday, 24 February, 14

Meeting Death with Hope and UnderstandingScience, Religion and New Age - Moody Ch 6 - NDE Researchers

There is a steady growth in the study of the NDE.Increasingly NDE people are being listened to. It is not yet possible to “define” the NDE because NDE’s are combinations of qualities found in other circumstances. (See handout ref to Dr GM Woerlee)Members of the International Association for ND Studies IANDS are making deeper statistical analysis of the NDE to better determine its definition.



Dr. Melvin Morse A pediatrician in Seattle, Washington, Dr. Morse has led the way in the study of the NDEs of children. Studied all those under 18 who had cardiac arrest, coma, or life threatening disease. Control group were real sick but had a “scary disease process. NDE’s were everyone in 1st group and none in 2nd group. The kids simply accepted their experiences.Morse feels best to take NDE’s at face value.



Dr Michael Sabom, cardiologist and christian. An early skeptic. Never heard of it. But by asking his patients found many examples. Compared OBE reports to control group of patients guessing similar stories. Mistake rates very suggestive OBE is real.Divided his groups into

OBE ExperienceTranscendental ExperienceMixed Experience



Dr. Michael Grosso. Philosopher. Concentrates on connecting NDE reports to experiences from history and other paranormal connections.An interesting comparison of real and symbolic experience.He came to understand the NDE as an influx of divine energy.The study of NDE continues to fascinate us. Its meaning is difficult to understand but we cannot dismiss it.



Dr. Kenneth Ring, psychologist, developed standard interview questions that are often used with NDEers.NDEers gave him a good idea of what the separation of body and spirit looks like.Observed the increase of spirituality (not religion). Shared a quote:

“A religious person follows the teachings of his church, whereas the spiritual person follows the guidance of his soul.



Dr. Ring was one of the first to do a statistical analysis of the NDE and determine the “core elements”:

Peace, and a sense of well being.Separation from the body.Entering the darkness or tunnel.Seeing the Light.Entering the Light.



Robert Sullivan. A citizen researcher especially interested in combat NDEs. Ex-army, a student of psychology, a hospital volunteer. Gathered combat cases for 3 years.“Overall, their experiences were the same as those of people outside of the intense experience of combat, which is just more proof that these things are cross cultural in every sense of the word.”



IANDS is a principle organization that NDE researchers join and share in. Most of the researchers participate in IANDS conferences.Website is http://iands.org/home.html


http://iands.org/home.htmlhttp://iands.org/home.html


Dr Bruce Greyson, an IANDS member, in 1983 did a deep statistical analysis of 74 and in ’85 89 NDE’s.

He found 33 elements described with only 16 common elements related to others in 3 clusters: cognitive, affective, and transcendental.For example he did not list “tunnel” in the 16 because although in 32% of NDE’s it was not related to others.His analysis facilitates cross cultural analysis.



Tom Harpur, a Canadian theologian, journalist, writer and retired priest, has done work on the NDE experience and is also a member of IANDS.

up to half of the ND have had NDE’s.the highly personal and anecdotal nature of NDE makes it difficult to study.did a NDE survey of 200 readers of his column

no two NDE’s the samemost said attitude to life changed


Meeting Death with Hope and Understanding

Video - Tom Harpur - 12 min

Tom Harpur, Theologian. Author of “Life after Death”.

Hosted a TV series on the subject. In this excerpt, he looks at how science contributes to and

frames our understanding.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgNNKbYtDEM



Video - 14 NDEs - 12 min

This is one of the better youtube collections of NDEers sharing their experiences. Here are 14 stories that show

something more clearly than do the books, the essays, the studies, and all the written words.

You’ll notice their wonder and conviction. You’ll hear their enthusiasm for a new way of thinking. You’ll sense the

deeply subjective and personal nature of the NDE. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5D9JRPfxq4


Meeting Death with Hope and UnderstandingScience, Religion and New Age - Moody Ch 7 Explanations

Tom Harpur wanted to know whether anaesthetics helped explain NDE’s. From 3 anaesthestists he learned there are 3 components of anaesthesia:

analgesics to prevent painmuscle relaxants to prevent body movementamnesics to ensure no memories of surgery.

All the more remarkable then that NDE’s are so clear.



Carol Zaleski’s PhD is now a book “Otherworld Journeys: Accounts of NDE in Medieval and Modern Times”.

She found NDE is very shaped by one’s culture. Medieval times had very angry spiritual language compared to modern optimism. Defining death is a problem. Near is near. She included medieval instances of mystical journey stories.



Theory 1 - Carl Sagan - NDE’s tunnel and light and trauma are a recollection of birth.

but babies don’t remember anything and can’t distinguish shape and form yet.

Theory 2 - CO2 - Various meditation techniques and direct inhalation are a bit similar.

but some NDE cases have normal O2.

Possible Explanations from Ch 7



Theory 3 - If it’s physical severe illness should cause it and not just nearly dying.

but Moore did precisely this sorting through his research with zero NDE among the severely sick.

Theory 4 - Hallucination - Most often cited by skeptics.but hallucinations are common and always show EEG activity. NDE’s often are flat lined.



Theory 5 - Religious experience - but NDE happens with the non-religious too.Theory 6 - NDE’s should all be the same. But they are not.Theory 7 - NDE’s are our last “Bedtime Story”. The brain creates with endorphins because things are so serious. But endorphin excess with atheletes doesn’t behave like NDE.



Theory 8 - Wish Fulfillment. But that’s wanting things the same and NDE thrusts a new glory at you.Theory 9 - It’s Jung’s Collective Unconscious - this is a possibility - it explains the universality of NDE some. Theory 10 - An experience of Light - Moody says how unable he’s been to find a physiological explanation. It is he says “pure and simple, an experience of light.”



“I have talked to almost every NDE researcher in the world about his or her work. I know that most of them believe in their hearts that NDEs are a glimpse of life after life. But as scientists and people of medicine, they still haven’t come up with “scientific proof” that a part of us goes on living after our physical being is dead. This lack of proof keeps them from going public with their true feelings.”



Moody thinks it is NOT psychological, medical or theological; and not a part of brain science.NDE research has shown that these experiences are just too detailed and real to be dismissed.“I think NDEs are spiritual experiences.” says Moody.

Moody’s Conclusion



Video - Soweto Gospel Choir - 3 min

Here is an enthusiastic reminder that heaven has pretty much always been at the centre of our religion.

The Soweto Gospel Choir take “Swing Down” and add a full measure of hope and joy.

You’ll notice some familiar NDE images (like 2 white angels).

Enjoy their singing of “The Other Side”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfj6MwvISMo


BREAK



How far can our understanding take NDE within the rational rules of modern science?How far can our spirituality take NDE within the familiar frame of our religious tradition?

Discussion Questions

Religion and Science seem again in dispute.


meeting death with hope and understandingcarol zaleski’s phd is now a book “otherworld journeys:...

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