Mormonism and Near Death Experiences

[Geocacher]

Seems like so much I read in the Near Death Experience books sound so much like the mormons idea about the Pre-Earth life, and the Plan Of Salvation. Couple of the Books are by Betty J. Eadie, like “The Ripple Effect”, and “Embraced by the Light”.

One of the things I find in “The Ripple Effect”, is that we chose our parents in heaven, prior to comming to the Earth, and the book said that we have no right to do abortions, because Spirits are already committed to each body right at the point of conception, but like the Mormon church, they don’t allow abortions, unless the mother is approching death, but I don’t know perfectly if that is all the Mormon church allows, but the book did say that abortions are only the last option if there are no other, but still is cautioned against doing them.

Another thing about the Near Death Experiences and the Mormon Church, is the topic about the purpose of this life,and that it is to grow in experience in faith, suffering, charity, and to love both GOD, and each and everybody on the earth.

The only thing about Near Death Experience stories, is that they tend to separate themselves from organized religion, but I had seen alot of quotes in Near Death Experience books about the fact that some Near Death Experiences were noted in the Mormon Journal Of Discorses, in the early history of the mormon church.

I do admit that the Mormon Church had drifted quite a bit from mainline Christianity at the start, and that they probably intended to do that on purpose, saying all others were off track.

The problem with Near Death Experience books, is that alot of them can be a bit off track, and they might mention reincarnation, but at least Betty J Edie’s books say that we have only lived once, and this is our only earth life.

About the Catholic Church:

• It seems to have some things missing in the Mormon Church, and I have attended a bit in the past as a visitor, never having been catholic…

Seems like a bit was lost when the forums went bellly-up, but it’s good that these forums are back up running again.

 

[Daniel_Marsh]

Betty Eadie is a Mormon who claimed to have had a Near-Death Experience (NDE). She authored the books “Embraced by the Light” and “The Awakening Heart”. “Embraced by the Light” originally was published as a Mormon book, by a Mormon publisher.

According to an article in the March 6, 1993 Ogden, Utah Standard-Examiner, "Eadie said she was an inactive member of the LDS [Mormon] Church at the time [of her supposed near-death experience] and since then has become active. She said she was told during her after-life experience that the LDS Church is ‘the truest Church on the earth.’ But her LDS background wasn’t included in the book, she said, because ‘the book was meant to go out to the world, not just to LDS members.’"

One of the Mormon doctrines repeatedly stressed in Embraced by the Light is the pre-mortal existence of human spirits: “Then I began to see images in my mind of a time long ago, of an existence before my life on earth….The fact of a pre-earth life crystallized in my mind….” (p. 31). Eadie further states: “Things were coming back to me from long before my life on earth, things that had been purposely blocked from me by a ‘veil’ of forgetfulness at my birth” (p. 44). The term “veil of forgetfulness” is distinctively Mormon.
Source: Book Review: Embraced by the Light By Richard Abanes

apologeticsindex.org/e11.html

 

[Tmaque]

Seems like so much I read in the Near Death Experience books sound so much like the mormons idea about the Pre-Earth life, and the Plan Of Salvation. Couple of the Books are by Betty J. Eadie, like “The Ripple Effect”, and “Embraced by the Light”.

One of the things I find in “The Ripple Effect”, is that we chose our parents in heaven, prior to comming to the Earth, and the book said that we have no right to do abortions, because Spirits are already committed to each body right at the point of conception, but like the Mormon church, they don’t allow abortions, unless the mother is approching death, but I don’t know perfectly if that is all the Mormon church allows, but the book did say that abortions are only the last option if there are no other, but still is cautioned against doing them.

Another thing about the Near Death Experiences and the Mormon Church, is the topic about the purpose of this life,and that it is to grow in experience in faith, suffering, charity, and to love both GOD, and each and everybody on the earth.

The only thing about Near Death Experience stories, is that they tend to separate themselves from organized religion, but I had seen alot of quotes in Near Death Experience books about the fact that some Near Death Experiences were noted in the Mormon Journal Of Discorses, in the early history of the mormon church.

I do admit that the Mormon Church had drifted quite a bit from mainline Christianity at the start, and that they probably intended to do that on purpose, saying all others were off track.

The problem with Near Death Experience books, is that alot of them can be a bit off track, and they might mention reincarnation, but at least Betty J Edie’s books say that we have only lived once, and this is our only earth life.

About the Catholic Church:

• It seems to have some things missing in the Mormon Church, and I have attended a bit in the past as a visitor, never having been catholic…

Seems like a bit was lost when the forums went bellly-up, but it’s good that these forums are back up running again.

I think Betty Eadie is speaking truth when she claims to have had a NDE. However, we can really know very little about heaven from subjective NDE’s. The experiences of those who have had a NDE vary greatly and often contradict each other in regards to what heaven is like. However, they are usually very similar in regards to what dying is like. Take a look at: near-death.com/

I don’t think we should look to NDE’s to tell us what heaven is like because if the reports were accurate they would be very similar. I think we can look to them only to get an idea of what dying is like.

 

[helgasdogs]

Penn & Teller barbecue near death experiences (and ouija boards, too)…

video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3276334259793426171&q=penn+and+teller+********

 

[PaulDupre]

Of course Betty Eadie, having been raised Mormon, would imagine a Mormon afterlife as part of her NDE.

When Hindus have NDEs they glimpse the afterlife described in Hindu traditions.

When Catholics have NDEs they see heaven (or hell) as Catholics expect to see it.

This alone should inform us that NDEs are psychological rather than supernatural experiences, resulting from the physiological conditions of the brain associated with almost dying.

Paul

 

[Rob_in_Oregon]

I started reading, “Embraced by the Light” based on someone’s recommendation. Not too far into it, the author describes flying feet first toward heaven, with packs of animals accompanying her. She meets God, who tells her that all the different religions of world, contradicting each other, are part of His divine plan.

This is nonsense. If God is the author of contradiction, then there is no truth in Him, and He is therefore not knowable.

I have developed a great skepticism about near-death experiences. The more contradictory accounts I hear, the less I trust their vailidity.

God is One, in truth and purpose, in all things. All His qualities are perfect. There is no contradiction in Him. I have decided to disbelieve NDE accounts rather than think God is inconsistent.

Blessings… - Rob