What is the Catholic view on Near Death Experiences (NDEs)?

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Though slightly dated, I think this essay provides a pretty good overview of ND and OB experiences, in general, as well as explaining why they are likely natural occurrences.
 
cornbread_r2 said:
Though slightly dated, I think this essay provides a pretty good overview of ND and OB experiences, in general, as well as explaining why they are likely natural occurrences.
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Just another opinion that can’t explain the experience people have of seeing and knowing things that happened while they were under anesthesia and having the NDE.

Many of the critics also don’t believe in the afterlife and certainly not Jesus death and resurrection. They’ll provide their own rational theories why this didn’t happen either.

I’ll leave it up to those who had the experience, just as I’ve had the experience of Jesus revelation and many, event Christians, will rationalize my experience away.

Jim
 
AndrewRuki said:
Peace be with you Brother/sister, I am guessing ‘sister’.

I have always loved this website.

www.bibleprobe.com/nde.htm

I suggest you check it out. It gives a few accounts on NDEs.

Dominus vobiscum.
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This is a very interesting site.
Thanks for posting it! 👍

(I don’t think their linkage of St. Paul and his stoning experience to their next bible quote is quite accurate, though. St. Paul did not have a near-death experience according to Acts 14:19)
After being stoned to death in Lystra by the furious mob who resented his ministry and miracles, Saint Paul was snatched from his broken body up into Paradise before being replaced into the repaired frame a few minutes later. Saint Paul speaks of a visit to Heaven.
“I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.” II Corinthians 12:2-5 (KJV).
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JimR-OCDS said:
I saw the priest’s on EWTN back when Mother Angelica was still hosting her show.

I had problems with his statements in that when he met Jesus, he was being sent to eternal damnation. However, it was the merciful pleading of the Blessed Mother to Jesus, which saved him and he was sent back to life.

In other words, the Blessed Mother showed mercy which Jesus lacked. This is problematic for me and other priests I’ve talked to about it.

Jim
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I would say that this was a great example of the intercession of the Virgin Mary.🙂
 
Simca said:
This is a very interesting site.
Thanks for posting it! 👍

(I don’t think their linkage of St. Paul and his stoning experience to their next bible quote is quite accurate, though. St. Paul did not have a near-death experience according to Acts 14:19)
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I’m not sure how you can distinguish SP’s experience, assuming that any part of him “left the body,” from what we moderns call an NDE. He didn’t die, by definition, as he resumed living life.

I have often wondered if his words in 2 Co 12 are the origin of the phrase “out of body experience.”

ICXC NIKA
 
JimR-OCDS said:
I’d say its problematic in that Mary showed more compassion than Jesus.

Jim
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I see your point but maybe this is the way Jesus wants it to be.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is **lacking **in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,
 
Peace be with you Brother/sister.

A movie comes to mind; Starring Eric Roberts (if I am right) called “Saved by the light”.

It is about the NDE of the character played by Eirc.

Dominus vobiscum.
 
Techno2000 said:
I see your point but maybe this is the way Jesus wants it to be.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is **lacking **in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,
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Jesus wants to lack in compassion ?

Jim
 
Techno2000 said:
I see your point but maybe this is the way Jesus wants it to be.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is **lacking **in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,
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I have read about that NDE before. I have no reason to doubt it. It is not that the Blessed Virgin Mary is more compassionate or merciful than Jesus. That is what I would see if I treated the faith like a mere philosophy. She even said that His will be done, ultimately. However the priest was not living for Jesus, but for himself, his reputation. Jesus will also come as a terrible judge one day.
 
In fact one could actually argue that Jesus was being more merciful and compassionate than the Blessed Mother was. In the end, Mary left the priest to a highly wrathful and angry God. And, Jesus spared him.
 
GEddie said:
I’m not sure how you can distinguish SP’s experience, assuming that any part of him “left the body,” from what we moderns call an NDE. He didn’t die, by definition, as he resumed living life.

I have often wondered if his words in 2 Co 12 are the origin of the phrase “out of body experience.”

ICXC NIKA
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I agree with you. are we just misunderstanding each other?

In my opinion, the site seemed to be saying that St. Paul was linking his stoning experience to 2 Cor 12 and saying that in 2 Cor 12, St. Paul was probably talking about himself. Or maybe I’m just reading into it.

But anyhow, I’m super interested in near-death experiences, but have to compare all of them to what the scriptures say and what the church teaches.

2 Cor 12 could be the origin of the phrase “out of body experience”. That seems likely.
 
Rachellem56 said:
I have not comprehensively examined accounts of NDEs, but I have seen quite a few where people describe feeling God and his love, etc. similar to this one: christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/december-web-only/mary-neal-describes-her-visit-to-gates-of-heaven.html
These accounts usually don’t include experiencing any type of judgment from God, only love. I always imagined that after death, I would recall my entire life (like the woman in this story did) and then experience the Divine Judgment. Of course, then there’s the fact that these people didn’t ultimately die that complicates things. I don’t want to seem judgmental and I only know my sins and not others’, but what’s the Catholic view of such accounts?
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The Church does not have any position on NDE’s.

Personally, I believe they are not real. People either lie or have hallucinated.
 
Faith1960 said:
Are we ALLOWED to believe in them, McCartney?
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I’m not him, but I’d say we are.

We are “allowed” to believe anything that isn’t patently false or counter to the Church. This lets in a lot of beliefs, such as UFOs, monarchism, or…NDE. :)🙂

I reserve belief or nonbelief in NDE because I expect it will finally be a matter of science.

ICXC NIKA
 
GEddie said:
I’m not him, but I’d say we are.

We are “allowed” to believe anything that isn’t patently false or counter to the Church. This lets in a lot of beliefs, such as UFOs, monarchism, or…NDE. :)🙂

I reserve belief or nonbelief in NDE because I expect it will finally be a matter of science.

ICXC NIKA
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I once wrote Fr. Charles Grondin and he said they’re private revelations and the Church has no position on them. But he didn’t say if we could believe in them or not.
 
Faith1960 said:
I once wrote Fr. Charles Grondin and he said they’re private revelations and the Church has no position on them. But he didn’t say if we could believe in them or not.
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If the Church has no position one way or the other, does that mean we can believe in NDEs and OBEs or not?
 
thistle said:
The Church does not have any position on NDE’s.

Personally, I believe they are not real. People either lie or have hallucinated.
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What about those who describe everything that happened, in detail, in their room and even rooms that weren’t in?
 
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