SHORT COMMUNICATION 139
The Near-Death Experience
By
Roger Behra
Down through world history millions of people have had near-death experiences. But millions of people who have had that experience have been very reluctant to talk about the contents of the experience-until recent times. The contents of the experience are so unusual and captivating, that a person’s sanity comes into absolute question.
There are two books in print that help to eliminate the sanity issue. Both books are by Raymond A. Moody, M.D. that shed considerable light on the NDE issue. Of the two books, The Light Beyond and Life After Life, the most informative is Life After Life. That book is without any doubt very, very convincing that an afterlife is a certain reality.
Dr. Moody interviewed a vast number of people and kept very accurate and elaborate notes that he put into book form. Dr. Moody also put into his book historical facts and information that go back centuries that exactly parallels his own interviews. When that is read, sceptics are very prone to become believers.
The parallels are considerable to substantiate an afterlife. The parallels start with the Bible and include the works of Plato, Emanuel Svedenborg, and the very convincing Tibetan Book of the Dead. They all go hand in hand with Moody’s 350 interviews and other research.
Moody’s interviews are remarkable within themselves, because they also are parallels. But what is quite remarkable is the Tibetan Book of the Dead. The great manuscript of prehistoric Tibetan funeral rituals was written down into a book in the 8th century, A.D. from teachings passed down through early generations by word of mouth over many centuries in prehistoric Tibet, but the book was kept secret from outsiders. The rituals were in the Tibetan language also, which was an automatic barrier to outsiders. The information in the book was used only at funeral, and the book was carefully guarded at all other times.
Moody’s research found out that his first person interviews and The Tibetan Book of the Dead very closely parallel each other. Moody was astonished at this finding. Near-death experiences that were recorded and used at funeral rituals to the dying many centuries ago very closely mirror near-death experiences of modern times. Although the Bible, Plato’s works, and those of Svedenborg parallel modern near-death experiences, The Tibetan Book of the Dead comes to the top of the list.
The interviews, works, and Tibetan book are quite convincing about an afterlife. They also give relief of the fear of dying. Near-death experiences are known to dramatically change people’s lives for the good. Not all near-death experiences are pleasant ones. There is a very dark place where there is no light or a feeling of love and no happy deceased relatives or friends. Those who have lived a very evil life or murdered someone or committed suicide end up there. It definitely pays to love God, live a Christian life, and love our neighbour. That insures a happy eternity and the power rest with us to be with God and loved ones.
R. B.
1-20-10