@moonbus saidHere is one. There are many of the near death experience type, and I am skeptical about the accuracy or truthfulness in those testimonies. Actually Im skeptical about all of these things. What makes some of these slightly more believable is when they totally depart from typical extremist church teachings, or when they see angels without wings or when Jesus does not look like the wall calendar type depiction.
Which "they"? Can you provide some references, please?
04 Jun 21
@moonbus saidI agree, but that does not mean it is in fact real. Naturally these days with so many scam artists in religion and fake healings and false predictions and prophesies, pastors sexually abusing their congregation, stealing or demanding money, people are wary of everything in religion.
@Rajk999
Interesting woman. I have no doubt that she believes that what she saw is real.
07 Jun 21
@moonbus saidIts possible of course. People read the bible and have vivid imaginations about the afterlife as depicted in the prophets and Revelation - gold jewels, milk and honey etc etc. I maintain that there is no place called heaven were people go. The bible refers to several heavens, one of which is the abode of God, and no man goes there. The New Jerusalem is the only place where the righteous go in the afterlife.
@Rajk999
I think she was projecting her own fantasies. She will by now have discovered for herself that there is no mountain of gold in heaven.
One thing she got correct is that Jesus told her that people have to be righteous and stop living in sin, otherwise they will go to hell. There are many churches that do not preach that doctrine.
07 Jun 21
@Rajk999
I agree that materialistic interpretations are missing something essential. The Gospel of Thomas, for example, tells that those who understand Jesus's teaching have eternal life here and now, in this life, not later and not in any other place (beyond the sky or wherever); that is, one lives sub specie aeternitatis (without fear of death). One interprets the teaching according to one's own level of spiritual development: a mystic will understand it quite differently to someone steeped in arcane theology or a rustic goat herder. If anyone thinks there is only one interpretation, or only one right one, he is at a pretty restricted level of spiritual development. Donna Ringley's is a very materialistic conception. If she lived a righteous life, I would not belittle that. But I cringed watching that video with her gushing enthusiasm and the moderator's scarcely concealed obsequious fawning on her.
@moonbus saidA lot of great points in there. The here and now part from the Gospel of Thomas [I have not read it but its on my list], was implied by Christ as well, but it is not about understanding only. Jesus said it is the doing his commandments that gives people eternal life. Hearing, understanding, believing, professing all fall short of the minimum requirement of doing, set by Christ. And yes, this eternal life is granted NOW, I agree, and it is the reasons why he said that there are some who will never die. So not all those who profess Christ get this eternal life NOW as some Christians believe.
@Rajk999
I agree that materialistic interpretations are missing something essential. The Gospel of Thomas, for example, tells that those who understand Jesus's teaching have eternal life here and now, in this life, not later and not in any other place (beyond the sky or wherever); that is, one lives sub specie aeternitatis (without fear of death). One interprets the ...[text shortened]... video with her gushing enthusiasm and the moderator's scarcely concealed obsequious fawning on her.
As for the video these people are out to sell books and videos and get famous. The moderator is part of a another professed visitor to heaven Sid Roth who had the same experience. Now many fall for this kind of drama and I cannot say they are necessarily wrong as there is a lot we do not know.
So I have a question, What would you do if you had this experience.? My answer is that I will be very careful about telling people. I think I will continue on with the same thing I have been saying all along.
@Rajk999
I have had a fair number of strange experiences, some of which probably come under the heading of paranormal. I don't crow about them or try to persuade others to believe in anything supernatural. They just remind me that there are things in the universe we don't understand and cannot explain rationally.
EDIT:
You will find the Gospel of Thomas, as well as much else of interest, in the Nag Hammadi Library in English, ed. James Robinson
https://www.amazon.com/Nag-Hammadi-Library-Definitive-Translation/dp/B01K0UWO5S/ref=pd_sbs_5/[WORD TOO LONG]
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11 Jun 21
@rajk999 saidOnce in a while I have interesting dreams, but I wouldn't expect anyone else to find any cosmic wisdom in them.
Says more and more people these days. They say they died or were just taken by an angel or Jesus Christ and were shown around heaven and hell. Im neither supporting nor condemning these statements from people. What I have noticed is that none of these who claim to have these experiences [from those I have read about], promote the idea of simply professing faith, or belief in ...[text shortened]... h the requirement to live righteously and do good works, otherwise hell awaits them.
Interesting.
To be fair, I also don't believe in the concept of "inner depths".
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11 Jun 21
@divegeester saidApparently. But I'm willing to give you and the other Crayfish Twin another chance. 😉
It seems unfair to generalise an entire community due to one person’s behaviour.
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11 Jun 21
@rajk999 saidGet sloshed and do good works? 😉
So I have a question, What would you do if you had this experience.? My answer is that I will be very careful about telling people. I think I will continue on with the same thing I have been saying all along.
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11 Jun 21
@moonbus saidI appreciate this post.
@Rajk999
I agree that materialistic interpretations are missing something essential. The Gospel of Thomas, for example, tells that those who understand Jesus's teaching have eternal life here and now, in this life, not later and not in any other place (beyond the sky or wherever); that is, one lives sub specie aeternitatis (without fear of death). One interprets the ...[text shortened]... video with her gushing enthusiasm and the moderator's scarcely concealed obsequious fawning on her.
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11 Jun 21
@moonbus saidI have had some as well, enough to make me think things are connected funny behind the scenes, but beyond that I'm not sure how to interpret them, and am aware that interpretations could be wrong.
@Rajk999
I have had a fair number of strange experiences, some of which probably come under the heading of paranormal. I don't crow about them or try to persuade others to believe in anything supernatural. They just remind me that there are things in the universe we don't understand and cannot explain rationally.
EDIT:
You will find the Gospel of Thomas, as well as m ...[text shortened]... JREQNQFGP127645&pd_rd_r=12ebf54f-8440-4f7a-8208-fd5807f25fb9&pd_rd_wg=TwVmN&pd_rd_i=B01K0UWO5S&psc=1
So, it's an interesting world in which we occur.
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11 Jun 21
@rajk999 saidI will probably die, not into eternal life, but knowing I was part of the eternal (or at least leisurely) churn of occurrence and decay.
A lot of great points in there. The here and now part from the Gospel of Thomas [I have not read it but its on my list], was implied by Christ as well, but it is not about understanding only. Jesus said it is the doing his commandments that gives people eternal life. Hearing, understanding, believing, professing all fall short of the minimum requirement of doing, set by Chris ...[text shortened]... l about telling people. I think I will continue on with the same thing I have been saying all along.
"Love God with all your stuff and love your neighbor as yourself" do seem like potent POV-changing commandments from which a lot of other good stuff could follow.
I think eventually we are headed for some kind of cyber-genetic transcendence, where we have more and more control over our incarnations and our ancestral impulses, to the point where we really are the only ones responsible for the activities of our dust devils, with no excuses.