Is my deceased mother watching me?

[Anguspure]

Hello. I was reading a Facebook story about a woman who almost died and claims to have seen her father with wings saying he was always with her and waiting for her when it was time. Immediately I thought of my poor dead mother with wings watching my sinful life. I know the verse about all tears being wiped away but that is after the end of the world... right? I am a baby Christian and am confused and mortified.

The idea that a human being can exist as a disembodied spirit is not biblical but enters Christian thought from Greek philosophy, probably by way of Augustine.

The Jewish and early Christian concept of life after death is of a ressurection to life in the same manner as Christ Jesus who is the first fruit from among the dead.

In this respect it is not expected that anybody would be found fluttering around on the clouds at the present time at least.

Notwithstanding this a "great cloud of witnesses" is referred to which has been interpreted to mean the dead that have gone before us watching the way things pan out for those of us who remain.

I tend to think that given the promise of a future ressurection of the dead, this would imply that the witnesses are in fact looking at our present time frame from some future, post ressurection time and not that they are in fact watching over us at the moment within a point of time simultaneous with us.

So as for many questions in scripture the answer is both yes and no. Yes your mother may well be able to see your life as it is now, and glorify Christ Jesus because of what He has done in it.

But No, I doubt that any human being is currently existing as a disembodied spirit and so in that respect she is in fact dead and awaiting ressurection to life.

 

[tdidymas]

How do I quit sinning? I thought that as descendants of Adam we are all sinners.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G530AZ using Tapatalk

"The one who loves his brother lives in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him." 1 John 2:10
"If anyone sins, we have an advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous, who is the atoning sacrifice for our sins" 1 Jn. 2:2
If we are true believers in Christ, then we are no longer sinners - 1 Jn. 3:9. Yet, we can't say that we have no sin at all (1 Jn. 1:8). So then, here is the conclusion we must make about it, that the Christian life is a journey ("The Way"). If we are going in the direction of God's will (beginning with trusting Christ for redemption), then our life will be made holy by God the Spirit, and we will have no worries. Sometimes we stumble, because we are not perfect (thus, we are "sinners"), but we are saints, in the sense that we are committed to continue on the narrow way that Jesus called us to. Repentance from sinful acts is a continual process, and can only be done by believing that God is at work in us (Philippians 2:12-13). So then, Jesus is as much a deliverer from sin as a savior from it.
Therefore, keep on reading the Bible, praying, fellowshipping with other Christians, and attending worship.
TD

 

[thesunisout]

Hello. I was reading a Facebook story about a woman who almost died and claims to have seen her father with wings saying he was always with her and waiting for her when it was time. Immediately I thought of my poor dead mother with wings watching my sinful life. I know the verse about all tears being wiped away but that is after the end of the world... right? I am a baby Christian and am confused and mortified.

The bible doesn't tell us that people who have gone on to be with the Lord watch over us. It tells us that God may send angelic help at times, but we never see Him sending human beings to help anyone down here (excepting one, the Lord Jesus Christ). I think it is dangerous to believe that the spirits of those who have departed are hanging around us because it opens the door to demonic deception. We have no scripture to stand upon which tells us that, so we shouldn't believe in this "folk religion" as someone said.

I would also humbly suggest that to a Christian it should mortify us more that the Lord sees us doing all of these things we shouldn't do, not our departed relatives. That said, remember that God is singing over us songs of deliverance; His interaction with us is always redemptive, not punitive.

 

[blackribbon]

The bible doesn't tell us that people who have gone on to be with the Lord watch over us. It tells us that God may send angelic help at times, but we never see Him sending human beings to help anyone down here (excepting one, the Lord Jesus Christ). I think it is dangerous to believe that the spirits of those who have departed are hanging around us because it opens the door to demonic deception. We have no scripture to stand upon which tells us that, so we shouldn't believe in this "folk religion" as someone said.

I would also humbly suggest that to a Christian it should mortify us more that the Lord sees us doing all of these things we shouldn't do, not our departed relatives. That said, remember that God is singing over us songs of deliverance; His interaction with us is always redemptive, not punitive.

The Bible doesn't tell us where anyone "hangs out" when they die and I think it can be just as dangerous to assume that we have any idea of what life is like on the other side. Jesus talked to dead people...explain the presence of Moses and Elijah. Was that demonic? And for any other people who may have also seen dead people, I think it is evil to make them feel like they have experienced evil when they simply feel loved. I think it is dangerous to assume anything that isn't specifically laid out in the Bible. We are simply not to use mediums or pray to our dead...we pray and worship God alone. If God allows a visit to someone, who are we to say that God didn't.

 

[thesunisout]

The Bible doesn't tell us where anyone "hangs out" when they die and I think it can be just as dangerous to assume that we have any idea of what life is like on the other side. Jesus talked to dead people...explain the presence of Moses and Elijah. Was that demonic? And for any other people who may have also seen dead people, I think it is evil to make them feel like they have experienced evil when they simply feel loved. I think it is dangerous to assume anything that isn't specifically laid out in the Bible. We are simply not to use mediums or pray to our dead...we pray and worship God alone. If God allows a visit to someone, who are we to say that God didn't.

blackribbon, that isn't even nearly the same thing. When Moses and Elijah appeared, it was because the Lord Jesus was being transfigured on the mountain! It wasn't dead relatives watching over Jesus, it was a very special event, and the Lord conversed with them (in the open and in plain sight). It also good to point out that the whole thing confused Peter and the others, and the Father spoke to them directly and told them to listen to Jesus. When the cloud left, Moses and Elijah were gone and they saw Jesus only.

To make a theology about hearing from our dead relatives from the transfiguration narrative seems to me to be twisting scripture. That isn't what it is about, and isn't any instruction to tell us we should expect to see our dead relatives and talk with them. The reason I said that belief can lead to demonic deception is because it plainly does. People hear from their dead relatives all the time, except that they tell them things which contradict the truth of Gods word. We know that lying spirits come from Satan, impersonating peoples dead relatives to deceive them because no lie is of the truth and he is a liar and the father of it.

Since there is no teaching in the bible to confirm it, and there is so much deception in the world surrounding it, I don't think Christians should put their faith in departed spirits coming and talking to them. There is just no way for them to tell where it is really coming from. Advising people to open themselves to that is what I feel could be dangerous. I won't rule it completely out but God hasn't taught people to expect that from Him. He has taught us rather to be extremely discerning about these things, because they can be so dangerous.

 

[ViaCrucis]

The most we can say with any reasonable confidence is what we see in Scripture, and in Scripture we have two examples of prayers for those on earth. In the book of Zechariah we read that an angel prays to God concerning people on the earth, a very similarly worded passage can be seen in St. John's Apocalypse where the saints before God's throne pray for their fellow Christians on the earth. At the very least it seems that Jews and early Christians were comfortable with the idea of the saints and angels who are with God praying for those who are here on earth; and Christian tradition has always affirmed that both the saints and angels do pray for us.

The idea of the saints actually coming and appearing to us is scant--it's not that it can't happen necessarily, but there's no reason to expect it either. As mentioned Moses and Elijah appeared with the Lord at His Transfiguration, Sammuel appeared from out of She'ol to reprimand Saul, but the exceptionally few cases we see these sorts of things it is regarded as particularly unique and peculiar, Moses and Elijah appearing on the Mt. of Transfiguration was a very significant and unique event, and we don't really have other examples of the departed--like Sammuel--showing up to reprimand people. So, while God is not constrained in what He can do it is always important to recognize the distinction between what is normal and what is extraordinary, and that the extraordinary shouldn't be expected. It's why we should be highly skeptical of claims of visions, dreams, miracles, and apparitions; even in Scripture these things are extraordinary they happen rarely and far in between, and they always accompany a very important episode in the history of God's relationship and ongoing revelation of Himself to the world that has its fullness and final yes in Jesus Christ. The amazing works accomplished by the Apostles too were extraordinary works that signified that their work was from God and was part of the birthing of the Church--the ancient fathers on several accounts remark how as time went on there were fewer remarkable works such as these and seemed to understand that they were chiefly part of the apostolic age for that purpose. Not that miracles haven't continued, but again, we should be cautious and skeptical, wise as serpents and gentle as doves as it were.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[blackribbon]

blackribbon, that isn't even nearly the same thing. When Moses and Elijah appeared, it was because the Lord Jesus was being transfigured on the mountain! It wasn't dead relatives watching over Jesus, it was a very special event, and the Lord conversed with them (in the open and in plain sight). It also good to point out that the whole thing confused Peter and the others, and the Father spoke to them directly and told them to listen to Jesus. When the cloud left, Moses and Elijah were gone and they saw Jesus only.

To make a theology about hearing from our dead relatives from the transfiguration narrative seems to me to be twisting scripture. That isn't what it is about, and isn't any instruction to tell us we should expect to see our dead relatives and talk with them. The reason I said that belief can lead to demonic deception is because it plainly does. People hear from their dead relatives all the time, except that they tell them things which contradict the truth of Gods word. We know that lying spirits come from Satan, impersonating peoples dead relatives to deceive them because no lie is of the truth and he is a liar and the father of it.

Since there is no teaching in the bible to confirm it, and there is so much deception in the world surrounding it, I don't think Christians should put their faith in departed spirits coming and talking to them. There is just no way for them to tell where it is really coming from. Advising people to open themselves to that is what I feel could be dangerous. I won't rule it completely out but God hasn't taught people to expect that from Him. He has taught us rather to be extremely discerning about these things, because they can be so dangerous.

What does the transfiguration have to do with it? Did Moses and Elijah have something to do with the transfiguration or were they just there...the place where Jesus could be close enough to God to start to show the God part of his existence? I think that it kind of verifies my suspicion that there is a separation that we can't see through...but maybe they can come through in special occasions. Again the disciples thought they were real enough that they needed shelter. I think it is also fairly amazing that they seemed to know who they were without formal introductions and didn't question it in the least. No doubting Thomas'...they saw and believed what they saw...and weren't the least big disturbed by it.

If I have never experienced something...does that really mean it doesn't exist or someone else hasn't experienced it? There are a lot of things in life that there are no teachings in the Bible to confirm...but that doesn't mean they do or don't exist. I did not once say that someone should seek out to contact dead people but if it happens, I don't think it is fair to discredit their experiences as "evil" or "demonic" which is what the church does. Although it is not common, it isn't unBiblical to say that people have seen dead people... I think we are more likely to limit Christians by limiting God and not just teaching people to seek truth through study and prayer. Christians tend to embrace a very small god...and not the God who isn't limited by a human standards.

 

[Open Heart]

Hello. I was reading a Facebook story about a woman who almost died and claims to have seen her father with wings saying he was always with her and waiting for her when it was time. Immediately I thought of my poor dead mother with wings watching my sinful life. I know the verse about all tears being wiped away but that is after the end of the world... right? I am a baby Christian and am confused and mortified.

In the Book of Revelation, the saints pray for us. How could they pray for us if they weren't aware of what was happening here?

Sometimes in my dreams, I talk to my Dad, or sometimes I'll dream I'm in my room, and he just looks in the door to check in on me. It doesn't make me sad that he is watching my "sinful life." Rather I feel comforted knowing he loves me and is praying for me. The prayers of a righteous man availeth much.

 

[Open Heart]

blackribbon, that isn't even nearly the same thing. When Moses and Elijah appeared, it was because the Lord Jesus was being transfigured on the mountain! It wasn't dead relatives watching over Jesus, it was a very special event, and the Lord conversed with them (in the open and in plain sight).

You have to learn to filter out the irrelevant details and focus in on the significant ones. What is pertinent to THIS discussion is the fact that Christ had a discussion with two guys that were spirits. These human spirits came to minister unto him. It's a grander more dramatic version, but it's essentially the same thing that happens when we ask the saints to pray for us.

 

[dqhall]

The idea that a human being can exist as a disembodied spirit is not biblical but enters Christian thought from Greek philosophy, probably by way of Augustine.

The Jewish and early Christian concept of life after death is of a ressurection to life in the same manner as Christ Jesus who is the first fruit from among the dead.

In this respect it is not expected that anybody would be found fluttering around on the clouds at the present time at least.

The Greeks may have copied the ancient Egyptians as these Egyptians had priests who taught about life after death for the righteous who had not sinned. They packed tombs with the owner's possessions. Pyramids had a shaft whereby the soul or spirit of the dead person might ascend to the sky. They set aside trusts to pay priests to make food offerings to the god(s) who seemed to demand offerings in exchange for sustenance in the after life. The priests demanded offerings for their services. There were inscriptions in their tombs begging passers by to offer sacrifices for them. There were written curses against tomb robbers.

 

[Pamelav]

It would be wrong to say that EVERY apparition or visitation is ALWAYS demonic. It does happen legitimately sometimes (though not generally a random deceased relative). It is possible to be visited by an angel, the spirit of a very holy person, etc.

But ... your suggestion is actually a good one. We recognize in our Church that it can be possible for such things to happen, but we also recognize that the likelihood is much, much, much greater that it is a demon simply trying to confuse us. So we are always told two things, if the subject comes up. First, don't look for or expect such things to happen (looking for them can invite demonic deception). Secondly, if ever such a thing should happen, don't trust it but instead assume it is a demon. Better to refuse a holy angel in an effort to be faithful to God, than it would be to receive a demon thinking it is an angel and be deceived.

Why a demon would do such a thing? To deceive people, play with them, make fools of them, torment them, destroy their faith. Turn on the TV ... there are some shows about it. Those people are either deluding themselves or are being deceived by demons. Either one is bad.

And yes, demons are bent not only on destroying good in our lives, but on destroying US. They come to steal, to kill, to destroy. These are not simple pranksters but malevolent beings who hate us intensely, with powers we don't fully understand. But Christ is greater, the enemy is defeated, and we have no reason to fear. It is wise to guard against being deceived though.

I know, your all like, 'who the heck are you?'
Well, I so liked this answer because it was exactly what I was thinking, too ,that I just 'had" to have my voice heard in here regarding this.

 

[SkyWriting]

Is there a pain demon? Depression? Anxiety?

I guess Heroin would the the Angel for those problems.

 

[Incredible Transformation]

This is what I like about the pages by the Lutheran pastor to which I posted links earlier. Could God allow spirits of the dead to contact us to comfort is? Well we can't limit what God can do. However we have to be careful because demons can mascaraed as our departed loved ones. That's why we should never consult mediums. That's why we should never touch a Ouija board. But if a loved one appears to you in a dream, God might be allowing him or her to contact you to offer comfort.

Not sure if it was my dad or what, but it was strange for awhile. He used to come to me in dreams also. It was always the same dream. I know the Bible says absent from the body present with the Lord, but I'm not exactly sure if that happens immediately. I mean Saul had someone conjure up Samuel after he was dead, so the spirits of our loved ones aren't that for from us. I'm not sure about all of this because I can't see the spirit world, only what the Lord reveals. It will be a real eye opener when we die and leave this limited body.

 

[Archivist]

The idea that a human being can exist as a disembodied spirit is not biblical but enters Christian thought from Greek philosophy, probably by way of Augustine.

The Jewish and early Christian concept of life after death is of a ressurection to life in the same manner as Christ Jesus who is the first fruit from among the dead.

In this respect it is not expected that anybody would be found fluttering around on the clouds at the present time at least.

Notwithstanding this a "great cloud of witnesses" is referred to which has been interpreted to mean the dead that have gone before us watching the way things pan out for those of us who remain.

I tend to think that given the promise of a future ressurection of the dead, this would imply that the witnesses are in fact looking at our present time frame from some future, post ressurection time and not that they are in fact watching over us at the moment within a point of time simultaneous with us.

So as for many questions in scripture the answer is both yes and no. Yes your mother may well be able to see your life as it is now, and glorify Christ Jesus because of what He has done in it.

But No, I doubt that any human being is currently existing as a disembodied spirit and so in that respect she is in fact dead and awaiting ressurection to life.

But Scripture tells us that on two occassions--once when He was walking on the water and once following the resurrection--the disciples thought that Jesus was a ghost. That predates Augustine.

 

[dqhall]

Jesus taught: "In the resurrection they will neither marry, nor be given in marriage. They will be like angels in heaven (Mark 12)."

An image of a winged person has long been a symbol of an angelic messenger. In reality angels are spiritual given the gift to communicate with people. God may use various means to communicate with people including dreams.

In the mid 1980's, I had a dream in vivid color about a certain shirt hanging in a tree in front of my face, then I woke up with the image printed in my mind. I had been picking oranges for piecework wages in Florida that week and was quite poor. This harvest was in the winter. It was cold in the mornings and I had few clothes. Within two or three days I saw the exact shirt from the dream in a thrift store at a price I could easily afford. I thanked God for my thick chamois shirt that kept me warm as I entered an orange grove to harvest oranges about dawn. The thick sleeves of my shirt protected me from the small thorns of the orange trees. It was more evidence of God's salvation.

Years went by and I increased in wealth and worried I have too many clothes and bought things I did not need. When I was poorer, I was less likely to squander my money on vain purchases.

 

[blackribbon]

I found it truly sad that it is common teaching that somehow it is Biblical that they can't see us or even communicate with us on some limited basis because after my husband died I had several experiences that sent me digging in the Bible. I was taught that any contact would be demonic and that they COULDN'T come back. And yet, I had several experiences that couldn't be explained and the level of peace I felt during these times in spite of drowning in grief most of the time, was a kind of peace that can only be given my God. I talk to a lot of people who have had similar experiences but they won't tell anyone because our society will consider them crazy or worse, unChristian. From what I found in the Bible, I found that a lot of the "traditional" teachings are not back with Biblical references...even the verses that they use, don't say what they say they say.

 

[Deadworm]

Yes, your Mom may well be watching you at times. This possibility arises from biblical texts which imply communication between the dead and the living and even monitoring of the progress of the living by the dead. Quite apart from this biblical evidence, this possibility derives support from compelling modern testimonies, some of which I will share in my next planned post. Of course, Fundamentalists can only play the demon card to rationalize such evidence, but they wouldn't like it if a Buddhist played the demon card in explaining away Jesus' resurrection appearances!

1. In the OT where does a dead spirit communicate with the living?
In 1 Samuel 28:8-29, Saul communicates with the deceased prophet Samuel through the medium of Endor. 28:14 makes it clear that this really is the spirit of Samuel! So if Samuel can communicate through a medium, why can't our beloved dead communicate with us through NDEs and ADCs? True, the Bible condemns mediumship as the means for such communications, but it doesn't condemn the claim that the dead can take the initiative in contacting the living.

2. In what 2 Gospel stories do dead spirits return to appear to the living?
First, in Jesus' Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah appear to Peter, James, and John and discuss Jesus' future fate (Luke 9:28-36). If Moses' spirit can return from the dead to appear to the disciples, why can't our beloved dead manifest to us in NDEs and ADCs? Second, at the moment of Jesus' death, some of the saintly dead are resurrected and they appear to Jerusalem residents until after Jesus' resurrection (Matthew 27:52-53).

3. Which NT and Catholic OT texts portray the dead as monitoring the progress of the living, cheering them on, and offering them aid.
(a) At Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asks His disciples who people think He really is and they guess that Jesus is Jeremiah the prophet (Matthew 16:14). How can anyone imagine Jesus is really the long-dead Jeremiah? The answer can be found in a waking vision of Judas Maccabaeus, the great Jewish leader of the Maccabean revolt against the Syrian Greeks in 175-163 BC (see 2 Maccabees 15:11-16 in the Catholic OT). In his vision, Judas sees the murdered high priest, Onias, who is monitoring the course of the revolt and is therefore engaged in a ministry of intercessory prayer in support of the Jewish freedom fighters. Onias introduces the late prophet Jeremiah as another prayer intercessor who has also been monitoring military affairs in Israel: "Jeremiah stretched out his right hand and gave to Judas a golden sword and as he gave it, he addressed him thus: "Take this holy sword, a gift from God, with which you will strike down your adversaries (15:15-16).""

(b) "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1)."
Commentaries point out that this verse employs the poetic image of a great heavenly Coliseum in which distant spectators ("the cloud of witnesses") watch us compete in our athletic long races of endurance. Who exactly are these witnesses? The introductory "therefore" includes among them the OT heroes of faith discussed in chapter 11, who often suffered martyrdom, but this crowd likely includes all deceased saints. In Hebrews "witnesses" (Greek: "martyres") means "eyewitnesses." So the image is reminiscent of the vision of Onias the high priest and the prophet Jeremiah in 2 Maccabees 15:11-16, a text that serves as its background. The beloved dead saints monitor our difficult progress, cheer us on, and bring us aid. Consider this comment about the joy of "friends and neighbors" in the rescue of the lost sheep: "Just so, there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who need no repentance (Luke 15:7)." In my view, this includes the joy of deceased saints over earthly repentance that they are monitoring.

Orthodox Christians believe in and at times recite the Apostles' Creed. But do you really understand the affirmation, "I believe in the communion of saints?" This affirmation is based in part on the unity of Christ's body in 1 Corinthians 12, but it also includes the unity and interconnectedness of living and deceased saints, including especially the intercession of dead saints on the basis of the precedents established by 2 Maccabees 15 and Hebrews 12:1.

4. Where can we find an NDE and a possible OBE in Scripture?
As Stephen is about to be stoned to death, he has a sort of NDE vision of heaven, the glory of God, and Jesus (Acts 7:54-58) and Paul boasts of what seems to be an out of body experience in 2 Corinthians 12:1-8. Such experiences seem to be commonplace among the Corinthians.

These questions and answers lead to a more basic issue. At best the Bible provides an incomplete revelation, leaving many of our theological, spiritual, and ethical questions unanswered. So we do our best to cope with our unanswered questions by drawing often debatable inferences from biblical principles. To some extent, Jesus offers the coming Holy Spirit (= the Paraclete) as the solution: Jesus admits that His disciples need much more teaching than His earthly ministry has provided, but offers the consolation that the Holy Spirit will fill in this void and thus make us better off without His physical presence (John 16:8, 12-13). To what extent can post-biblical revelation and paranormal experiences fill in the gaps in our spiritual knowledge (e. g. NDEs, charismatic gifts of the Spirit, other paranormal revelations)?

 

[Deadworm]

(1) POPE ENDORSES EVP RESEARCH ON COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE
DEAD
On Sept. 27, 1952, 2 Italian priests, Fathers Ernetti and Gemelli (a medical doctor) were in the Experimental Physics Lab at the Catholic University of Milan, investigating ways of filtering the taped sound of Gregorian Chants in order to enhance their accoustic purity. Prior to the invention of magnetic tape, tape recorder wires often broke and required painstaking repair. Exasperated by such breakages, Father Gemelli, as was his habit, impulsively called on his deceased Dad for help. When he restarted the machine, he heard not the expected Gregorian Chant, but his deceased Dad's voice: "Of course, I'll help you! I am always with you."

Pope Pius XII interviewed the 2 priests about this deceased Dad's communication and exclaimed that the use of electronic devices to capture the voices of the dead might initiate "a new scientific study for confirming faith in the afterlife."
Source: David Fontana, "Is There an Afterlife: A Comprehensive Overview of the Evidence," p. 365

(2) I had just performed a wedding at my church in Buffalo, NY, and was now attending the reception at a country club. I happened to sit next to Phyllis, a rather aloof but attractive blonde doctor and medical researcher. She shared her 2 highly instructive NDEs with me. She had never believed in NDEs prior to her own experience. The first was triggered by a car accident. She found herself floating up to "a mall that really wasn't a mall. It was a mall composed of white light."

There she came upon a court area with several tables and a hidden orchestra playing beautiful music. Seated at one of the tables was her deceased mother. When Phyllis joined her, the Mom chided her, "You really need to grieve over my passing. Your inability to do so in hampering my progress over here!" This guilt trip made Phyllis very uncomfortable. She had always dealt with tragedy and disappointment by detaching from her emotions. Finally, she excused herself,"Well, I guess I'll try to get back into my body now."

A couple of years later, Phyllis was taken to the hospital for a serious operation. She didn't explicitly identify her illness, but she gave me the impression it was a woman's ailment like cervical cancer. Her illness triggered another NDE. She again found herself in the "mall of white light" at her mother's table in the court area. Her mother again lit into her," I told you your failure to grieve my passing is preventing my progress over here! Why haven't you done what I asked?"

The soothing orchestra music in the background actually grated on Phyllis's nerves. She hadn't expected this second confrontation. Upset, she again suggested that she should leave. But her mother retorted, "No, you're not ready to leave! You need to go with these 2 gentlemen." Two tall men in white robes appeared and led her to "an elevator that wasn't really an elevator. It was an elevator of white light." They ascended to what seemed like a spirit hospital. Some sort of "medical" procedure was performed on Dr. Phyllis, which she didn't understand. Then she was returned to her hospital bed in this world. The "medical" procedure had cured her and she was released from the hospital!

I never saw Phyllis again. Obviously, I was only dimly aware of the psychological baggage between her and her Mom. I have since often wondered if Phyllis was ever able to get in touch with her emotions and grieve her loss. Two intriguing inferences might be drawn from her NDEs: (1) After a loved one's death, our ongoing reactions or lack of same can affect our loved ones' progress on the other side. (2) Paranormal reports (e. g. in OBEs) of a mall-like meeting area and some sort of rehab center in Paradise just might be true.

(3) The quotation below is taken from "Lighted Passage (1950)," a book authored by Presbyterian minister, Howell Vincent, whose daughter Rae and her new husband Herbert were killed on their honeymoon in a car accident. The book mostly deals with his daughter Rae's life, and the ADC (After-Death Communicaton) recounted on p. 25 would hardly be expected from a Presbyterian minister. The ADC is reminiscent of the shared Resurrection appearances of Jesus in the Gospels. I recount only one of Rae's 2 ADCs:

"On at least two occasions this radiant mother (Nellie) had come to Rea in visible, tangible form and talked with her. In 1933, I was privileged to be present at one of these heavenly visits by Mother Nellie. Together with Rea, I talked with Nellie, fully recognizing her face and form and voice. I saw her place her hand on Rea's head in blessing, and I saw her give Rea a flower, a calendula, which we pressed and kept. At that time three other members of our family were present, including Rea's second mother, Agnes, and they all saw Nellie and talked with her, as Rea and I did. We were all wide awake and walked about the room with Nellie (p. 25)."

The book was mailed to me by an agnostic friend, Roger, who works for a large Federal government agency. Roger in turn received the book from a co-worker who is a relative of Rev. Howell Vincent. Though he remains an agnostic, Roger's skepticism was shaken to the core by this book.

Roger and I became friendly on another website and he is the only poster I have met personally. I drove up from Buffalo, NY, to Fort Erie, Ontario to spend an afternoon with him. He took me to a wooded area where, as an 8-year-old, he had an experience very similar to an ADC. He and his young friend were looking for pollywogs near woods, when a stranger approached them, wrapped his arm in a choke hold around Roger's neck, and began dragging him into the woods. Just then, a women in a red dress appeared out of nowhere nearby and asked, "Is there a problem here?" She spooked the man and he released his grip and ran to his truck. When Roger turned to thank the woman, she had vanished, apparently dematerializing It was a long walk from her convertible to Roger; so she didn't have time to span that distance and get in her car. Roger feels compelled to view this as a guardian angel sent to save his life. What frustrates me is that this experience and Howell Vincent's ADC seem insufficient to dislodge Roger from his agnosticism.

 

[Lill]

Hello. I was reading a Facebook story about a woman who almost died and claims to have seen her father with wings saying he was always with her and waiting for her when it was time. Immediately I thought of my poor dead mother with wings watching my sinful life. I know the verse about all tears being wiped away but that is after the end of the world... right? I am a baby Christian and am confused and mortified.

Hi there. I am an orphan. I have now lost both my parents who passed quite soon after the other and both born again Christians rooted in God . I know they are now safe with Jesus and in no more pain. I think this is a question goes through our minds when we have lost someone very close to us. Where are they?
It does say in the bible that on Jesus return He will raise those believers asleep first. Asleep meaning passed away. I also know that in heaven it will be nothing like we imagine. It will be all we need and we will be happy , content and praising God. To be honest, we don't know as no one has been there and come back, I think you wont be looking back. Your sight will be focused on Jesus. It will be amazing. Jesus is so amazing and brilliant. I don't think people in heaven will be able to look back either . They have no super natural powers like God . Only God can over look us and you can not hide anything to do with your life from him.
I have gone through all the grieving as anyone would. I have felt lost, alone, sad and missing the parents in my life but I know they are safe. I trust Jesus. Jesus is in control .
We don't know for sure but I feel only angels have wings. There are different types of angels.
We will be given a new body though . We don't need this old body we have which is only for living on Earth. This body ... outer case, we leave behind.
Also we don't need to worry as everything to do with God is good. The Holy Spirit does the teaching, convication. He does the will of Jesus. Jesus is the one who judges. Is better to focus on him and place him by obeying him and worshiping him because you know what he has done for you and his love for you and that he will never leave you even though we walk through the shadow of death , he will still be by our side. Reach out his hand, go on an adventure with him. Learn to step out onto the water with your eyes fixed on Him. Great things await us on heaven.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Hi there. I am an orphan. I have now lost both my parents who passed quite soon after the other and both born again Christians rooted in God . I know they are now safe with Jesus and in no more pain. I think this is a question goes through our minds when we have lost someone very close to us. Where are they?
It does say in the bible that on Jesus return He will raise those believers asleep first. Asleep meaning passed away. I also know that in heaven it will be nothing like we imagine. It will be all we need and we will be happy , content and praising God. To be honest, we don't know as no one has been there and come back, I think you wont be looking back. Your sight will be focused on Jesus. It will be amazing. Jesus is so amazing and brilliant. I don't think people in heaven will be able to look back either . They have no super natural powers like God . Only God can over look us and you can not hide anything to do with your life from him.
I have gone through all the grieving as anyone would. I have felt lost, alone, sad and missing the parents in my life but I know they are safe. I trust Jesus. Jesus is in control .
We don't know for sure but I feel only angels have wings. There are different types of angels.
We will be given a new body though . We don't need this old body we have which is only for living on Earth. This body ... outer case, we leave behind.
Also we don't need to worry as everything to do with God is good. The Holy Spirit does the teaching, convication. He does the will of Jesus. Jesus is the one who judges. Is better to focus on him and place him by obeying him and worshiping him because you know what he has done for you and his love for you and that he will never leave you even though we walk through the shadow of death , he will still be by our side. Reach out his hand, go on an adventure with him. Learn to step out onto the water with your eyes fixed on Him. Great things await us on heaven.

Hello Lill, and welcome to CF!

I just wanted to greet you and say that it is very kind of you to want to offer reassurance and encouragement to the OP. I pray that you are blessed by being here at CF. Please let us know if we can help you in finding your way around or if you have any questions.

Again, welcome, and God be with you!