6 replies to this topic

[Cold Steel]

After watching some of the people interviewed for the Bio Channel's new series on after death experiences, I wondered what the views of the people here might be. Are they just the last physiological gasps of the brain sparking before everything goes dead? Or the result of medications or the lack of oxygen?

Specifically, for those of you who have read it, what is your opinion of Lance Richardson's book, The Message?

I've met a number of people who knew Richardson personally and they all spoke highly, not only of him, but his whole family, particularly his dad.

In a number of accounts, including Richardson's, people were able to tell what people were doing sometimes miles away at a certain point. In Lance's case, he saw his father leaving somewhere and his guide whispered a reminder into his ear to go bless Lance. He saw his father visibly react to it, and though he later recalled vividly having that thought (at the same time and place), his father didn't recall hearing anyone whisper the suggestion into his ear. In another account, a woman saw her mother in the waiting room of the hospital get up and go for "a smoke." Although her mother had given up smoking, what really surprised her was when her grandmother who, to her mind had NEVER smoked, got up and said, "I'll join you!" This was later confirmed by everyone in the waiting room, but was, of course, too far away to have heard or witnessed.

Lance had his experiences beginning on Christmas 1999. He was allowed to return and write his account, which he did. Interestingly, he died for good in 2006 -- five years later. My brother had the chance to meet him on two occasions, and he said he was strongly impressed that Lance was telling the truth. On Amazon.com, the book was sharply criticized by some for its Mormon teachings, like premortality, men-as-angels, temples and LDS prophets in heaven rather than...well...the other place.

Speaking of the "other place," many of these stories recount stories of people visiting those who are still alive and living, but they are missing any accounts of evil spirits. I've always felt that they exist in a still different dimension than the righteous spirits who are ministering to the living. One of the early leaders said if we could see the evil spirits that were invisible to our eyes, that we would be alarmed by the number. I would think that good and evil spirits would have to operate in different dimensions, but no leader of the church has addressed that issue.

What are your views?



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Edited by Cold Steel, 20 December 2010 - 10:02 PM.

[sunstoned]

Thanks for the post and the link. It sounds like a interesting book.  I have made a note to myself to order it tomorrow.

[Duncan]

I never want to have a near death experience to find out but in the realm of speculation I think there is something to it, what specifically I don't know, but something! I recall reading the book God:the Evidence a book written by a former atheist IIRC and he deals with NDE's.

[Rebecca]

I have read Lance Richardson's book more than once and given it to others on a few occasions. I have also read several others and find them fascinating. After loosing both parents, I found great comfort in reading these experiences. I also have read" 90 minutes in Heaven" and wished he shared more of the heavenly experience instead of the endless pain and struggle he endured after he returned. I find I am "ALMOST" excited by what we have to look forward to.

There are so many similarities in these peoples' stories that are hard to explain away. One thing is sure...we'll all know someday. I tend to believe these people sharing their experience.
If anyone enjoys reading about this topic, googling NDE will bring up a host of stories.
In my opinion Duane Crowther's "Life Everlasting" is the grandaddy of all books on this subject. It has many fascinating accounts and delves into the doctrine, scriptures and talks by GA's.

[Smith]

Cold Steel, on 20 December 2010 - 09:58 PM, said:

What are your views?

My views are that these are genuine. Speaking of the phenomena as I haven't read this particular book, yet. But I have read other books such as "I saw Heaven" by Lawrence E Tooley, and "Life everlasting" by Duane S Crowther. I also bought a talk CD by Brent L Top at Deseret Book a couple of weeks ago titled "Whats on the other side" which I have listened to. These all talk about the same thing (NDEs)and give very similar accounts of what happens when one passes through the veil.

From bro. Top's talk I get the understanding that the spirit world is one place and that those who in "Prison" are much more limited in what they can do and where they can go than those who aren't. In his talk he uses scripture, quotes from modern prophets and tells of other accounts of NDEs. I found it extremely interesting and I have no doubt that the kinds of things spoken about are what we can expect when we check out one day.

[Cold Steel]

I've heard many good stories, and Richardson's story is by far the best of the lot. Of course, any time an LDS person testifies to seeing or hearing of an LDS prophet or authority in the spirit realm of paradise, you get snickers from critics. (They think Joseph Smith and others are going to hell, pure and simple.) But one thing Richardson marveled at was that he saw a temple -- a place where Jesus appeared and gave instruction, just as he will do at Jerusalem and New Jerusalem. Naturally, it makes sense that until Jesus (Jehovah) gathers all things in one and purified all things, redeems all things and so forth, and presents them to the Father, then the Father must necessarily place a barrier between Himself and the Earth.

Since God cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance, then the Father must let the Son act as the Advocate between Him and Mankind. And for that, a temple would be needed. At least one, maybe many.

One thing many people report on is that the spirit world is every bit as immense as our world is to us (perhaps more so). Thus, trying to find someone would be almost impossible unless one knew where to look. There's a great J. Golden Kimball story about how so many people used to ask J. Golden to look up people for them one he passed on that he one day cracked and told a supplicant that heaven was not a static place, but a busy place -- and that there would be a whole lot going on in the spirit world, and that frankly he wouldn't have time running all over hell looking for the person's uncle (or grandfather, or father, etc.)! It was probably closer to the truth than many people thought!

If the keys of the kingdom are held both in this life and the next, there's a beautiful order built in. No one can come from that domain and do an end run around those in authority here, or vice versa. Joseph Smith has the keys of this dispensation on that side of the veil, but Noah, Moses and others who have passed also have the keys for their own dispensations, and the people who lived therein.

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[Kevin Christensen]

Stimulated by a reading of Moody's The Light Beyond, I went on a binge of reading NDE books several years ago, and even attended the IANDS conference in Salt Lake City in 1999.  A few hundred people, more than half of whom had experiences.  Very interesting.  I wrote presented at a Sunstone and wrote up "Nigh Unto Death: NDE Research and the Book of Mormon" that got into JBMS 2/1.  

http://maxwellinstit...l=2&num=1&id=16

More recently, I did a shorter version for the Meridian, including a mention of Brigham Young's winter quarters NDE. Alas, the link is broken.  But if you look at the Spirit World chapter of the Brigham Young manual, for starters, you get the gist.  Notice that, like Alma, he is teaching from experience, not passing along a tradition.

My favorite NDE book remains Carol Zaleski's Otherworld Journeys, which attempts a cross cultural view by comparing Medieval and Modern accounts.

Kevin Christensen
Pittsburgh, PA