Why do some people "find God" with a near death experiance, and other go the opposite direction?

Question

I alway hear about "I almost died and I called to God and he saved me"
Yeah well I had a near death and he didn't say a damn thing to me. This confirmed my belief that Christianity just wasn't for me. So why is it when someone tries to "prove" the whole there are no atheist in foxholes theory they use thier near death as proof? Not everyone "finds god" near death. Plently of us realize he's just not there at worst and not listening at best.

Blessed do NOT presume to know what happened. Do NOT make yourself holier then thou by saying I wasn't sincere enough. Because if THAT wasn't sincere I don't know what would have been.

And I answered. I WAS sincere. He didn't answer, he didn't come. I am not meant for him and I know that.

For the record guys, I AM a theist. I'm just not Christian.

Answer 1

Like a lot of religious questions, I think it boils down to experience. Some people experience something that solidifies their faith, while others experience something that runs counter to their faith.

Answer 2

AH...the infamous NDE (Near Death Experience). As someone that is as emersed in the paranormal as I am it is an odd dichotomy that I discount the nature of the NDE. The effects that people have experienced during an NDE are IDENTICAL to the effects described by mystics and shaman's the world over during trance and latered states of consciousness. The NDE is an altered state of consciousness induced by physical and psychological stress and trauma of the body and brain asociated with oxygen deprivation. Essentially they are trance journeys, albeit spontaneous rather than planned.

NOW, I said that to say this...such journeys are often undertaken willfully as a quest for knowledge, power or to find a spirit guide or teacher. This is something that is so universal in concept that I firmly believe that it is hard-wired into our sub-conscious. That being said, since most of the people that have had those sorts of experiences spontaneously have never had any sort of mental disciplinary training in working in a trance state, what little part of their conscious mind IS able to function (and no matter HOW deeply unconscious a person is there is SOME part of the conscious mind at work, even if it is just background thought proceses) they react by seeking something familiar. Some find God because that is what they need to find. Other's do not because God is NOT what they need to find at that moment. Those spirit journeys are realy journeys inside the self, an effort to re-connect with some deep rrooted part of the sub-conscious that has access to the knowledge or information we seek, or that we can externalize at a guide, teacher etc.

As an aside, astronaughts in training, in that centrifuge simulator have the same experiences and those if an NDE, and are not even close to death, it is just the speed and physical stress of the situation that causes it.

People often find what they NEED..not necessarily what they WANT from these experiences as they are, despite the similarities, all individual and have deep personal significance.

Another reason that people try to use NDE's as proof of God is because so many have brought back stories of "seeing" heaven, "hearing voices" and even having encounters with loved ones, things exactly as they EXPECT heaven to be.

That is, at least, my take on the subject...take it as you will.

Answer 3

A near death experience only connects you to the spiritual realm, You also connect to the spiritual realm to a lesser degree in your sleep. God is the universal spirit that hold the universe together as one to a workable degree, and individual spirits to various degrees. God represents the energy of creativity and harmony. Even in the spiritual realm, you can still be just as removed from God as you are in this realm, and especially removed from a God, if you are looking for an inaccurate image that was created by a traditional religion. God is never easy to connect to or understand.

Answer 4

When you had a near death did you sincerely call out to God? If you answered no, then you will understand why they found Him and you didn't.

EDIT: I asked you if you were sincere. This is a question for YOU to answer. I wasn't presuming anything. My point is that those who call out to the Lord will find him. I've seen it many times but only when they are ready.

Answer 5

Near death experience is a condition of mental state.This condition of thoughtless state can be achieved during trance or by deep meditation and nothing to do with God coming down and saving someone, which is only a preached human belief.

Answer 6

I had a patient once that was agnostic (I am a hospice nurse, all my patients are terminal). I wondered about the "no atheist in foxhole theory" and whether he would convert as he came closer to death. He didn't convert, and he died very peacefully.

In fact, it seems to me that the most emotionally charged and therefore less peaceful deaths are the christians.

Answer 7

you can never really know whether what you experienced is real, or whether not having experienced something means you were there alone. 'no atheists in foxholes' is a smug way of dissing other people's beliefs, in my opinion. death experiences shouldn't be treated so blithely. i bet your gods were there, tho, hanging back and waiting for you.

Answer 8

i find the whole death experience to be a similar experience to some drugs,.......when the brain becomes deprived of oxygen in some areas and still supplies with oxygen in other areas, people hallucinate....death is nothing more than the body failing to supply the brain with oxygen, when this happens,,,,,,,tada hallucinations

Answer 9

i replaced into out interior the sea as quickly as and that they sent the Coast shield to get us because of the fact we could not get returned in to shore on our own. i think that is considered a "close to dying" journey nonetheless i in my view did not experience close to dying on the time.

Answer 10

Facing death and calling on the Christian god, the one I was raised with, never crossed my mind and no bright light brought me "his" word to my ears either.

When facing very dangerous surgery, I had a Valknot tattooed on my breast and rededicated myself to my patron deities: Odin and Freya (cat paw print).