And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

39
Death and near death and near death experience experience Chong Ho Yu

Transcript of And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Page 1: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Deathand near death and near death

experienceexperienceChong Ho Yu

Page 2: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Bering’s view of afterlife

Opposed to the “comfort hypothesis”: people have religions because we want to reduce death anxiety.

The concpet of afterlife is a natural tendency.

Page 3: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Bering’s studies

Children’s play with puppet rats and alligators. Student favorable ratings for the dead. Content analysis of obituaries Students tend not to cheat when they heard

ghost stories.

Page 4: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

In the Chinese culture the topic of “death” is a taboo. There are many alternate words for “death.”

You should never mention the word “death” in front of old people.

There is a Chinese “ghost” festival as a memorial for the dead, but the atmosphere is sad and terrifying. There is nothing like “the Day of the Dead.” No one will make fun of death.

Page 5: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Day of the Dead

Unlike the Chinese culture that regards death as a taboo, Mexicans celebrate the Day of the Dead by focusing on remembering the positive sides of their deceased family members and friends. The decorations are colorful and even humorous.

Page 6: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Day of the Dead

The origin of the Day of the Dead can be traced back to the Aztec tribe. At first it was banned the Spanish Catholic Church Later this tradition was merged with the Catholic All-Saints Day.

Page 7: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Some beautiful women painted half of their face or their whole face like a "sugar skull". No matter how gorgeous these girls are, someday they would turn into corpses.

This reminds me that all of us are nothing but a living dead. As Existentialism states, death is the absolute threat that forces us to acknowledge the limit of our existence.

Page 8: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Sugar skulls, as the name implies, are skull-shaped sugar. The tradition of making skull-like sugar started from the 17th century. At that time Mexicans pressed sugar into sugar skulls to represent their family members or friends who passed away.

Page 9: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Forest Lawn Cemetery

Page 10: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Forest Lawn Cemetery

Page 11: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Forest Lawn Cemetery

Page 12: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Forest Lawn Cemetery

Page 13: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Forest Lawn Cemetery Consider this scenario: A Chinese friend visits

you and you invite him to visit some museums and art galleries. He is very excited and asks, “Where shall we go?” You reply, “Forest Lawn!” Could you imagine his reaction?

Page 14: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Assignment

Choose a non-Western culture or religion (not China) and discuss how their religious beliefs influence their attitude towards death and vice versa.

Page 15: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Near Death Experience (NDE)

One explanation of religion: Fear of death

Paul Tillich: existential threat of non-being

Is it possible that “after-life” results from a wishful-thinking?

Page 16: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.
Page 17: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Is there life after death?Is there life after death?

Colton is the son of a Colton is the son of a part-time pastor and a part-time pastor and a businessman in businessman in Nebraska who owns a Nebraska who owns a garage door company.garage door company.

Before Colton was very Before Colton was very sick, his father was also sick, his father was also ill and the family go into ill and the family go into financial problems.financial problems.

Page 18: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Is there life after death?Is there life after death?

During emergency During emergency surgery Colton slips surgery Colton slips from consciousness. He from consciousness. He survives and begins survives and begins talking about being able talking about being able to look down and see the to look down and see the doctor operating and his doctor operating and his dad praying in the dad praying in the waiting room. waiting room.

Page 19: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Is there life after death?Is there life after death?

When his father helped When his father helped him to re-collect what him to re-collect what Colton experienced in Colton experienced in Heaven, his father tried Heaven, his father tried NOT to ask any leading NOT to ask any leading questions. questions.

Rather, he let Colton use Rather, he let Colton use his own words.his own words.

Page 20: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Is there life after death?Is there life after death?

Colton said he met his miscarried Colton said he met his miscarried sister, whom no one had told him sister, whom no one had told him about, about,

He talked about his great He talked about his great grandfather who died 30 years grandfather who died 30 years before Colton was born, then before Colton was born, then shared impossible-to-know shared impossible-to-know details about each. details about each.

He could recognize his great He could recognize his great grandfather from an old photo.grandfather from an old photo.

Page 21: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Is there life after death?Is there life after death?

Another child did many Another child did many drawings and paintings drawings and paintings about what he saw in heaven about what he saw in heaven and Jesus.and Jesus.

Colton said that all the Colton said that all the portraits of Jesus in church portraits of Jesus in church does not resemble Jesus, does not resemble Jesus, except the one drawn by except the one drawn by another child.another child.

Page 22: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Near death experienceNear death experience

NEDNED Coined by Dr. Raymond Coined by Dr. Raymond

Moody in 1975Moody in 1975 NDE is estimated to occur to a NDE is estimated to occur to a

third of people who come close third of people who come close to death.to death.

Page 23: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Near death experienceNear death experience feelings of peace hearing unusual noises seeing a dark tunnel being out of the body meeting spiritual beings encountering a bright light or “being

of light,” panoramic life review a realm where all knowledge exists coming back into the body

Page 24: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Andrew Newberg

Page 25: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Andrew Newberg

“Some hallucinogenic drugs produce experiences that have many characteristics of near-death experiences. However, NED also appear to have some other elements that are not typically found with drug states—such as the life review or the notion that it is time to go back. Furthermore, most NEDs result in powerful consequences for the individual in terms of how he or she thinks about death and life, which are not common with drug-induced states.”

Page 26: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Andrew Newberg

Page 27: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Near death experienceNear death experience

Bruce Greyson is the Chester F. Carlson Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Division of Perceptual Studies at the University of Virginia Health System

Children’s NDEs are similar to those of adults, but usually they didn’t have a life review or meetings with dead friends and relatives.

Colton is an exception.

Page 28: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Arguments against NDEArguments against NDE

No variables, such as age, gender, race, or history of mental illness, could predict NDE.

Popular explanation: Oxygen deprivation, fatigue

Oxygen deprivation usually leads to frightening hallucinations, but NDE is peaceful and joyful.

Michael Shermer saw “aliens” in a bike marathon

Military trainees saw a sea monster due to lack of sleep

Page 29: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Arguments against NDEArguments against NDE

Drug effects? UCLA psychologist Dr. Ronald Siegel

claimed that he could reproduce NDEs by giving LSD to participants. But drug induced hallucinations often result in fearful and paranoid experiences

Although some drugs may create quasi-NDE experiments, prior studies show that patients who receive drugs report fewer NDEs than do patients who receive no drug.

Page 30: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

From Skeptic to BelieverFrom Skeptic to Believer

At first Sabom approached the study of NDEs as a skeptic, expecting to find that NDE results from misfirings of a dying brain

Sabom studied 116 NDEs and found that NDEs produced a stronger faith and a higher level of commitment to religion.

These powerful spiritual experiences was consistent with divine revelation.

Page 31: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

After NDEAfter NDE

Those who experienced an NDE due to a suicide attempt rarely attempted kill themselves again.

They obtained a sense of purpose and appreciation for life.

Page 32: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

After NDEAfter NDE

ego-centric to other-centered consciousness

tendency to love unconditionally and increased empathy

decreased interest in status symbols and materialistic lifestyles

reduced fear of death deepened spiritual consciousness believe that everything happens for a

reason.

Page 33: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.
Page 34: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Jeffrey Long Only 20% experienced NDEs. Why? Long: For spiritual growth Some people saw Jesus and knew it

i.e. The person didn’t say “I am Jesus”

Contrary to the popular image: the wounds are on the wrist, not the palm

A cross-cultural and trans-religious phenomenon: NDE study didn’t invalidate any religion

Page 35: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Nine pieces of evidence claimed by Jeffrey Long

1. Crystal clear consciousness Cardiac arrest EG Flat in 10-20 seconds No blood bumped to the brain

2. Realistic Out of Body experience (OED) Sabbom and Sartori’s study: 92% OBE without

any apparent inaccuracy Long’s NEDRF study: 97.6%

Page 36: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Nine pieces of evidence claimed by Jeffrey Long

Visual NDE (totally blind from birth) NDEs during general aesthesia Life review

No external judge Reviewed forgotten memories and validated later

Family reunion 96% are dead relatives Surprise encounter of relatives that they never met

and late validated

Page 37: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Nine pieces of evidence claimed by Jeffrey Long

Children NDE Long’s study: 26 young kids, aged 5 or less

Worldwide consistency Transform life

Page 38: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Arguments against NDEArguments against NDE Studies found no relationships between

religious beliefs and NDE. Non-religious people, including atheists,

were just as likely to have NDE. Contradiction with some Christian

doctrine: Some theologians assert that the concept of heaven did not exist in OT. Believers will “sleep” after death and consciousness stops; they will resurrect at the second coming of Christ.

Page 39: And near death experience Death and near death experience Chong Ho Yu.

Wishful thinking? Why did most people go to

Heaven, but very few one went to Hell? Harris Poll: 79% respondents believed they would go to heaven, only 2% thought they would go to Hell.

Many NDE research were done by Westerners. Colton and others who experienced NDE talked about seeing Jesus. Did Muslims meet Allah and Buddhists meet Buddha?