In my last article I wrote about one of my favourite topics, Near Death Experiences, or NDEs. HereSA国际影视传媒檚 a quick recap:

Years ago I found a book with the odd title Life After Life. It was written by Raymond Moody, M.D. The book was based on interviews with patients who had a heart attack, or had some other emergency, and died. But then the medical team brought them back to life. These patients reported some amazing stories when they were supposed to be out cold, completely unconscious. Dr. Moody was the first to call these reports SA国际影视传媒楴ear Death ExperiencesSA国际影视传媒�.

The experiencers (letSA国际影视传媒檚 call them NDEers) reported floating outside their bodies. From up above, they saw the doctors and nurses desperately trying to revive them and bring them back to life. They then went through some kind of SA国际影视传媒榯unnelSA国际影视传媒� and met their deceased relatives on the other side. Many also reported seeing a SA国际影视传媒渂eing of LightSA国际影视传媒� that was indescribably beautiful, all-loving, and very comforting.

They felt no fear. The peace they felt was beyond description. Some reported seeing their whole life flash before them.

Dr. Moody noticed something amazing about these stories: they all sounded the same. And they did not seem to be hallucinations.

The NDEers were from many different backgrounds and different cultures. They were male and female, black and white, Asian and Hispanic, young and old, rich and poor. Some were religious but others werenSA国际影视传媒檛. They said they will SA国际影视传媒渘ever fear death again.SA国际影视传媒� Using slightly different words, they all seemed to be telling the same story about being at deathSA国际影视传媒檚 door. Some called the Light an angel, and others said the Light was probably God. One NDEer asked the Light if it was God and the Light replied it was the SA国际影视传媒渂reath of God.SA国际影视传媒�

I was raised Catholic. As a child, God was very frightening. He was out to punish me. As a teenager, I thought for sure I was going to hell. Most of my friends were also going to hell. We drank, partied, and got high. Life was all about drugs, sex, and rock SA国际影视传媒榥 roll. I soon threw God out the window and I left the church.

I became an addict. Years later I went into recovery. I attended many 12-step meetings like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. In those programs, members were encouraged to believe in the SA国际影视传媒淕od of their understanding.SA国际影视传媒� They called God their SA国际影视传媒渉igher power.SA国际影视传媒� I had some difficulty because of the negative picture I had of God from my childhood. I had to get a new God. I began a long search through many different religions, beliefs, and traditions. I was looking for my higher power. I needed a God like the one in the NDEs who was more positive, more loving, and non-judgemental.

But today, God is hard to find. He (or she) seems to be hiding somewhere. In modern times, many people have become so materialistic we doubt if a God even exists. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 little room for a Creator in a shopping mall, or the big city with all the noise and traffic.

My grandmother was Algonquin. The Algonquin people call God, SA国际影视传媒淕itchee Manitou.SA国际影视传媒� The Native world was filled with powerful, supernatural spirits. Gitchee Manitou was the SA国际影视传媒楪reat SpiritSA国际影视传媒�. There was mystery and everything meant something. God had other names in other religions. All cultures point to some kind of higher power, or Creator. Why is that?

When I read Life After Life, a lightbulb went on in my head. The being of Light encountered by NDEers was very different. Maybe God is not all about anger, sin, punishment, and hell. In the words of one NDEer, SA国际影视传媒淚 felt unconditional love. I never felt love like that beforeSA国际影视传媒� feelings of peace, tranquility, and safetySA国际影视传媒� no one asked what religion I was, or if I believed in God. The love was truly unconditional.SA国际影视传媒� Could that all-loving, being of Light really be God? I was taught you had to believe the right things and belong to the right church or God would cast you out.

The Light in NDEs didnSA国际影视传媒檛 cast anyone out. My views started to change. My image of God started to heal. As I learned about a healthier, more positive God, I started to heal emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I also learnt that the Creator was not just in church but also in nature, in the wind, trees, rivers and the many creatures living on the land. As I learned all this, my addiction lost its grip on me. I also started to lose interest in partying. DonSA国际影视传媒檛 get me wrong SA国际影视传媒� I believe in celebrating life. But I no longer had to get totally wasted to laugh and have fun.

But if God is so loving and non-judgemental, what about right and wrong? Certainly, there must be good and evil? IsnSA国际影视传媒檛 God a God of justice? DoesnSA国际影视传媒檛 he reward us if we do good? What happens if people go around hurting others? ShouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 they get punished? Do NDEs offer any answers to these questions? We will explore the question of judgement in my next article about NDEs.