Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J. Lesson Two Part 3
Happiness, Suffering and the Love of God Human Transcendence and the Soul Near Death Experiences By Claude LeBlanc, M.A., Magis Center, 2017
Opening Prayer Lord Jesus, when we are honest with ourselves, we know that we have a deep longing to know you, and that it is you who gave us this desire. May we never stop seeking you as long as we live. Amen.
Take It Home Review: Small Group Sharing Share your responses to, What can we learn from Near Death Experiences?
Supplemental Video 1: Dr. Eben Alexander My Journey to the Afterlife Watch at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmo92n-4xbg
Happiness, Suffering and the Love of God So much of what I saw on my journey showed me how primitive our science is. It will never be able to weigh in, one way or the other, on the existence of that divine, creative being. (From: Dr. Eben Alexander My Journey to the Afterlife )
Video Reflection: Large Class Sharing Dr. Eben Alexander s near-death experience took place during a verified clinical-death. With this in mind, what do you think of his testimony in the My Journey to the Afterlife video?
Watch Video Episode Two: Human Transcendence and the Soul, Part 2: You are Made for Transcendence (starting at 19:14), taking notes on the handout: Video Comprehension Questions.
Video Comprehension 1. What better kind of evidence, than that from anecdotal sources, exists to verify near-death experiences (NDEs)?
Video Comprehension 1. What better kind of evidence, than that from anecdotal sources, exists to verify near-death experiences (NDEs)? Evidence in major medical journals from peer-reviewed, large, longitudinal studies involving control groups.
2. Which particular NDE studies were mentioned?
2. Which particular NDE studies were mentioned? a. Dr. Pim van Lommel s longitudinal studies.
2. Which particular NDE studies were mentioned? a. Dr. Pim van Lommel s longitudinal studies. b. Dr. Kenneth Ring s studies with persons born blind.
2. Which particular NDE studies were mentioned? a. Dr. Pim van Lommel s longitudinal studies. b. Dr. Kenneth Ring s studies with persons born blind. c. Dr. Melvin Morse s studies of the death-anxiety response of children.
2. Which particular NDE studies were mentioned? a. Dr. Pim van Lommel s longitudinal studies. b. Dr. Kenneth Ring s studies with persons born blind. c. Dr. Melvin Morse s studies of the death-anxiety response of children. d. Dr. Janice Holden s review of 37 studies.
3. What is a NDE?
3. What is a NDE? Due to a lack of oxygen, a person s heart stops and the brain shuts down.
3. What is a NDE? Due to a lack of oxygen, a person s heart stops and the brain shuts down. During the process, a person s soul and consciousness leaves the body. Often, they can look down and see their body, completely aware of what is going on.
3. What is a NDE? Due to a lack of oxygen, a person s heart stops and the brain shuts down. During the process, a person s soul and consciousness leaves the body. Often, they can look down and see their body, completely aware of what is going on. Eventually, they go to another domain, usually to a white light that feels very loving, or with Jesus, or deceased relatives. There is evidence of that domain that they can bring back with them.
3. What is a NDE? Due to a lack of oxygen, a person s heart stops and the brain shuts down. During the process, a person s soul and consciousness leaves the body. Often, they can look down and see their body, completely aware of what is going on. Eventually, they go to another domain, usually to a white light that feels very loving, or with Jesus, or deceased relatives. There is evidence of that domain that they can bring back with them. Then, they are called back into their bodies and continue living. (continued)
3. What is a NDE? (continued) During this experience, the soul: a. Has an awareness of itself; it knows who it is, and has its memories intact.
3. What is a NDE? (continued) During this experience, the soul: a. Has an awareness of itself; it knows who it is, and has its memories intact. b. Can see and hear (Mind-seeing and mind-hearing).
3. What is a NDE? (continued) During this experience, the soul: a. Has an awareness of itself; it knows who it is, and has its memories intact. b. Can see and hear (Mind-seeing and mind-hearing). c. Has a sense of all the other intuitions it had before (like the five transcendentals).
3. What is a NDE? (continued) During this experience, the soul: a. Has an awareness of itself; it knows who it is, and has its memories intact. b. Can see and hear (Mind-seeing and mind-hearing). c. Has a sense of all the other intuitions it had before (like the five transcendentals). d. Knows when it experiences the Perfect Being.
4. What is clinical-death?
4. What is clinical-death? Clinical death occurs when there is: a) no electrical activity in the brain (as measured by an EEG),
4. What is clinical-death? Clinical death occurs when there is: a) no electrical activity in the brain (as measured by an EEG), b) the pupils are fixed and dilated, and
4. What is clinical-death? Clinical death occurs when there is: a) no electrical activity in the brain (as measured by an EEG), b) the pupils are fixed and dilated, and c) there is no gag reflex.
5. What is veridical evidence?
5. What is veridical evidence? Unique things that are reported accurately and are independently verified.
5. What is veridical evidence? Unique things that are reported accurately and are independently verified. 6. What veridical evidence of things seen or heard during NDEs were mentioned in the video?
5. What is veridical evidence? Unique things that are reported accurately and are independently verified. 6. What veridical evidence of things seen or heard during NDEs were mentioned in the video? One person knew where his missing dentures were because he had seen them fall. Other persons reported conversations they heard outside of the operating room, what people were wearing in other parts of the hospital, etc. These were all later verified.
7. What is important about Dr. Janice Holden s research?
7. What is important about Dr. Janice Holden s research? It was very extensive; combining the data from 37 different NDE studies.
7. What is important about Dr. Janice Holden s research? It was very extensive; combining the data from 37 different NDE studies. 8. What did she discover about the data from these studies?
7. What is important about Dr. Janice Holden s research? It was very extensive; combining the data from 37 different NDE studies. 8. What did she discover about the data from these studies? 55% of the cases were not veridical enough, and 8% were reported inaccurately so were rejected. She only used the 37% that were veridical and accurately reported.
9. What conclusions did Dr. Holden reach from the data from the veridical and accurately reported NDE cases?
9. What conclusions did Dr. Holden reach from the data from the veridical and accurately reported NDE cases? There is overwhelming evidence that after clinicaldeath, people are conscious, seeing, hearing, have active memories, and are able to report what happened during their NDEs.
10. According to the studies of Dr. Kenneth Ring, what percentage of blind persons, most blind from birth, can see during clinical-death?
10. According to the studies of Dr. Kenneth Ring, what percentage of blind persons, most blind from birth, can see during clinical-death? 80%
10. According to the studies of Dr. Kenneth Ring, what percentage of blind persons, most blind from birth, can see during clinical-death? 80% 11. What does Dr. Pim van Lommel say about this evidence?
10. According to the studies of Dr. Kenneth Ring, what percentage of blind persons, most blind from birth, can see during clinical-death? 80% 11. What does Dr. Pim van Lommel say about this evidence? They have souls, and their souls are not blind?
12. What did Dr. Melvin Morse conclude from his studies of children declared clinically-dead, resuscitated, but did not report having a NDE?
12. What did Dr. Melvin Morse conclude from his studies of children declared clinically-dead, resuscitated, but did not report having a NDE? They had a higher death-anxiety.
12. What did Dr. Melvin Morse conclude from his studies of children declared clinically-dead, resuscitated, but did not report having a NDE? They had a higher death-anxiety. 13. What did he discover about the children who were declared clinically-dead and resuscitated, but DID report having a NDE?
12. What did Dr. Melvin Morse conclude from his studies of children declared clinically-dead, resuscitated, but did not report having a NDE? They had a higher death-anxiety. 13. What did he discover about the children who were declared clinically-dead and resuscitated, but DID report having a NDE? They had a much lower death-anxiety.
12. What did Dr. Melvin Morse conclude from his studies of children declared clinically-dead, resuscitated, but did not report having a NDE? They had a higher death-anxiety. 13. What did he discover about the children who were declared clinically-dead and resuscitated, but DID report having a NDE? They had a much lower death-anxiety. 14. How did Morse determine if this effect was long-lasting?
12. What did Dr. Melvin Morse conclude from his studies of children declared clinically-dead, resuscitated, but did not report having a NDE? They had a higher death-anxiety. 13. What did he discover about the children who were declared clinically-dead and resuscitated, but DID report having a NDE? They had a much lower death-anxiety. 14. How did Morse determine if this effect was long-lasting? He followed up with them in their 30s.
15. What common things do people with NDEs claim they saw or experienced?
15. What common things do people with NDEs claim they saw or experienced? White lights, Jesus, and deceased relatives.
15. What common things do people with NDEs claim they saw or experienced? White lights, Jesus, and deceased relatives. 16. What is sometimes shared, especially with children, during a NDE?
15. What common things do people with NDEs claim they saw or experienced? White lights, Jesus, and deceased relatives. 16. What is sometimes shared, especially with children, during a NDE? Information they couldn t have known, such as the name of a deceased relative or a secret.
17. What does the evidence from NDEs clearly point to?
17. What does the evidence from NDEs clearly point to? Our having an eternal soul, there being a loving deity, and a fulfillment that goes way beyond this world alone.
18. The evidence for transcendence, the five transcendental desires, the eternity of the soul, and a living God should determine what aspects of our lives?
18. The evidence for transcendence, the five transcendental desires, the eternity of the soul, and a living God should determine what aspects of our lives? Our identity, dignity, and destiny.
18. The evidence for transcendence, the five transcendental desires, the eternity of the soul, and a living God should determine what aspects of our lives? Our identity, dignity, and destiny. 19. What happens if we fail to take account of the 4 th level of happiness?
18. The evidence for transcendence, the five transcendental desires, the eternity of the soul, and a living God should determine what aspects of our lives? Our identity, dignity, and destiny. 19. What happens if we fail to take account of the 4 th level of happiness? We seriously underlive our lives and jeopardize our eternity.
Small Group Activity Discuss the Reflection and Discussion Questions chosen by your teacher, then share your thoughts with the class.
Supplemental Video 2: Are Near-Death Experiences Evidence of the Afterlife, Watch at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2gsig5ofuu
Happiness, Suffering and the Love of God everyone comes back from such an encounter absolutely convinced that God exists. Dr. Jeffrey Long, M.D. (From: Are Near Death Experiences Evidence of the Afterlife? )
Reflection: Pairing Sharing Share with one other person how you think the evidence of transcendence, an eternal soul, and a loving God will affect your identity, dignity, or destiny.
Take it Home Complete the handout, My Identity, Dignity, and Destiny for the next session.
Closing Prayer Lord, we thank you for allowing us to live in a time when you are revealing so much about ourselves, the afterlife, and yourself. May our identity, dignity, and destiny be centered on you alone. Amen.
Next time we ll cover Lesson Three, Part 1: The Resurrection See You Then!