The Following Was Written by Children, No Corrections Have Been Made

Unity Course: Exploration into NDE’s astounding that they cannot be told.” Paul did not seem to know if he was in his body or out of his Instructor: Reverend Virgil Brewer body. Did Paul have an out-of-body experience, an Beginning Sunday, April 7th at 12:30pm OBE? Or could it be that he had a near-death experience, an NDE. For, afterwards, he was faced Dr. Eben Alexander is a neurosurgeon who always daily with “a thorn in the flesh” to keep him humble. ‘knew’ the source of consciousness to be the brain. In either case, his retelling of the happening is not But, at 54, he contracted a case of E. coli bacterial unlike the thousands of NDE’s reported in recent meningitis, which destroyed most of his brain’s years. cortex and left him in a coma for seven days. While in the coma, the brain surgeon had a near-death The story-line goes something like this. They rise experience – without a brain to cause such an above, noticing the doctors striving to resuscitate activity. It has transformed his life! their physical body below. Then they travel through a Dr. Alexander is now a firm believer that dark tunnel until they see a great light. Sometimes, consciousness is independent of the brain and that deceased relatives appear to greet them or they have a life continues after death. Yes, he was completely live-review. Some are told they must return to earth – healed and His recent book, Proof of Heaven, shall others get to choose whether to stay or return. be the basis of this exploration into this most But the one thing that is almost always revealed is mysterious aspect of life. that the experience was indescribable. They try to If you want to discover the latest findings about impress the listener with the awesome love that the after-life, you won’t want to miss this class. Rev. permeates the realm – an unconditional love that is so Virgil shall provide many other case examples of astounding; it cannot be described with words. people who have died, “gone to heaven”, and returned to share their phenomenal experience. Books All four of the Gospels depict in great detail the are available. trial, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus – and a one-liner for the ascension. I wonder what took place Spiritual Essay: What Is Heaven Like? in the tomb! Did the Master die? I mean, completely die -- the silver cord severed -- never to return to life. by Reverend Virgil Brewer I ask because medicine today continues to grapple with the death question. Sometimes, a patient is In our Christian culture, we refer to a human being declared dead when the heart has stopped and there as having both a physical body and a soul. At death, are no signs that the brain is functioning. However, the soul leaves the body and travels to heaven in the patient has entered into an unconscious state hopes of meeting up with Jesus, who has promised to called a coma. People can come out of the coma prepare a room for us in his Father’s house. Yet, what many days or weeks later Today, doctors would say our experience on “the other side” is actually going to that Jesus was in a comatose state until his body had be like has remained a mystery -- the great unknown. completely resuscitated. He would be one of those For instance, is the soul merely a disembodied people reporting on his NDE, commenting upon the spirit? Or shall the soul have a body? In the 15th indescribable love ... to those at his tomb-side. chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul responds to that very Of course, the disciples had no knowledge of question, saying, “What a foolish question!” comas, though Jesus certainly did. Jesus was fully Continuing, he writes, “There is a physical body (on aware that he would return to physical life, and earth) and there is a spiritual body (in predicted the same to his disciples several times long heaven).” before it happened. Would they not have been with Why does Paul speak with such authority about him in the hospital-tomb holding a pray vigil for his the afterlife? Well, in his letters, he claims to have healing? Would they not have celebrated when Jesus had several mystical or paranormal experiences. Here finally opened his eyes? Would they not have been is an interesting story revealed in 2 Corinthians 12:2- amazed at Jesus words about his heavenly experience 4. during the comatose state? But none of this is revealed in the Gospel stories – not significant, I “ I was caught up into the third heaven fourteen suppose. years ago. Whether my body was there or just my spirit, I don’t know; only God knows. But I do know that I was caught up in paradise and heard things so 04/08/18