The WALRUS The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of many things: Of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings. - Lewis Carroll Vol LXVIII No. 1 St. Sebastian’s School October 2014 Proof of Heaven: Dr. Alexander Asks Community If Heaven Exists By Sam Cullen ‘17 and lost sisters did not help. The doctor scientific information when he spoke asserted that his journey in his coma of his miraculous recovery. His state- Andrew Elcock ‘17 helped him overcome his psychologi- ment that reason and faith are nearly After reading Proof of cal hang-ups that had plagued him for impossible to reconcile (though he Heaven by Dr. Eben Alexander this years; after waking up he was healed. does concede that he has managed summer for the all-school read, St. However, Alexander went on to say, to do it, through his work) also went Sebastian’s was pleased to welcome his work was not done. Years later, as directly opposite the message our the author himself to explain fur- he was going back over old pictures, school holds dear: that truth can be ther his miraculous journey around he came across one of his birth fam- pursued by faith and reason, both the blurred lines of this life and the ily that a case-worker at the adoption playing an equal part. Furthermore, next. During his address, Dr. Al- center he had been adopted from had his adamant defense of his experience exander narrated his time in a sort sent him. He said that at moment, he and harsh comments on the secular of other-world, where the internal knew he truly had been to heaven: world of science seemed at times rath- blended with the external. He began his long-lost dead sister had been his er aggressive. Justifiably, many sci- in what he termed the “Earthworm’s- heavenly tour guide. At this point, the entists doubt Alexander’s experience, eye view,” in which he had little to doctor began to wrap up the speech. and it appeared as though Dr. Alex- no consciousness, and no corporeal And closed the talk by explaining to ander was too condemning towards Dr. Eben Alexander with Mr. Burke and Fr. Arens after his speech form. He said the experience there the school that his experience in no these skeptics. And while we aren’t was deeply visceral, with a deep way contradicted Christian theology: too sure about the supposed religious metallic sound echoing through an Om represented the Holy Trinity, revival Alexander said would come infinite plane of bubbling darkness. and the place he had visited had been about through his research and other New Clubs in a New Year At the time, Dr. Alexander had no heaven. near-death experiences, his book has knowledge of his past life or what Before continuing, it might caused quite a stir in a wide range By Jack Kerwin ‘18 class.” Although a great amount of Spanish is learned in class, speak- was happening--he merely experi- be useful to illustrate Dr. Alexander’s of both scientific, religious and liter- It’s a new school year, and ing and communicating is a vital enced it passively, with all examina- neurosurgical career. He was adopted ary fields. Indeed, some of the fac- there’s no shortage of new ideas at skill that is often overlooked in the tion coming later. After what seemed by a North-Carolinian neurosurgeon ulty took issue, although few openly. St. Sebastian’s School. As the New forty-five minute class period. Of- like an eternity to him, he at last rose and grew up in his shadow. And after For example, when one teacher was Year has begun to get into the swing ten times, when students learn a out of the muck and into something attending Phillips Exeter Academy, asked his opinion of Dr. Alexander’s of things, announcements have been language, they are learning the lan- beautiful, something most people Alexander went on to study chemis- speech, he merely laughed and said, made following Corporate Chapel guage with the hope that they will would associate with heaven. Dr. try at UNC. Following Duke Medi- “No comment,” demonstrating Alex- announcing new clubs being started be able to communicate with fluent Alexander stated that the world was cal School, he worked for years at ander’s reputation with some in the by fellow students. Both a Fishing Spanish speakers. While some stu- more wonderful than anything he Brigham and Women’s Hospital and school. Indeed, we found it challeng- club and a Spanish club have been dents may accelerate in vocabulary had seen before: butterflies swarmed taught neuroscience at Harvard Medi- ing to find a teacher willing to give an started, and so far both clubs have memorization or grammar, the most the skies, a stunning woman accom- cal School. However, he was accused interview on the assembly, although been received quite well. important skill to have is to be able to panied him as a guide--a woman, of medical malpractice by a patient whether it’s a case of “If you don’t When asked what moti- communicate while speaking in the the doctor said, he had felt an odd and settled out of court. Years later, have anything good to say, don’t say vated the founding of the fishing language. The club is very laid back connection to--and the landscape his employment at B&W’s was ter- anything at all,” or a mere lack of in- club, co-founder Geoff Wade stated, and relaxed. Students of all grade stretched lush and verdant before minated for undisclosed reasons and terest is hard to tell. “Charlie Gordon, Jack Duffy, and I levels may join, even if they have him. Then, everything changed. A the doctor moved onto UMass Medi- In closing, the conclusions were all in the fishing club when we never been to a meeting before. The glowing, massive, glorious orb of cal Center, where he practiced until one draws from the assembly are were in middle school, and wanted club meets Tuesday and Thursday light appeared, which Dr. Alexander he was investigated again for mal- one’s own: Dr. Alexander’s history, to resurrect it.” Although the fishing afternoons and although it’s a slight immediately associated with God. practice. The investigation came to presentation and experience all wide- club doesn’t have a complete sched- greater commitment than the fish- However, the sheer ineffability of the nothing, but Alexander resigned and ly vary, and thus whether he is a man ule yet, they plan on meeting at least ing club, the extra practice and time orb’s wonder meant that mere words floated from job to job before finally to be believed is impossible to judge once a month, and participating in speaking Spanish will drastically could not express it, and the good he left for Virginia. There he prac- merely from facts about his life or a various tournaments throughout the benefit student’s Spanish. Upon ar- doctor was forced to name it Om, ticed for a period of a few years until recapitulation of his experience. And school year. Geoff Wade said “in the riving at the meetings, a student will after the sound that accompanied it. he lost his three surgical privileges to despite our skeptical response to Dr. next couple months, we plan to go choose a topic to discuss, and from Upon encountering it, Dr. Alexander practice for falsifying records on an Alexander’s prediction of a “religious on an ice fishing trip.” Aside from there students will discuss this top- was left full of questions, but he said operation. Clearly, the good doctor is revival” and the conflict between faith one ice fishing trip, the club is hop- ic or often debate about a subject. that the orb answered with a core qualified and medically well-versed, and reason, his book has a feel-good, ing to make a few other trips in the With discussions ranging from the message that struck the doctor like but there is also a shadow over his ca- hopeful nature to it, which makes this spring, and get in as much fishing Ray Rice situation, to discussions nothing had yet: “You are loved.” reer. read a memorable one (not to mention as possible. Using canoes and small about St. Sebastian’s, there’s always It was on this topic that Dr. Alexan- With his background in the numerous accolades and endorse- boats accessible to students, Geoff a new topic that will interest all der focused for the rest of the speech, mind, the presentation took on a dif- ments it has garnered). Whether or Wade stated that the club is planning members. With the attempt to create reiterating how it had affected his life ferent light. The doctor presented not he truly went to heaven is up for to run their own tournaments as well. something unique, Matt intends for and his interpersonal relationships. little new background, never straying debate; however, the doctor is a man The club is currently in its starting this club not to be an extension of He had been struggling for years be- far from the facts established in his who can be learned from and admired, stages, but details are quickly being the Spanish classroom but rather, a fore the coma with his adoption and books, and acting cautiously even in even if only for his self-assuredness in figured out and the club should be up welcoming environment, powered his birth family: he felt unwanted, the Q&A section.