When considering the existance of miracles and the miraculous one possible example would be that of near death experiences or NDE's for short. Should anyone have an interest in the matter, I will link Elissa Al-Chokhachy's website called Miraculous Moments here in case anyone might want to investigate the matter further. Ms. Al-Chokhachy is a former hospice nurse and in her new book, Miraculous Moments: True Stories Affirming That Life Goes On, she recounts "over eighty-eight first hand accounts of after death communication, nearing death awareness and near death experiences."
In a recent radio interview, Ms. Al-Chokhachy said that "the "vast majority" of hospice workers are believers in some kind of afterlife. She attributed this belief to their frequent presence around the dying process and remarked that "you can't not believe" after the stories continue to accumulate. These 'miraculous moments' are so pervasive, Al-Chokhachy said, that she is constantly told stories from hospice workers who have either had their own experiences or heard tales from their co-workers. "I used to think this was just an occasional thing that happened," reflected Al-Chokhachy, "but everywhere I go, somebody tells me a story." Al-Chokhachy added that she "was skeptical of the idea that these incidents are merely the product of a dying patient's mind, because it is often the healthy, bereaved relatives who have the experiences.""
If anyone else would like to share such an experience, I would not mind going first.
I friend of mine who I have known for over 20 years had an older sister pass away about 3 years ago. Rita* had pancreatic cancer and was suffering toward the end of her life where she was kept in a hospital and medicated to lessen her discomfort. Rita's sister Jan* was an administrator at the hospital and both sisters personally knew another nurse that worked at the hospital named, Linda*, who was a long-time friend of Rita's and was helping to take care of her in her final days.
When if became apparent that Rita was close to the end, family members were summoned to be at her bedside. Rita stated that family members who had previously passed on were now visible to her and beckoning her to come with them. She described the place where she was going as "beautiful" and seemed to smile when gazing off into the distance. Rita then breathed her last and gave up the ghost. I know, this is pretty much standard fare for end-of-life-experiences, but this is where it becomes interesting.
About 2 weeks after Rita's funeral, Linda came home from work and found a message on her telephone answering machine. It was a message from Rita. Yes, you read that correctly, it was from Rita. I don't have the exact verbatim quote from the message that was left on the answering machine, but generally speaking, Rita wanted to convey that, A) She was in a good place and B) That others should not mourn for her or worry about her. Linda promptly notified Rita's sister Jan to tell her what had happened. Jan went over to Linda's house where they listened to the message together. Both of them concurred that the voice on the message machine was in fact Rita.
I attest that the above was told to me by one of my best friends in the world from childhood that I still keep in touch with. He had nothing to gain from telling me this and does not share this account with many people out of fear of being scoffed at. Does anybody else know of any experiences like this?
* (Not their real names)
UPDATE: In reference to University of Illinois professor Ken Howell who was fired for teaching the official Roman Catholic stance on homosexuality, the Alliance Defense Fund has just announced that he will be allowed to teach this fall. Link
Oh, I almost forgot, it was this past week in history that the radio program The Shadow first debuted in 1930. "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!" Buah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!
17 comments:
JD,
One thing certain about humans; they are great mythmakers, but also great myth believers.
I am sure you anticipated, rightly that I would declare this the bunkum that it is; vague, anecdotal, heresay.
I would be interested in any alternate theory as to how the account happened.
I think the likelihood is low to think that someone would go out of their way to perpetrate such a hoax.
I doubt that he would make it up by himself because I know his sister as well and she could either confirm or deny what occurred. If the guy was prone to exaggeration, nevermind outright fabrications I'd be much less inclined to believe him but that isn't the case at all.
This still doesnt detract from Ms. Al-Chokhachy's statement that "'miraculous moments' are so pervasive,.. that she is constantly told stories from hospice workers who have either had their own experiences or heard tales from their co-workers"
If you want to take the utterances of a morphine soaked, blood starved brain, dieing person as a miraculous moment, far be it from me to try to talk you out of it.
Just sayin'.
w00t! I used to listen to The Shadow on the AM when I was a kid. Shame you can't find it anymore.
Jquip (et al) - Enjoy: The Shadow.
I also listened to the Shadow until they replaced the show here with The Whistler. Which was still good.
If you want to take the utterances of a morphine soaked, blood starved brain, dieing person as a miraculous moment, far be it from me to try to talk you out of it
I was referring to the phone call more so than the near death exprience Frog.
Thanks for the link Glen!
Hot dang! Thanks for the links.
There are some things I don't want to understand...this is one of them. Why? Because whether I understand or can explain this, it will happen anyway. I'll wait until then.
JP,
"I was referring to the phone call more so than the near death exprience Frog."
OK
"About 2 weeks after Rita's funeral, Linda came home from work and found a message on her telephone answering machine. It was a message from Rita. Yes, you read that correctly, it was from Rita."
It very well could be a message left before Rita died. I've picked up messages late many times.
"I don't have the exact verbatim quote from the message that was left on the answering machine, but generally speaking,"
Generally speaking, in times of grief people can do and think wierd things to assuage their grief. In fact it is rather naormal to do so.
"Rita wanted to convey that, A) She was in a good place and...."
Perhaps she was saying she would be ina good place....
"B) That others should not mourn for her or worry about her."
Many dying people state that.
You asked for possible alternatives.
You can try and rationalize it in that way I guess. A couple of days I might understand. 2 weeks? I dunno.
I am not rationalizing anything, JD.
You asked for "possible alternatives," I supplied you with a couple.
Can we listen to this answering machine message?
Like I said, this was 3 years ago. I doubt that you would see this on Unsolved Mysteries some day because these folks arent about self-publicity at all.
Have you heard the tape?
No. The above was related to me by the brother of "Rita" and "Jan". He's largely a recluse these days and the last thing he would do is try to bring attention to himself. I live in another state these days.
Additionally, I recall the wording was like "I am" in a better place, (present tense) rather than "I'm going" to a better place.
You recall the wording of a tape you have never heard and can't produce?
I recall the account of the claimed events as related to me.
I was speaking in generalities anyway.
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