Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohio
In the Colton Burpo account, his older sister who was miscarried was a young girl who greeted him in heaven, yet she bore strong familial resemblance, so that he believed her story, though he had absolutely no prior knowledge that he even had a sister. . . .
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I recall someone in the mid 70s who told of attending a weekend training (not LRC) designed to teach about the issues surrounding demon and Satan worship. One of the "teachers" had obtained some kind of manual on the subject and was reading some descriptions from it, when they began to read off some names of demons. This guy told of having the very distinct sense that something entered the room each time one of the names was spoken, as if responding to a call. He decided that he would not return after the lunch break.
I tell that story because I know that there is something in the spiritual realm that we are not truly knowledgeable about. I know there are demons and angels. There is God and there is Satan.
But the accounts from these kids may be real, or they may be imagined. The details that they supposedly knew nothing about may not have been as unknown as was thought. Or they may have truly not known and learned something factual while on the brink of death.
But something that always keeps me guarded on these is that studies of the stories of near-death experiences show that the person almost always sees things that are consistent with the "mythology" of their culture. A Chinese Buddhist sees things from that culture. And Indian Hindu from that culture. So many aspects of the stories are culturally centered.
But I did say "most." There are some that take some explaining away. Mostly because the expectations are not met. The vision was not consistent with the culture or belief. Or there is the thought that details that could (or at least should) not have been known were revealed.
For me, I take note of them. But I realize that my faith is not based on whether someone thinks they "went to heaven" (or actually did) and lived to tell about it. It is based on the realization that Jesus is who he said he was/is. That prophecy was fulfilled. And so on.
For the child that met a great grandfather and saw them at a younger age, since the description could be verified with photographs, could the child have seen them even if they were not remembered specifically?
Not trying to debunk the stories. Just noting that faith based on these things will be as tenuous as the evidence that it is really miraculous rather than a product of a busy mind under stress.