Endless fascination with the possibility of the "afterlife" ;

I've just deposited the demonic phone with Vodafone and I am told something inside is stuck...I hope that's not a technical term but I guess it explains things. As for the smell of smoke, that's a rare thing, just a handful of times over a handful of years and I've yet to have any neurological event. At best, these things give me pause for thought and keep me open to the possibility of more than just this one life. It's a personal feeling that has become important in recent times and definitely not inspired by the bible or Christian teachings or any other organised religion. Sorry, but all that just leaves me cold.

Weird indeed. Life is full of strange coincidences and happenings. It is important to interpret them with the benefit of our reason. Seeing what we want to see, making erroneous connections and reading too much into things is the stuff of nonsense and to be avoided at all costs.

Relevant to the discussion? "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." (Matthew 10:34)

Jesus advocates the execution of rebellious children (Mark 7:9-10) and the amputation of limbs as punishment (Matthew 5:29-30).

I have mentioned before about spiritual evidence and precepts, beliefs and proof. By the looks of the site and all the responces, some believe, some don't, some prescribe to the bible and some have had some very strong experiences. Where the bible is concerned, don't forget that the early Christian fathers, diluted and kept out a lot of information from the life of Jesus and his teachings, including his work with Mary Magdaline and the Essene teachings. This was found in the Gnostic gospels. I have mentioned before on this type of site, some of the experiences I have witnessed on "life after death" Too many to mention here again, and I hope to complete a book I started to write last year, but was held up by a broken arm. To my understanding, I accept that we are spiritual beings, who choose to enter the Earths atmosphere to experience and learn, this information is returned to the Creator, so that HE/SHE may further that knowledge to assist us as a species. It is all opportunities to learn, experience, share, care and express love, forgiveness. As a species, in spite of the global upheavals, more of us are demonstrating compassion and love to those in need and that is what is important. We return to report in, as it were and given the opportunity to return to the Earth and help a bit more, even trouble and sadness are all part of the experience, how can we understand and support others if we do not go through "stuff" ourselves. I can resonate with proof of all kinds, there is a lot of publications about reincarnation, near death experiences, loved ones returning. The brain is not the main communicator, it is the heart that measures these experiences, sends the message to the brain. I could prattle on for ever. Love and Blessings to all, Margaret.

So happy to read your post! It seems to be a subject which arouses some hostile replies to, but I'm glad there are some people who believe. You were able to express things much better than I Coles!!

Sorry, I mean Margaret!

About 30 yrs ago I had a flat in an old house - I was on the second floor, a girl who was a nurse on the floor below, and the landlord on the ground floor.

I was in my flat one afternoon and suddenly knew the landlord was dead. It was a really strange feeling, not at all scary, but there was a sense of presence of something.

I Went downstairs and knocked on the door - no reply so I tried the handle, he was dead in his chair, cat on his lap, still warm.

I dialled 999 and the police and ambulance came, confirmed he was dead and the ambulance went away. I was giving (the rather nice) policemen a cup of tea while we waited for the coroner. I suddenly heard the girl in the flat below on the phone - calling the police.

She'd come in (OK I was distracted, he was very cute) and had immediately known the landlord was dead. Had gone to his door like I had, found him, and was going through the same process. She did say that she had experienced this before in nursing so knew what the 'presence' was.

It's hard to articulate what I experienced. It was, as I said, not a bit scary and it did feel like the presence of something. The knowledge that he was dead was an absolute certainty - not "oh I feel something odd" - it was 'he's dead".

He was in his 90's so not entirely unexpected, a lovely gentle old man. it was a real gift to me as it was my first experience of being around death and it removed a lot of the fear - there was a real feeling that something of him persisted after the body had died. That's the best way I can describe it. I haven't experienced anything similar since, but it stayed with me.

My dd lost a good friend in his 20's and she has had some experiences that have comforted her too. Entirely possible that it's all co-incidences that we then attach meaning to. I'm a scientist so used to dealing with data and the issue of bias. But in the end I know what I experienced - I don't know why I experienced it, I don't try to make it mean anything in terms of proof, but I did find it comforting.

Cole, how long is it going to take for God to have enough knowledge (gleaned from us) to actually do a bit of helping of the human race. Because I'm bug blowed if I can see any sign of it yet.

In fact your post makes me quite angry in it's pathetic idiocy.

The heart pumps blood round the body. End of.

It does seem a strange concept that 'the Creator' just sits there waiting for information from souls who've done their stint on earth. I thought he/she was omnipotent and all-knowing...

Seems a bit arrogant to believe that He is waiting for information from insignificant little creatures like us about His magnificent creation (which includes a whole universe, not just the third rock from the sin)

...and there's plenty of sin about these days.

catsareus that's an interesting post.

You will find Psychiatrist under P in the phone directory.

Who, me? (to Harrigran). I'm pretty sane!

And "gullible" under G.

Contributing to this thread is a bit piontless - it is reason vs unreason. I know which I prefer!

It is this sort of unreason that is threatening world peace at this very moment.

Sigh

coles, do you really think that is all we are to God? Just 'beings' sent here for the sole purpose of gathering information to take back to the Creator? Don't you think that sounds like something out of Star Wars? Don't you think that each of our lives means more than that to God?

And while there certainly are some that are "demonstrating compassion and love to those in need", there are still very many who are doing the opposite. And getting away with it.

No Grannyknot it was to coles

I have just come back from my Aunt's funeral. On the way to the Church, in the car, I picked a red hair from my DH's jacket. When we were waiting outside the crematorium he picked a red hair from my coat. My mother (died 2years ago), and my Aunt both had ginger hair. No other family members have the same hair colour, and nobody with ginger hair has been in our car. I found this a bit strange.

"Best" coats /jacket not worn for some time? Or you are both having a fling with a redhead?

I don't decry the thoughts, feelings and beliefs of others, so why do you decry mine? We are all on our own journey, the important thing is to express compassion and peaceful intent. I will not get caught up in arguments. Blessings to all. Margaret.

I do not think that anyone has decried your thoughts coles - we have just put a different view; and expressed the view that reason combined with compassion is the way forward.

I do not think that there is an afterlife, but like everyone else I do not know that. As I have said before, we should be trying to live with kindness - end of.

hilda - I am sorry to hear about your aunt and hope that the funeral went well. Do not read too much into the red hairs - I am sure that it would not have felt significant under any other circumstances.

Earlier on this thread someone was talking about smelling a relatives tobacco smoke after his death.

When we had a big "remininsence thread" a couple of months ago someone was talking about eating raw rhubarb by dipping into a paper cone of sugar.
At that point I had a moment when I very clearly experienced that acidic rhubarb smell. I had not had anything quite like that before.

I do not believe it was supernatural though just the workings of memory and the olfactory circuits of the brain. These systems are known to be very closely related.

health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/human-nature/perception/smell3.htm

I thought we might have a discussion rather than an argument Coles.