Atheist Shocked by his Near-Death Experience

I suppose it’s true to say we’re all afraid of death, to some extent or other. Some are completely terrified of it. Some have come to terms with it and are a bit more blasé about the whole thing. Some think that at the moment of death, the lights go out and there’s no longer anyone at home, or anywhere else for that matter – it’s just the end of the story, forever. Some say it’s just a trick of the mind, something it conjures up to make dying a little more palatable. While some never really give it a thought (obviously most of them are youngsters … it’s as you get older your thoughts are more likely to turn to death from time to time).

I’ve always been of the opinion that we go on, once physical death occurs. In other words, we continue, but in another form, or in another place. I don’t profess to know that for a fact, but I’ve always been very secure in that opinion. Maybe it’s just the arrogance of thinking such an advanced species (ha!) can’t have evolved just to live for nothing more than a brief moment in time, and there must be more to it than that brief flicker. Mmm … maybe.

One thing that supports the idea that we go on is the phenomena of near-death experiences. You may have heard about them, and perhaps you thought they were quite unusual, maybe even a rare event. If you’re interested to look into it I think you’ll find that they are legion. People who work with the old and infirm, and the terminally ill, seem to come across these situations much more than just occasionally. And they all seem to be suspiciously similar.

Those facing imminent death often seem comforted by friends

The person close to death often sees things we can’t see, and often that includes relatives who have died before them, sometimes a long time before them. Their visions often seem to make them happy, as though they’re renewing acquaintances from long ago. And their minds often seem to be put at ease by what they see, and experience. Death, to them, doesn’t seem so scary anymore, and in some cases they virtually welcome it with open arms and with a smile on their face.

If you’d like to hear one man’s near-death experience, take a look at this short video. This man, Jose, had a serious accident and found himself in hospital in a very precarious state of health. What happened next changed his attitude to death forever. And changed his attitude to life, I think it’s fair to say. And what’s more, he became a believer, in the sense that he no longer calls himself an atheist.

Now let me be clear, I’m not trying to persuade you to give up atheism, if that’s your position, or to become a devout … well, anything. Your beliefs are your own business and I would never question them, or try to change them. But, regardless, I think you might find his video interesting. Can I also ask you to take a look at the comments below the video (on YouTube) – I think it’s interesting how many people who watched it identified with it, and how many found it very comforting to watch.

And yes, I know this could be taken a different way – you might think yes, sure, it’s comforting to be told death is only a transition, but that’s only natural, that’s like a child being told there are no monsters to be scared of really. The truth, sadly, is that there are monsters, only most of them look just like the guy next door or someone you might meet on the street.

Maybe you’ll come away for this thinking your life has been filled with tiny moments of love and appreciation that, for the most part, you haven’t even recognised. They just passed you by. See them now for what they are, because maybe before too long you’ll be reminded of them and you’ll be at death’s door and you’ll suddenly realise what you’re about to be missing, forever.

Anyway, here’s the video. Take a look and see what you make of it.