Who would you believe more?

[Erastothenes]

I was discussing NDEs with an individual I met and I guess they died for like six minutes and came back. They had some impressive visions. They are LDS but their visions contradicted the traditional dogma of the LDS church. This person believes 100% in what they saw and were told by the individuals they encountered while dead. So my question is this. Would you take the opinions and beliefs of someone who had died and believe they saw and were taught certain things or would you continue to follow the teaching of a proclaimed prophet who has shown little in the way of revelation or actually being a prophet? Im not saying that you would worship the beliefs of the person who had the NDE but would you entertain them as a possibility or would you say "nope! So-and-so is the prophet and there is no other way!"

[nightlight]

I was discussing NDEs with an individual I met and I guess they died for like six minutes and came back. They had some impressive visions. They are LDS but their visions contradicted the traditional dogma of the LDS church. This person believes 100% in what they saw and were told by the individuals they encountered while dead. So my question is this. Would you take the opinions and beliefs of someone who had died and believe they saw and were taught certain things or would you continue to follow the teaching of a proclaimed prophet who has shown little in the way of revelation or actually being a prophet? Im not saying that you would worship the beliefs of the person who had the NDE but would you entertain them as a possibility or would you say "nope! So-and-so is the prophet and there is no other way!"

What contradictions did he see in this experience?

[blitzinstripes]

I don't know if I've ever read a single NDE that fit lock and step with LDS doctrine. And I've read a bunch. My own experience broke with some traditional LDS teachings, yet still felt in basic harmony with the scriptures to me.

[kirtland r.m.]

Near Death Experiences and Mormonism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jeUZeFj33w

[creator]

I'm also curious what contradictions they saw.

If we all went outside at the same time and explained what we see, all of our reports would be different but would also likely have some similarities. The same should be expected of NDEs. Also, some people use completely different words to describe the same things.

[Jamescm]

I would probably walk the middle route and take what the person had to say into consideration, neither believing nor disbelieving his account, noting the many possible explanations (many already mentioned) such as imperfect recollection, limit in personal focus, different in personal expression, my own misunderstanding of a doctrine, possible mistake in doctrine, or the possibility of the account giver being mistaken on a detail or outright lying.

[MikeMaillet]

I've read a few dozen stories told by people who experienced an NDE. There are some that make an impression on me and there are some that leave me feeling kind of neutral.

Mike

[Bronco73idi]

I was discussing NDEs with an individual I met and I guess they died for like six minutes and came back. They had some impressive visions. They are LDS but their visions contradicted the traditional dogma of the LDS church. This person believes 100% in what they saw and were told by the individuals they encountered while dead. So my question is this. Would you take the opinions and beliefs of someone who had died and believe they saw and were taught certain things or would you continue to follow the teaching of a proclaimed prophet who has shown little in the way of revelation or actually being a prophet? Im not saying that you would worship the beliefs of the person who had the NDE but would you entertain them as a possibility or would you say "nope! So-and-so is the prophet and there is no other way!"

I would never expect someone to answer such a vague and overreaching question!

They died and the devil possessed them!

They died and saw a perfect vision and the devil possesses the leaders of the LDS church!

Either way they did not have the gift of the Holy Ghost prior to their NDE so I would not trust their NDE…..

[Atrasado]

I've come to the conclusion after much thought that we don't really know very much about the Spirit World, Judgement Day, how the Lord will judge us, the usefulness of Latter-day Saint ordinances, and even reality and the gospel in their particulars.

To me, the only thing I will take to the bank is that God is real and Jesus Christ is our Savior. I also strongly believe that loving others, serving the sick, poor, hungry, and naked, and forgiving everyone are important, although I'm not very good at those things. I strongly suspect the Bible and the Book of Mormon are scripture and I suspect most of the D&C and Pearl of Great Price are, as well. I think Isaiah is quite important to read and understand as well as we can. I don't think anyone, myself included, really understands that much about God or the Plan.

Everything else is up for grabs for me. I'm willing to listen to everyone, but I keep my own counsel. So, I'd be willing to listen to someone's near death experience. Why not? I might learn something important. I would probably compare what they taught with the scriptures, but not with modern day prophets (Joseph being the only exception). I would pray about it.

(I'm also of the opinion that I can forgive the Gadiantons while still wanting them held accountable and I don't think it's required to lie for the dead. Hence my posts on Russ Ballard.)

[JohnnyL]

I was discussing NDEs with an individual I met and I guess they died for like six minutes and came back. They had some impressive visions. They are LDS but their visions contradicted the traditional dogma of the LDS church. This person believes 100% in what they saw and were told by the individuals they encountered while dead. So my question is this. Would you take the opinions and beliefs of someone who had died and believe they saw and were taught certain things or would you continue to follow the teaching of a proclaimed prophet who has shown little in the way of revelation or actually being a prophet? Im not saying that you would worship the beliefs of the person who had the NDE but would you entertain them as a possibility or would you say "nope! So-and-so is the prophet and there is no other way!"

Did they ask to shake hands?
I'd drop them like a hot potato and believe the prophets.
What does one do when NDE experiences contradict each other?
Take some psychotics, you might have similar experiences.

[DivineSpark]

In my father's house are many mansions. Maybe both are true. I'm starting to think we all have different stories - that's including the ending of those stories.

[kirtland r.m.]

Just remember, some people claim to have been taken up into flying saucers (what, we don't all believe that lol no) Oh they will tell you that it is so. Others are not normal in other various ways (yes mental illness is real), and still others do not have the light and knowledge you have and so their real experience may be limited, sometimes very limited as they are not as far along and ready, for more and have little foundation for such. Here is an interesting quote about how the Lord gives out revelation. "If He comes to a little child, he will adapt himself to the language and capacity of a little child". Joseph Smith, Jr.

The Lord will only give you what you are ready for. Lastly, the real ones are going to be a burst of real knowledge. Real intelligence will be communicated. When the person comes back into mortality it forever changes them.

[FrankOne]

I've come to the conclusion after much thought that we don't really know very much about the Spirit World, Judgement Day, how the Lord will judge us, the usefulness of Latter-day Saint ordinances, and even reality and the gospel in their particulars.

maybe 35 years ago, I read several books on NDE's etc which I found very beneficial to me.

as a refresher, I went and saw the movie, perhaps still playing, "Life after Life" I didn't expect to hear anything new, I went for the experience.

I'm glad I did. There were many things in the movie that were exactly what I have experienced.

"you are not a body"
"love is everything".

We anal-eyes everything here on earth. We dissect, categorize, and judge. We cling to doctrines as if they are the end all.

they are not. I was told to begin bearing witness and this post is the first time. I've watched from the sidelines for many many years and God has never told me to stand up or declare anything, ...so...I haven't. For the foregoing reason, I have been vocal about certain things, but I never have "born witness" because I did not wish to step beyond my purpose in this life.

I bear witness of the following:

The only real love is God's love which is meant to flow from us but we choose to twist it into divisions of conditional love/hate perversions. Our soul IS a sol or sun and the light from within that is to shine out is God's light, which is pure unconditional love

Love is something incomprehensible to the far majority on earth today. I'm speaking of unconditional love. Conditional love is not love at all.

When people have an NDE, they KNOW and feel real love. When they return, they try to explain it, but are unable because the world doesn't understand it. If you haven't experienced it, then it is impossible to understand it.

Doctrine and rules are helps to discipline the self but are not the saving Gospel of Christ, they are merely stepping stones for mortal minds to seek God for pure understanding.

Condemnation of others is of the Devil himself.

edit for change to movie title

[Rumpelstiltskin]

I was discussing NDEs with an individual I met and I guess they died for like six minutes and came back. They had some impressive visions. They are LDS but their visions contradicted the traditional dogma of the LDS church. This person believes 100% in what they saw and were told by the individuals they encountered while dead. So my question is this. Would you take the opinions and beliefs of someone who had died and believe they saw and were taught certain things or would you continue to follow the teaching of a proclaimed prophet who has shown little in the way of revelation or actually being a prophet? Im not saying that you would worship the beliefs of the person who had the NDE but would you entertain them as a possibility or would you say "nope! So-and-so is the prophet and there is no other way!"

Considering that the blind "follow the prophet" dogma is a modern construction that was opposed by Joseph Smith, and is not doctrine, I'd take both with a big salt shaker.

[Dave62]

We know for sure that agency continues in the Spirit World. This would explain a lot.

[SJR3t2]

I personally don't trust anyone's NDE especially when they contradict the established word of YHWH.