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1. Christian Andreason's NDE Testimony
and Why It Is Notable |
I
consider one particular gay man's NDE testimony,
that of
Christian Andréason (pronounced
On-dray-son), to be perhaps the greatest
revelation and inspirational testimonies
about Jesus, God, and heaven I've ever read.
Best known for being an award-winning, critically
acclaimed, recording artist, Andréason is
a singer, songwriter and producer of inspirational
music. Since 1987 he has professionally
recorded hundreds of songs and produced
a total of 9 albums. Praised by celebrities,
major press and even former United States
Presidents, Christian's music and messages
of love have so far reached millions of
ears Internationally via Internet, television,
stage and radio. It was on June 2nd of 1995,
that Christian Andréason (www.allaboutchristian.com)
had his NDE. Once out of his body, Christian
took a rare, highly transcendental and extensive
tour of "The Divine Realm" where he entered
into the light of God. Read
more here...
Immediately after
the impact from falling forward onto the
metal grating, I felt myself floating up,
out of my body, and hovering above my body
and all the people who were watching it,
and who seemed paralyzed by shock and horror
at what had happened. I think they pretty
much assumed that I was dead. I remember
looking down and seeing my body three-dimensionally
for the first time. And it was such a shock,
because we never see ourselves except in
a one-dimensional mirror reflection, or
a photograph. But I felt no pain at all;
I felt completely whole and free, and I
thought, "This is who I really am." Immediately
after the impact from falling forward onto
the metal grating, I felt myself floating
up, out of my body, and hovering above my
body and all the people who were watching
it, and who seemed paralyzed by shock and
horror at what had happened. I think they
pretty much assumed that I was dead. I remember
looking down and seeing my body three-dimensionally
for the first time. And it was such a shock,
because we never see ourselves except in
a one-dimensional mirror reflection, or
a photograph. But I felt no pain at all;
I felt completely whole and free, and I
thought, "This is who I really am."
I saw my physical
body, all crumpled and bloody and lifeless;
and this enormous wave of compassion washed
over me and I wanted to tell all of the
bystanders that everything was going to
be OK and not to be sad or alarmed.
Then
suddenly I felt myself being pulled, literally
at the speed of light, farther from the
physical Earth, and I saw all of the people
on the planet simultaneously in that one
moment. I saw people in China and Sweden
and Uruguay; I saw people sleeping and dreaming;
I saw people preparing food in their homes
and in restaurants; people traveling in
all manner of transportation, to and from
work and school and appointments; I saw
children playing together, and bankers and
teachers and factory workers at their jobs.
I saw mothers giving birth to children,
which was especially beautiful and moving
to me.
I saw people
in hospitals and prisons, mental institutions
and nursing homes and orphanages who felt
desperately alone and abandoned and afraid.
And I saw people painting pictures and planting
gardens; writing stories and composing music,
and people dancing.
I saw people
praying in mosques and temples, synagogues,
and churches; and people individually expressing
their own silent prayers. I saw indigenous
tribes in all different parts of the world
drumming and chanting. And God was sending
multitudes of angels to the Earth, to assist
in answering all of the countless, millions
of prayers being offered up at that single
moment.
As I seemed to
move further into the light, I saw the Earth
as though from outer space. It was like
a beautiful, shimmering blue and green jewel
floating in the cosmos. As I moved closer
I saw that the Earth was vibrating and pulsating,
as though it was a living, breathing entity
and not just some physical mass.
And I thought, "This is Mother Earth; this
is our Divine Mother."
But as I looked
even closer, I saw that there were terrible
wounds and sores on different parts of her
body, and that she was gasping for breath,
and calling out to God and to her children
to stop the killing and destruction and
hatefulness - that she was dying and praying
for all of us to help her to heal and regenerate.
Again I felt overwhelmed by feelings of
sadness and compassion, and I desired to
hold Mother Earth in my arms - to whisper
words of love and hope.
I remember that
a part of me felt frustrated and powerless
to actually do anything of value - just
as I have often felt in my physical body.
Yet another part of me felt completely powerful,
as though there was nothing that I couldn't
accomplish.
At that moment I asked God, "What do you
want me to do?"
And the answer that came to me was that
I had to go back into my physical body in
order to complete certain goals that had
already been set into motion.
And I thought, "But I can't go back because
my body is too far gone, it's beyond repair."
And I was also
afraid that I could never accomplish, with
all of my physical limitations, all that
I could do as a spirit form, which felt
so free and unencumbered.
I remember feeling
angry and fearful about going back, after
being in all of this light - to have to
go back to the darkness. And then I felt
the presence of Jesus Christ all around
me. The feeling of love was completely overwhelming.
I felt as though I was swimming in an ocean
of ecstasy.
And I asked him, "Do I really have to go
back?"
And
his answer was that I was a part of God's
divine plan, as is every person, and that
my ultimate purpose is to love and serve
God and all sentient beings. And I could
tell that he understood all of my fear and
doubt. And he assured me that I would heal
and recover, but that it would be a lifelong
process; and that I did have the power within
me, only I didn't realize it until now,
and that all I had to do was to ask for
the courage and strength to persevere in
my life and in my work. This particular
information held enormous value for me,
as I had often questioned whether I would
ever really find a place in the world -
having always been somewhat of an outsider
- a place where my passionate concern regarding
so many compelling modern issues could somehow
take solid form, and that I could hopefully
make even a small difference.
Then Christ said
that he would send me guardian angels to
aid me in my healing, and to guide and protect
me. Then the light became even brighter,
and suddenly there were angels everywhere,
playing the most transcendentally beautiful
music, and singing "Hosanna!" and hymns
of praise to God. And some of the angels
were crying, which I didn't understand.
And Jesus said that the angels were weeping
tears of joy for my new life on Earth and
that they were also expressing compassion
for the hardship I would endure for the
rest of my earthly existence. And he said
that he had summoned the angels to guide
me on my journey back to the Earth, and
to my physical body. I remember feeling
so grateful that Christ was there to help
me try and understand everything that was
happening. I also remember feeling that
I wasn't afraid anymore; that no one could
ever hurt me again. And that I would try
my best every day to serve God's will.
I awakened to
find two men kneeling over me, with expressions
of apprehension and concern on both their
faces. For some reason I felt that they
might be gay men. They both looked to be
in their thirties. I couldn't help but notice
how handsome they both were, and that they
were beautifully dressed in what appeared
to be very expensive business clothes. I
remember thinking that they might be some
kind of executives working for a corporation,
which in fact is exactly what they turned
out to be. One of the men obviously had
some type of first aid training, and had
monitored my vital signs. They informed
me that an ambulance was on its way and
to try to remain still and not speak, which
was easy to do, considering the extent of
my injuries. They had both taken off their
jackets and laid them over me, and I was
horrified to discover that the jackets were
covered with blood and completely ruined.
I remember feeling embarrassed, and yet
enormously grateful for the kindness of
these two strangers. Their entire presence
was completely warm and comforting, and
I felt strangely safe and protected.
They waited alongside
me until the ambulance came, and then arrived
at the hospital to make sure that I was
properly attended to. They visited me in
the hospital on two separate occasions.
I made a somewhat feeble offer to replace
their ruined clothes, but they simply laughed
it off, and insisted that the only thing
that mattered was that I was alive and more
or less in one piece. Again their mere presence
filled me with a sense of hope and courage.
I felt very strongly that both men symbolized
what would prove to be a succession of "angels"
that Christ had promised to send me. This,
in fact, turned out to be truer than I could
possibly have imagined.
Kerry
Kirk is a lesbian who corresponded with
Kevin Williams and described her near-death
experience. This experience appears in Mr.
Williams' book,
Nothing Better Than Death.
The following
happened to me during the summer of 1981.
I was nineteen at the time. It was a time
in my life when I had pretty much decided
that there could be no God, no great being
in control of the world around me. If there
were, he wasn't doing a very good job. I
didn't realize it at the time, but once
I had made this "decision" I started going
downhill. I became selfish. That is self-centered
but not very self-concerned.
I should mention
that I had been having episodes of tachycardia
for several years. I was never diagnosed
(up to that point) with any kind of heart
defect. Had I been asked, I would have denied
any problems with my heart. I thought it
was very normal to get light headed and
almost pass out during periods when my heart
would race. Duh.
One evening I
was in the back seat of a car traveling
to San Francisco from Los Angeles. All of
a sudden my heart began to race and the
nausea hit. Next everything started spinning
and I could see lots of colors. Then I had
a sense of blackness come over me. Like
a dark damp cloud. I was terrified. I have
never been so scared. In my fear I said,
"Jesus."
Immediately I
witnessed a fight. It seemed there was a
battle between a being in white/light and
this blackness. Immediately following, the
light overtook the darkness.
"I found myself
on my face in worship in front of this Being
of Light. I felt a warmth, the most intense
love filled me. It was an energy that penetrated
every fiber of my being. I had never felt
such a complete and total love. That unconditional
love I hear many talk about.
I know there
was conversation between us but I can not
remember what was said. I feel like it was
a time of healing for me, kind of a regeneration
if you will.
In the next instant,
I was floating above the car moving down
the highway looking at myself in the back
seat. I knew it was me sitting there, and
yet I was up here. I wasn't afraid or confused.
Everything was as it should be.
There was someone
there to my left. I don't think it was the
same being that I had just been with. He
(I had a sense it was a he) seemed to be
in a white robe or something. Funny, I never
really looked at him. His identity didn't
seem to be important. I think he was there
to guide me. I didn't make myself go, it
was more like he took me or led me.
We began moving
through space. I was aware of that because
the stars and planets were passing very
quickly. It was very exciting, I felt so
free.
The order of
the next [series of episodes] I am unsure
of. I know each was a distinct episode,
but it is hard for me to put them in an
order or time frame.
The next thing
I knew there was a white "room." I can't
say it had walls but it seemed to be somewhat
enclosed. Maybe its boundaries extended
to the edge of the light that filled it
and that is why I call it a room. There
was a man in a white robe behind a podium
with a book on it. I knew it was the book
of life from the Bible.
I remember thinking,
"Uh oh, that stuff was for real."
I suddenly realized
that the "God" I had been presented wasn't
anything like the reality. I saw that it
doesn't matter if you call him God, Allah,
Great Spirit or whatever, he is the same
thing.
The different
religions just have different ways of explaining
the same Creator. I also realized that little
voice inside us that prompts us to do good
things comes from this Creator, it is that
light of love inside each of us. I don't
remember specifically being told this, more
like I just knew it.
I came to a place,
maybe a room maybe a space. I was shown
my life. If it was my entire life. I do
not remember all of it. The only part that
I remember now was just the last week or
so. Since I had given up on God. I saw how
selfish I had been. I felt the pain I had
caused one person in particular and it bothered
me very much. The things I had the most
guilt for was hurting other people, lying,
not being sensitive to their feelings, just
being selfish. The fact that I was a lesbian
didn't even seem to matter then. That was
surprising to me, given what I had been
brought up to believe.
There was another
room or area. It seems like there were others
there, I sensed some were female, some male,
but I can't say I recognized anyone.
I was shown a
diagram. I could see that it represented
choices. A choice led to other choices which
lead to other choices. Basically, actions
have consequences.
I began receiving
"all knowledge," or at least that is what
it felt like. They were there teaching me.
This didn't come to me as words like you
and I speak. More as complete thoughts.
When I think, it is generally in words and
pictures, this is how I received the information.
As complete words and pictures in my mind.
As I could form a question in my mind I
had the answer. Not just the answer to that
question, but the why and how and the answer
to every other question that the answer
would bring up.
EVERYTHING in the
entire universe fits together like a jigsaw
puzzle. EVERYTHING MADE SENSE.
I remember thinking,
"I have to remember this."
I looked over
to the right and in the distance I could
see a beautiful valley with lots of people.
There was someone looking out over all of
it. I felt that it was Jesus. I then looked
down and saw a line. My foot (Yes, I
did have a spiritual "body" as did the others
I encountered) was stepping over the
line to go to be with the others.
Then I was told,
"If you cross that line you can't go back,
it would mean you would have to die."
Funny as it may
sound, up to that point I didn't realize
I would have to die or was about to die.
It never occurred to me. I didn't realize
that I was separate from my body even though
I had seen it in the car. I felt complete.
I remember laughing and thinking this isn't
how I pictured death.
I said I wanted
to stay. I was then told that the people
I was with (in the car), as well as my mother,
would not understand and it would hurt them
deeply. I understood.
At some point
I was shown a map and was told to leave
and go to Virginia.
The angels were
singing and it seems like I could see the
clouds all lit up (it was nighttime).
The next thing I knew I as sitting in
the back of the car. I could hear the most
beautiful music.
I didn't tell anyone
what had happened to me for a long time.
I felt out of place the next several days.
I wanted to go back. I knew instinctively
that I could not do anything to bring that
about though. I tried and tried to remember
everything I learned when I was filled with
knowledge but it isn't there.
In
Jean Ritchie's excellent book entitled
Death's Door, she has documented the
suicide attempts and subsequent near-death
experiences of a woman named Helen. Her
near-death experiences demolish the myths
held by many religious people that suicide
and homosexuality are one-way tickets to
hell. Although today Helen is very comfortable
with the fact that she is a lesbian, coping
with it has not always been easy. By the
time she was seventeen, she was drinking
heavily and experimenting with drugs. Over
the years, her problems greatly escalated
which led her to decide to take her own
life. After writing suicide notes and taking
an overdose of pills and drink, Helen was
rushed to a hospital in very serious condition.
Her heart stopped four times, she learned
later from the medical staff.
I remember
clearly floating up above myself, and looking
down on my body. It was connected to numerous
machines. I could see the drip and the oxygen
mask. I could see the doctors working to
restart my heart with electronic pads. I
could see that my parents were there. It
felt very peaceful, much better than where
I had been before. I was bathed in warmth
and light, and the calm was almost tangible.
I felt it was up to me to decide where I
wanted to be, up there or back in my body,
but the peace was so overwhelming that I
knew I wanted to stay.
And then I
was in a small supermarket, floating between
the aisles. It was like any ordinary supermarket,
with shelves loaded with goods. My grandmother,
who died when I was very young, was at the
checkout, and so was my auntie. I knew without
anyone telling me that it was my auntie,
my mum's sister, although she had died of
a brain hemorrhage before I was born. They
were beckoning to me to go to them, but
through the plate-glass window I could see
my parents and my immediate family, also
beckoning and urging me to hurry.
[The next
thing Helen remembers is waking from her
coma with the oxygen mask pressing on her
face and causing some pain. She felt regret
at having left the peace behind.]
Helen's second near-death experience
occurred a couple of years after the first,
after another suicide attempt. This time
she took pills and tried to swallow bleach.
Her partner found her and called an ambulance.
The following is her experience.
I was drifting in and out of consciousness,
more out than in, but I remember being wheeled
from the flat on a stretcher. Again, I floated
above and could look down and see two men
carrying the stretcher, and I felt secure
and safe in the knowledge that I was walking
away from all the chaos of my life. Again,
I felt it was my decision to walk away.
Then I remember a very powerful force pulling
me towards a serene, very beautiful realm,
a higher realm. I traveled very slowly along
a tunnel toward a bright light, and I could
feel an overwhelming sense of warmth and
peace and whiteness. I wanted to walk into
the whiteness, which was so tranquil and
happy. It was like stepping into a vacuum,
there was nothing tangible, no scenery to
look at, but a tremendous feeling of being
somewhere, like nirvana. I felt okay, as
though this was where I was meant to be,
as if I had arrived home, and I was at ease
with myself for the first time in a long
time.
I also felt at one with the
forces of the universe, as though I was
part of something much much bigger, and
yet I was also the whole of it. It was a
tremendously powerful feeling, and such
a contrast to the despair and depression
that had led me there.
[This second
time Helen did not see any relatives, and
although she experienced the same sense
of there being an element of choice in whether
or not she returned to life or continued
in that lovely place, she did not feel any
panic when she awoke in the hospital a few
days later.]
I knew I had
not wanted to relinquish the good feelings
the place had given me, but at the same
time I did not feel regret at returning.
This time, the experience seemed to give
me strength. I felt refreshed.
[Helen was told
by hospital staff that she was lucky to
have survived.]
Helen's two
near-death experiences have taken away any
fear she may have had of death, and she
now anticipates that when it comes she will
once again experience those feelings of
peace and tranquility. She does not believe
that her near-death experiences encouraged
her to make more suicide attempts: suicide,
she says, is born of despair with this world,
not a hankering after the peace and serenity
of the next. Eventually, Helen was able
to beat her alcohol and drug addiction.
She is back with her partner, studying for
a master's degree and doing volunteer work.
Countless
near-death experiences describe the unconditional
love that God has for everyone. This, of
course, includes gays and lesbians. Just
the fact that God created so many homosexuals
(approximately 10% of the population) should
be enough proof for any reasonable person.
Unfortunately, there are people out there
who, out of ignorance, fear, and bigotry,
persecute them by treating them as second
class citizens.
The
following insights comes from near-death
testimonies concerning bigotry. These insights
show how homosexuality is just as natural
as heterosexuality and is certainly not
offensive to God as some religious texts
claim.
Creed, race, gender, and sexual preference
have no real meaning to God. No matter who
we are, we were all children joined under
one God. The only rule is God's true law
"Do unto others as you would have them do
unto you." (P.M.H.
Atwater)
Those religions which claim superiority
over others, or exclude people for various
reasons, go against God's law that we love
one another as we love ourselves. (Sandra
Rogers)
God is really only concerned about what
is within us, our heart and spirituality,
not our sexual preference. The way to heaven
is through love for everyone unconditionally.
We do not go to heaven by worshipping Jesus,
or by believing in his name, or by believing
in the cross, or by accepting him as our
Savior. We grow to heaven by creating heaven
within us by practicing the unconditional
love of Jesus for everyone no matter who
they are. (Kevin
Williams' research)
There is no one religion just as there is
no "chosen" people or person. We are all
children of God in the sense that we are
all souls of God's creation. What counts
is what comes from the heart, not what one
professes to believe. The most difficult
thing for a person who has been deeply steeped
in a particular religious tradition is to
realize that the form alone is not what
elevates a person; it is the heart. (PMH
Atwater)
It also needs to be recognized that not
all teachings described as religious are
beneficial. Religion which is judgmental,
prejudicial, critical, and narrow may impede
the spirit's natural growth. It is love,
not religion, which creates spiritual growth.
Where religion teaches love, there is growth.
Where religion impedes love, there is stagnation.
(Nora
Spurgin )
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6. A Scientific Analysis of Homosexuality |
 According to Dr. Ian Stevenson, the foremost
reincarnation researcher, many of children
with past-life memories show abilities or
talents that they had in their previous
lives. Dr. Stevenson's research led him
to conclude that homosexuality is a natural
human trait resulting from the reincarnation
of a person of one gender as a person of
the opposite gender.
Such people must
adjust to their new gender and sexuality
at an early age. Former girls who are reborn
as boys may wish to dress as girls or prefer
to play with girls rather than boys. Former
boys who are reborn as girls may wish to
dress as boys or prefer to play with boys
rather than girls. Former men who are reborn
as women will be attracted to women and
will therefore be lesbian. Former women
who are reborn as men will be attracted
to men and will therefore be gay. (Dr.
Ian Stevenson)
|
 Dr. Stevenson's research supports scientific
evidence that defines homosexuality as a natural
human genetic trait and not a lifestyle
of personal choice. Modern
medical research has found that the
brains of homosexuals are genetically
different than heterosexual brains. A study by
Dr. Simon LaVey reported in
Science News, August 31, 1991. Vol. 140,
No. 9, page 140 discovered this
fact. Such
research reveals homosexuality to be a natural process; and therefore, a divinely
created process.
Anyone who has grown up
on a farm or ranch, as I have, knows that
farm animals frequently exhibit homosexual behavior.
These facts of nature and of God discredits
self-righteous religious beliefs that
homosexuality is merely a choice, a sin
and a lifestyle which people can easily
chose to abandon. Near-death and
metaphysical evidence shows people are
born the way they are for a higher
purpose known to God and our Higher
Selves. It also makes logical sense that God creates and loves
everyone
unconditionally no matter what their
sexuality.
And finally, pardon my adult language here,
but does God really care if a person prefers
the anus and/or genitals of a man over the
anus and/or genitals of a woman regarding
sex? My understanding is that God is concerned
about a person's "heart" and not so much about their
genitals.
 The Bible was written during a time when
society considered all sinners, homosexuals,
adulterers, and prostitutes as outcasts
and worthy of death. Women had the same
status as cattle, slavery was sanctioned,
and so-called sexually immoral people were
stoned to death. But Jesus didn't follow
the social norms of those days. He hung
out with sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors
and even made some of them apostles.
The
following is presents the case that Jesus
is not concerned about a person's sexual
preference contrary to Paul's opinions.
Paul did not know Jesus except
from a NDE. He also didn't take the opportunity
to visit the Twelve Apostles until
fourteen years after his conversion. Nor
did he spend enough time learning at the
feet of those who Jesus lived
with, taught, and appointed. Instead,
Paul rebukes
Peter and clashes with Twelve on several
occasions
despite the fact that Jesus told the Twelve they would
rule on twelve
thrones and judge Israel. The only real historical facts that
Paul mentions in his letters concerning
Jesus was that he was crucified and had
a brother Jesus. Paul's letters display
a bizarre degree of ignorance of
Jesus' teachings. In fact, Paul contradicts
the teachings of Jesus so many times, many
scholars conclude that
Paul was
the founder of Christianity instead
of Jesus.
The following is a list of just some the
major contradictions of Paul's teachings
with Jesus concerning social issues and
religious issues.
Paul contradicted Jesus on these important
issues:
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