Mellen-Thomas Benedict's NDE Provided Answers, Because He ASKED

FWIW, I've invited Mellen-Thomas Benedict to do an Ask Me Anything here on ATS. Let's see if he accepts, I hope he does.

reply to post by Klassified


"My question would be twofold concerning that. Not that I expect you, or anyone else to answer them. Why is the process not more straightforward, instead of the "feedback loop"? What is the purpose of looking at, and examining those beliefs at that point, if we understand that's all they were?" Quote Klassified

The process really is straightforward...for all beings infused with the mechanism of free will...which is like the butterfly of the butterfly effect. An easier method would have been to strictly impose automaton status, and dispense with free will...a bit boring when what you're doing is splitting yourself into uncountable splinters and trying to experience things on an individuated level...so the basic mechanism is free will.

Feedback loops are what are used in servo-mechanisms to reach a target (in the case of the individuated 'splinter' - whatever it was you generally wanted to experience for your own progress)...self-correction (free will) determines to a greater degree, the path of travel, and whether it is a meandering jaunt, or a journey into 'hell'.

Many processes (including the life wheel) utilise examination of progress - think of 'reviewing your life' as the reflection stage...stopping to admire the painting already done, and determine where you want to take it when next you pick up the brush.

The incarnate stage lets you put things into practice...and there are many who choose a situation that is near on impossible to understand why this choice was made - much easier for people to assume you couldn't have chosen particular situations, but then not everyone gets challenged by skydiving or russian roulette-type activities.

Å99

Whether true or not Wildtimes, this man's account is the same exact thought process I have in regards to death and life here on Earth.

One can look at nature and realize we live in a cosmos that recycles. Nothing is ever lost.

We experience what we "believe" in and this is why more Christians experience Hell.. so the studies have shown me when studying NDE.

I will be back later to add more of my own thoughts to this exciting subject. I am off to work for now.

reply to post by Klassified

It's a shame that interview with George Noory was removed from YT. It was interesting, and he answers some questions about religion, life review, etc. in there. There are several videos of him on youtube, if anyone is interested.

The jury is still out for me, concerning much of this. Nevertheless, I believe this guy believes what he is saying. And I believe he experienced something in the time he was dead. Thanks for posting this, Wild. Food for thought.

reply to post by akushla99

Thanks for taking the time to write all that in response Akushla. A very interesting perspective. More food for thought.

Thanks to Springer!!! I hope he does grace us with his time and thoughts.

I'm reading through M Aquino's thread bit by bit - interestingly, I hadn't read it before I started this thread, but some of the points he's making are quite pertinent to the subject here as well!

To everyone else - thanks for participating. Do any of you have NDE links/stories that we can add to 'compare and contrast' to Mr Benedict's?

reply to post by Springer


AWESOME!! I hope he does. This will be the most interesting guest to date if he does come on.
Assuming his experience is authentic, we will be going 'to the source' to hear about what to
expect after this life.

reply to post by FlyersFan


I know! Right? It's pretty exciting!!

I wonder if it would put an end to this forum....or make him from screaming from ATS, ne'er to return. (Probably neither, but it sure would be an exciting run!)

Oh my, I'm having to remember to be a grown-up - but, I feel like a giddy little kid at the thought of getting to read his answers to our questions!

This is directly from the source linked in the OP:

all the Higher Selves are connected as one being, all humans are connected as one being, we are actually the same being, different aspects of the same being.

We ARE ALL CONNECTED.

I hope we hear back from him soon. In the meantime I watched an interesting vid today on youtube:


Also, I ordered a couple of books:
Near-Death Experiences, The Rest of the Story: What They Teach Us About Living and Dying and Our True Purpose
Atwater, P.M.H.
and
Paranormal: My Life in Pursuit of the Afterlife
Moody, Raymond and Perry, Paul

I'm excited to receive them.

reply to post by wildtimes

Wild, you are insatiable, aren't you? If you keep this up, someday you're going to be hearing you on Coast to Coast.

BTW. I still haven't finished reading what you sent me. But I promise, I will, and will get back to you on it. Life keeps getting in the way this year.

reply to post by wildtimes


Ha! Yes, yes we are.

Read my signature, because that is something I firmly believe. If that was wrong.. I would cry... but I feel as though I have evidence from my own experiences.

FYI~ I am going to see Theresa Caputo this Saturday. I am hoping to connect, however there will be sooo many people there I doubt I will be able to unless my loved ones really beat the rest. It's possible....

My dad at one time had a huge book filled with NDE's. I don't know if he still has it. If I ever talk to him again I will ask him. My mom tells me he did extensive research around the time he was going for his Doctrine degree.

I researched it for years as well, always read the newest book on it, and still til this day get more joy listening and reading experiences of NDE's.

Main reason why I got so into (1999) it is because of the deaths that have hit close to me throughout my 40 years beginning at the age of ten. Most recently I lost one of my friends while taking her to the Dr..

She was not ill, other than having diabetes. It was a fun morning for the both of us and while at the Dr. she had a heart attack... took one breathe in and died right in front of me, the Dr., and the Nurse.

Do I think she is gone forever? No.. I don't think any of my loved ones are gone forever.

My step-son suffered with Leukemia for almost 5 years, and in 1999 he lost the battle. He is the reason why I seeked so hard for so many years and continue to do so.

Right after he died, we connected.

The night Josh passed, at 1 am in the morning, it happened.

My brother and I were chatting back and forth online and back then we had answering machines.

He had just IM'ed me and said that all the deer I saw out in the field earlier that day and when the radio went static at the same time (seeing the herd of deer)....and how I connected with it thinking Josh was talking to me.. He said, of course Jenn, It's your forgotten sense... the sixth sense.

He then IM'ed me and said if you believe it was him???? Then, so it was.

Right then, right after I read that, the answering machine came on. The PHONE DID NOT RING!!

My heart started racing.. I KNEW IT WAS HIM TELLING ME HE WAS OK!!! I started crying and told my brother what happened. He said, "I told you".

IT CAME ON AGAIN!!!

I ran upstairs and woke up my husband and told him ... but the experience will never be able to be enacted and felt the way I felt that night.

I have so many more cool stories but that one and the one with my Grandfather is the most compelling... for me.

Not really a NDE, but an After death experience.. and ADE. hahaha

Here is a cool video of a Neurosurgeon who had a NDE. Before his experience he did not believe in life after death. He met a sister he never knew he had. Meeting her was compelling evidence of his story/experience and why he cannot deny there is more to death than the end... its a continuum.



Oh yeah... Edit to Add:

The next morning, after Josh "spoke to me" my mom told me she didn't know if it was a dream or real but that Josh hovered over her and she got the feeling he was looking for me and his dad. I don't know what to make of that, but I believed her.

So I just got back from walking the dog (our beagle is named Daisy) ... and I got to talk with my neighbor who is just back from a month in the hospital. While there .. he DIED a few times. Code blue. And he was on life support for a few weeks. He remembers being dead. He popped out of his body a few times and watched the hospital staff work on the body. He remembers 'the tunnel'. He saw 'The Light' at the end of the tunnel. He also says that there was an Indian woman in the tunnel with him but he doesn't know who it was or why she was there. Interesting talking with him ...

I thought I'd post this link for those interested ... it's a thread I started a month ago ...

Near Death Experiences - It's all about LOVE
Kinda interesting and it goes with the theme of this thread.

Just to let you all know, there's no response yet from Benedict as to participation in an AMA.

Hopefully soon, though!!

Excellent thread.
He's had a genuine experiences. Hope he accepts Jesus as his Lord and Saviour,
now that he is back here and didn't cross over.

reply to post by Angelic Resurrection


What happens if he don't accept Jesus?..Furthermore, how do you know he hasn't?..does there always need to be a conscious effort of this?..can one have Jesus and not even be aware?

I'm a christian and I believe one must accept Christ, But were arguing semantics here really, and being totally arrogant to think people need to be saved the way we think they need to be saved, God looks at the heart, and perhaps he looks to see if Christ is in it, whether the person is aware of it or not.

reply to post by Angelic Resurrection


I hope he learns to save himself. Teach a man to fish...isn't that how the old saying goes? I'd hate to think he'd spend the rest of his life eating self-acceptance out of some dead guy's hand. That's just awful.

gadfire
reply to post by Angelic Resurrection

 

What happens if he don't accept Jesus?..Furthermore, how do you know he hasn't?..does there always need to be a conscious effort of this?..can one have Jesus and not even be aware?

If he doesn't, then he would have wasted his second chance at life. If he has, then he's Saved.
Conscious effort yes. If one has a personal relationship with Jesus, then its not possible to
be unaware.

I'm a christian and I believe one must accept Christ, But were arguing semantics here really, and being totally arrogant to think people need to be saved the way we think they need to be saved, God looks at the heart, and perhaps he looks to see if Christ is in it, whether the person is aware of it or not.

edit on 17-10-2013 by gadfire because: (no reason given)

edit on 17-10-2013 by gadfire because: (no reason given)

Praise the Lord. No we are not arguing semantics here.
God looks at the heart, when you ask Jesus to come into you.
But you have to Ask Him

reply to post by Angelic Resurrection

If he doesn't, then he would have wasted his second chance at life. If he has, then he's Saved.

Lemme break in for a second here. What the hell is with you people and demanding that immortal servitude be mandatory for everyone? People like you used to kill people like me. You used to torture and break us. Some of you still would, if you thought you could get away with it. You are literally an intellectual detriment to our species. There is no twist of mental gymnastics that comes even close to justifying such depravity. You are afraid, and you want everyone else to be afraid too. That's sick. You can't let us be human and be happily alive for 80 years before dying peacefully and permanently. Your insecurities have to be everyone elses' insecurities.

You know what's sicker than being a coward? Pounding that cowardice into everyone else. Doing your damnedest to make sure you're surrounded by insecure and shallow people who will never learn what it means to find their own significance in life, to forge their own path, and appreciate it all the more because they did.


I'm not trying to be mean. I'm being brutally, painfully honest here. Your efforts to bury your insecurities are painful to watch. That's bad enough. Knowing that you will continue to ignore those fears even as they continue to operate and undermine you, knowing this will only perpetuate your woefully inadequate attempts to stomp them out. But to indoctrinate other people into living the same way? That's infuriating.

AfterInfinity
What the hell is with you people and demanding that immortal servitude be mandatory for everyone?

Unclean spirit leave this person at once, in Jesus Name

reply to post by Angelic Resurrection


My gosh..what a way to cop out.