Into a Violent Darkness 

Howard Storm, a 38 year old art professor from Fort Thomas, Kentucky experienced a NDE.  One morning after visiting museums while on a vacation in Paris, he collapsed in his hotel bedroom.  In excruciating pain, Storm is rushed to the hospital, where he must undergo emergency surgery for a perforated stomach.  In agony, he closes his eyes.  When he opens them, he finds he is standing at his own bedside, looking down on his lifeless body as his wife sits nearby.  Frightened and somewhat angry that she is ignoring him, Storm hears voices calling him from the room.  Although wary, he follows the call, passing through walls and doors into a gray mist and cold, howling winds.  He was led into darkness, where, he says, he was emotionally tormented and physically abused.  When the torture became unbearable, he called out, “JESUS SAVE ME”.  Although Storm was an atheist at the time, when he called on Jesus, he instantly saw a pinprick of light, a ‘brilliant radiance that grew into a beacon’.  Howard recalled that he didn’t want to leave such warmth and love.4  In his book, My Descent Into Death he writes, “all my life I had thought that hard work was what counted.  My life was devoted to building a monument to my ego….All those things were gone now, and what did they matter?  I knew then that this was the absolute end of my existence in the world, and it was more horrible than anything I could possibly have imagined.  The choice we make in this world determines whether we are candidates for heaven or not.  If you don’t know the answer, you are in big trouble.  Fortunately, God wants us to come home and He has sent us Someone to show the way home.  His name is Jesus.”36

A View of Hell

In reviewing the numerous testimonies of individuals who’ve experienced NDEs, an overwhelming majority have had positive experiences with the exception of those who have attempted suicide.  Although only a small number of individuals comprise the suicide group, their testimonies all reveal negative reports (given in the next subtopic).  Cardiologist Dr. Maurice Rawlings, in his book, Beyond Death’s Door, reports that in his practice he has had patients who describe Hell during or immediately following resuscitation, but then forget about the episode shortly after recovery.  He states “I have found that most of the bad experiences are soon suppressed deeply into the patient’s subliminal or subconscious mind.  These bad experiences seem to be so powerful and disturbing that they are removed from the conscious recall so that only the pleasant experiences – or no pleasant experiences at all – are recollected.”  Later he states that researchers would find as many bad experiences as good ones if follow-up interviews can be conducted immediately following resuscitation.  This was confirmed in his later book, To Hell and Back wherein he reports that Dr. Charles Garfield found, “not everyone dies a blissful, accepting death…..Almost as many of the dying patients interviewed reported negative visions (demons and so forth), as reported blissful experiences, while some reported both. Note that this indicates a ratio of 50:50 for negative to positive experiences. 

Somewhat similar observations were made by Nancy Bush, President of IANDS (International Association for Near-Death-Experiences), as she has interviewed numerous individuals with negative near-death experiences as well.37 The following are a few testimonies of non-suicidal cases representative of those who have seen Hell.

Thomas Welch, in his chronicle Oregon’s Amazing Miracle, describes falling 55 feet from a trestle and landing on his head as an engineer’s helper at a logging mill: “I was dead as far as the world is concerned. The next thing I knew I was standing near a shoreline of a great ocean of fire. It happened to what the Bible says it is in Revelation 21:8. “…the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.” This is the most awesome sight one could ever see this side of the final judgment. It’s easy to talk about and describe something you have seen. I know there is a lake of fire because I have seen it. I know Jesus Christ is alive in eternity. I have seen Him.38

In one case, Dr. Rawlings resuscitates a patient who “died” while performing a stress test in his office: He represented one of those rare instances where the EKG (electrocardiograph) not only went “haywire”, but the heart stopped altogether.  Dr. Rawlings states, ‘Each time he regained heartbeat and respiration during resuscitation, the patient screamed, “I am in hell!”.  He was terrified and pleaded with me to help him.  I was scared to death.  In fact, this episode literally scared the hell out of me!  It terrified me enough to write Beyond Death’s Door.  He then issued a very strange plea: “Don’t stop!” You see, the first thing most patients I resuscitate tell me, as soon as they recover consciousness, is “Take your hands off my chest; you’re hurting me!”  I am big and my method of external heart message sometimes fractures ribs.  But this patient was telling me, “Don’t stop!”  Then I noticed a genuinely alarmed look on his face.  He had a terrified look worse than the expression seen in death!  He said, “Don’t you understand?  I am in hell.  Each time you quit I go back to hell!  Don’t let me go back to hell!”  After several episodes he finally asked me, “How do I stay out of hell?”  I told him I guessed it was the same principle learned in Sunday school – that I guessed Jesus Christ would be the One whom you would ask to save you.  Then he said, “I don’t know how. Pray for me.” So I had him repeat the words after as we worked – right there on the floor. A couple of days later I approached the patient with a pad and pencil in hand for an interview.  At his bedside I asked him to recall what he actually saw in hell. He said, “What hell?  I don’t recall any hell!”.’39

The following is a testimony from George Godkin of Alberta, Canada, who relates his near death affair in the midst of a prolonged critical illness in 1948: “I was guided to the place in the spirit world called Hell.  This is a place of punishment for all those who reject Jesus Christ.  I not only saw Hell, but felt the torment that all who go there will experience.  The darkness of Hell is so intense that it seems to have a pressure per square inch. It is an extremely black, dismal, desolate, heavy, pressurized type of darkness.  It gives the individual a crushing, despondent feeling of loneliness.  The heat is a dry, dehydrating type.  Your eyeballs are so dry they feel like red hot coals in their sockets.  Your tongue and lips are parched and cracked with the intense heat.  The breath from your nostrils as well as the air you breathe feels like a blast from a furnace.  The exterior of your body feels as though it were encased within a white hot stove.  The interior of your body has a sensation of scorching hot air being forced through it.  The agony and loneliness of Hell cannot be expressed clearly enough for a proper understanding to the human soul; it has to be experienced.40

On Suicide

Interestingly, there are individuals who have had NDEs following suicides.  Remarking from Dr. Moody’s observations, “These experiences were uniformly described as being unpleasant.”  Most report that the conflicts that they attempted to escape from by suicide were still present or existent when they “died”, but with added complications.  In their disembodied state they were unable to do anything about their problems, and in some cases they felt that they were being tormented by the very reason they committed the suicide in the first place.  For example, one woman who apparently was a teenager or young lady describes her feelings after suicide in this way:  This problem I was telling you about, you know, well, looking back on it now, of course, it doesn’t seem so important, from a more adult way of looking at it.  But at the time, as I was a person at that age, it really seemed very important… Well, the thing was, it was still around, even when I was “dead”.  And it was like it was repeating itself, a rerun. I would go through it once and at the end I would think, “Oh, I’m glad that’s over,” and then it would start all over again, and I would think, “Oh, no, not this again.”  

Some said they also had to view the unfortunate consequences which resulted from their acts.  Others have reported an unpleasant “limbo” state and have remarked that they felt they would be “there” for a long time. There was a penalty for “breaking the rules” by trying to release themselves prematurely from what was, in effect, an “assignment” to fulfill a certain purpose in life.  Incredibly, people who had NDEs through normal or accidental deaths have stated that while in their NDE, it was intimated to them that suicide was an act that that would result in a severe penalty as described by one man who had a NDE after an accident: “While I was over there (during NDE), I got this feeling that two things it was completely forbidden for me to do would be to kill myself or to kill another person….If I were to commit suicide, I would be throwing God’s gift back in his face….Killing somebody else would be interfering with God’s purpose.41

Other testimonies by suicide victims are given as follows: One man who wanted to be with his wife who had recently died, shot himself and states: “I didn’t go where my wife was. I went to an awful place….I had immediately saw the mistake I had made… I thought. “I wish I hadn’t done it.”42

One girl committed suicide by taking a whole bottle of aspirin.  During an episode of vomiting while recovering in the hospital from an acidosis induced coma, she inhaled some vomitus and developed spasms of the vocal cords.  She stopped breathing and subsequently went into cardiac arrest. Upon cardio-pulmonary resuscitation procedure, she kept crying out, “Mama, help me! Make them let go of me! They’re trying to hurt me!” The doctors tried to apologize for hurting her, but she said it wasn’t the doctors, but “Them, those demons in hell….they wouldn’t let go of me….they wanted me….I couldn’t get back….It was just awful!”43

One of Dr. Ring’s respondents who attempted suicide states: “So I think God was trying to tell me that if I commit suicide I’m going to hell, you know. So I’m not going to think about suicide anymore (nervous laughter).”44

Dr. Moody found that all of the respondents he interviewed would never again consider attempting suicide. Their common attitude is that they had made a mistake, and that they were very glad they had not succeeded in their attempts.  This is echoed as well by those who go through a NDE.  While most felt they did not want to come back from “death”, nonetheless they all disavow suicide as the means of returning to that state.  They came back saying that they felt they have learned in the course of their experience that they have a purpose to fulfill here in life.  They return with a serious, dedicated attitude toward life and living. Absolutely no one that Dr. Moody has interviewed has sought a repeat performance of their suicide experience.45

Conclusion

Based on the testimony of those who have had valid NDEs, we find that these individuals are in a way tremendously blessed.  This is true because they have been given a unique glimpse of a place referred to by Jesus as Paradise.  We are reminded that when Jesus was on the Cross, one of the two thieves who was on the opposite side of the other (Jesus was in the middle) blasphemed Jesus by saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” The other thief retorted to the one taunting Jesus and bluntly told him that they deserved their punishment while Jesus had done no wrong.  After that, the thief who chastised the other thief asked Jesus if He would remember him as He entered His kingdom, indicating that he recognized and accepted Jesus for whom He was.  In response, Jesus promised he would see Paradise that very day (Luke 23: 39-43). Therefore, this scripture identifies Paradise seen by those who have had NDEs, which represents heaven during the age of Grace, otherwise known as the Church Age.  

Due to the fact that NDE similarities go far beyond mere coincidence, I am convinced that a common purpose and goal is intended to be conveyed by those who have had such experiences.  At the same time, I am absolutely amazed at the common characteristics that are so exhibited by an overwhelming majority of those who experience NDEs.  When we read that many exclaim similar feelings of love and compassion that are beyond description, incredible peace and contentment, no condemnation, seeing cities and streets made of gold, flowers, birds and beautiful music that best describes Paradise; I am convinced that these people were given true visions of heaven. First, it was meant for each person to come to the conclusion that there is only one God, a living God, who cares very much about them and is personally concerned about their lives and the eternal hereafter.  Secondly, that God has made provision for us to know Him through His only Son, Jesus Christ.  It is through the death of His Son that we can be reconciled to God so we may receive eternal life through Him. The Son made a specific promise that He would go prepare a place for us identified as heaven.  What better evidence exists when people actually give testimony that they have seen mansions in their near death experiences?  Does this not confirm Jesus’ statement that in His Father’s house there are many mansions as expressed in John 14:2?  Because such a large number of people, well over 30 million documented cases, have seen a place that best describes heaven, would it not be a true that such a place truly exists?  A verdict in court most certainly would warrant a “yes” based on overwhelming eyewitness testimony. This cannot be overemphasized. 100% of all those who have returned to life from a verifiable clinical death believe there exists life after death in a place that best describes heaven.  Many have come to this conclusion because the realm they experienced was so real.  At the same time it linked the realm of heaven to the God of Israel, His Son, the Holy Spirit and the angels as described in the Holy Bible.  Is there any reason you would not believe them?  Even the young girl described earlier, dying of leukemia, was given a vision of hearing and seeing angels sing. No doubt it is for the purpose of giving evidence not only for her parents, but for all people like you and I, of an eternal place called heaven that was created by a mighty living God.  We also need to realize that God never created hell for you and I.  It was an abode originally created only for Satan and his angels, known today are today called demons.  However, when Adam and Eve (the first man and woman) sinned on earth they brought death to not only their physical bodies but spiritual being as well.  Their rebellion to God’s command, not to eat the fruit from the tree of life, brought separation to them from God.  Sadly, their generational sin carried over to all humankind.  Thankfully, God provided His Son, Jesus Christ, as atonement for all our sin, inherited and acquired (thru our own deeds), so we can be reconciled back to Father God.  Now, that is Good News!  

One of the greatest difficulties I had when writing this book was the arrangement of the chapters.  I wanted this book to appeal to both scientifically inclined individuals and those on the other end of the spectrum.  The chapters such as Creation of Space and Time and In the Beginning are the most scientifically based chapters. And I must admit personally, they are my most favorite chapters when it comes to giving verifiable scientific proof for God and the Bible.  However, on a more supernatural level I have the greatest joy reading about the testimonies of individuals who have experienced going to heaven.  I believe this is so because I yearn to know who Jesus is and what all who love Him can anticipate in not only in the herenow but what our future life with Him will be like.  Based on the testimonies I have read and my experiences with Him thus far, I am so looking forward to heaven.  And because as a believer I am fully convinced that Jesus is Who says He is, I am as equally convinced that heaven is real, with the mental understanding that once I physically die (unless Jesus comes first to Rapture His body of believers before the Day of the Lord), I anticipate to be in heaven – forevermore.  Now that I’m entering the latter years of my life, the reality of “forevermore” is becoming more appealing every day although it still defies explanation or understanding unless you can experience a “heavenly” NDE.  However for the unbeliever, the question most often posed is if NDEs are true, how can one know that the “being” of light that exudes such love, peace and acceptance is the real Jesus of the Bible? 

To some, Jesus Christ appeared as described in the Gospels.  To others, He manifested Himself in different forms.  Because the abundance of characteristics are so persuasive to His identity, those who did not immediately come to the conclusion that they were looking at Jesus were given a sufficient measure of faith mixed with “their” experience to believe this to be true based on their experience and evidence provided. This evidence can be corroborated through 1) the Holy Bible, 2) personal testimony from other individuals, and 3) reading and/or hearing the testimony of others who have encountered a NDE (such as presented in this book).  Not each and every person needs to go through a NDE to become a believer. This is shown by the great multitudes who have come to Christ before NDEs were ever publicly acknowledged.  However, we all have to become serious at one time or another to face the ultimate question; is Jesus Christ the only way to heaven?  Ultimately, all need to answer this question for themselves.  It is the responsibility for each and everyone of us to make a free will choice based on the summation of the facts, testimonies, truths and grace that the Lord has provided. That is why the writer in Hebrews 4:7 admonishes all, “TODAY, IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS”. Yet, in the final analysis, mankind is without excuse to the truth of His deity or existence.  Even if NDEs, signs, wonders, scientific facts or testimonies were never given, Romans 1:20 gives a most sober admonition and warning to all; “God made it evident to mankind that the creation of the world, His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that mankind is without excuse.” Romans 1:20

But what amazing grace and mercy God gives mankind to hear and read of testimonies such as those you have been able to read in this chapter thereby providing additional proof of His existence beyond that given in Romans 1:20.  Not only this, you have in your hands additional chapters that solidifies and extends His care and love for you by giving even further proof for His existence.  It’s as though He would ask the question, “What more do you need?”  

Recently, there has been a popularization of a certain book (and others like it) titled, Embracing the Light by Betty Eadie and a sequel titled, The Awakening Heart. The author states she experienced a NDE and met a being of light who told her that all individuals will enter into this state of existence.  She contends that the being of light told her that you can believe in any religion and be saved.  In fact, the being even told her we are to be tolerant of these religions and that “he” gave her understanding that each religion supplies a different level of spiritual knowledge.  To quote Betty, “As an individual raises his level of understanding about God and his own eternal progress, he might feel discontented with the teaching of his present church and seek a different philosophy or religion to fill that void.”  There is no question that either one of two things happened. Either she was not talking to the real Jesus or she completely misunderstood what “He” meant.  This can only be so because Jesus wanted His body of believers become as one. “I do not ask in behalf of these alone (refers to all believers in Jesus Christ through the Age), but for those who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou dids’t send Me.” John 17:21,22 (NAS). It is very simple to most Christians. Their teacher ultimately is both the Holy Bible and the Spirit of God whom Jesus spoke of as the “Teacher” and “Comforter” whom He would send after He went to be with the Father.  Nowhere in the Bible is it stated that we are to seek in another philosophy or religion.  In fact, the Bible warns against such things (read Galations 1:8-90) .  Then, on the following page Betty Eadie asserts that all people existed as spirits in the pre-mortal world and took part in the creation of the earth.  There is no scriptural evidence for this whatsoever.  Sadly I have concluded that Betty and those who believe her are being duped into the New Age precept that man can be like God, create that which he wishes and do what he/she “wills” for eternal blessings.  Again, this is evidence of an antichrist spirit which attempts to diminish and negate the preeminence of Christ as God who will always be King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

In the next chapters we will present the most recent scientific evidence that establishes infallible proof for the existence of God. This is extremely significant, for the evidence suggests without exception that God created the universe outside of the four dimensions that constitute it. In doing so, it has been shown that God uses His extra-dimensionality as the means to create it.  Based on this evidence, religions and “holy books’ that state this universe to be infinite and time eternal are false.  This leaves us with only three major religions left in the world that believe in monotheism. These religions are Islam, Judaism and Christianity.  Of the three, there is only one that claims a Savior came almost 2,000 years ago to forgive the sins of all mankind by His death on a Cross.  After His death, He was resurrected, as He so predicted, to make Paradise available to all who would believe in Him.  Of the three remaining religions, only believing and accepting the pardon of one Savior fulfills the need for mankind to be saved from eternal damnation. The only other manner to be saved would be to live by the strict regulations given in Judaism as administered under the law of Moses as given from God.  Breaking only one law of the total 613 laws would be sufficient grounds for damnation.  However, even this option is no longer available since the Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. so that Temple services can no longer atone for ones sins by the priests who were given authority to do so.  Proof of this Savior, known as Christ Jesus (meaning the Anointed Savior) was provided to mankind in three ways.  First, the truth to His claim that He would be resurrected upon the third day was proven, for on the third day His body was never to be found.  Secondarily, a burial cloth known as the Shroud of Turin has imprinted on its surface the irrefutable image of Christ Jesus, as reminder to this world that His claim of the resurrection is true and real, as the next chapter will show.  Thirdly, and most important, all have been given access to the grace of God, which is the sole force that allows mankind to be reconciled to Him.  And it is in Jesus Christ that we see grace manifested unto the world.

Lastly, I have included an incredible event that took place on Nov. 30, 2001.  This event is the videographed testimony and taping of Daniel Ekechukwu’s resurrection from the dead.  It is a short summary and is included to provide further proof for the power of the only living God Who can bring life after death. 

Raised From the Dead

  On Nov. 30, 2001, Nigerian pastor Daniel Ekechukwu was killed in a car accident near the town of Onitsha, Nigeria.  He was pronounced dead by the medical staff at two different hospitals and a death certificate was issued.  Thereafter his corpse was sent to the mortuary where he was embalmed and prepared for burial.  Yet his wife had a resoluteness of incredible faith that would not allow her to accept his death.  Three days later she brought the casket with the body of her husband to a church nearby as the late Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke was conducting a service.  In the basement of the church, the only God that can give life raised Pastor Daniel from the dead.  A live video recording was made.  In the video, Daniel, his wife, the doctors, the mortician and others give eyewitness accounts of what occurred.  Also, Daniel speaks about his visitation to both heaven and hell.  He was also told that this generation is receiving the last warning before the return of Jesus Christ.  Not only is it a most riveting testimony, but is direct proof that being raised from the dead is only a feat Jesus has the power to perform.  Again the question that begs to be answered is, will you accept Jesus so you too can experience life, not only in this very temporary abode called earth, but for the eternal life that is awaiting you in heaven?  (NEXT CHAPTER)

P.S. – See Appendix I for a compilation of scriptures which speak of Jesus as being the only way to the kingdom of heaven as so expressed in the Bible.  This may be of help to solidify greater written evidence, some made specifically by Jesus Himself and others made by His disciples for edification.