Comments on: 90 Minutes in Heaven; 120 Minutes in Hell http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/ by Hemant Mehta Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:01:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Kyle http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-653604 Kyle Thu, 03 Feb 2011 05:22:12 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-653604 Hello... Veronica, your spiel about the planets and stars made me laugh out loud. Who designated where the sun stands? The sun is situated at the center of our galaxy; its gravitational pull keeps the planets on their continuous paths. Our earth is lush because our earth was formed at the perfect distance from the sun. If Mercury and the earth switched places, Mercury would be the lush blue planet with creatures and we'd be the desolate, hot, dry rock. People that believe that we magically appeared here are naive. We're simply just creatures that have developed past others; we've reached a point where we believe we're unique, we believe that we're different than any other being. We may have developed very differently, but in the end we're just lifeforms. Religion was created by mankind as a rule book. It's very ironic... the bible was created to pretty much scare people from doing the wrong thing, but it also creates global tension and even wars. Our earth is beautiful, and I love and enjoy it but I'm not going to turn my head from the truth like most Christians. I know that when I die, the electrical impulses controlling my body will cease and my organs will quit... perhaps my mind will remain. Our subconscious may be the heaven everybody desires. No more pain, suffering, stress; just memories floating endlessly throughout the rest of time. Our mind may travel to its own made up "heaven" or maybe even its own "hell." There's no way of knowing the exact truth, and believing in a god is reassuring, especially in times when assurance is needed. However, the truth is that it's impossible to know. Science is really the only truth, and it's being improved every day. Hello… Veronica, your spiel about the planets and stars made me laugh out loud. Who designated where the sun stands? The sun is situated at the center of our galaxy; its gravitational pull keeps the planets on their continuous paths. Our earth is lush because our earth was formed at the perfect distance from the sun. If Mercury and the earth switched places, Mercury would be the lush blue planet with creatures and we’d be the desolate, hot, dry rock.

People that believe that we magically appeared here are naive. We’re simply just creatures that have developed past others; we’ve reached a point where we believe we’re unique, we believe that we’re different than any other being. We may have developed very differently, but in the end we’re just lifeforms.

Religion was created by mankind as a rule book. It’s very ironic… the bible was created to pretty much scare people from doing the wrong thing, but it also creates global tension and even wars.

Our earth is beautiful, and I love and enjoy it but I’m not going to turn my head from the truth like most Christians. I know that when I die, the electrical impulses controlling my body will cease and my organs will quit… perhaps my mind will remain. Our subconscious may be the heaven everybody desires. No more pain, suffering, stress; just memories floating endlessly throughout the rest of time. Our mind may travel to its own made up “heaven” or maybe even its own “hell.”

There’s no way of knowing the exact truth, and believing in a god is reassuring, especially in times when assurance is needed. However, the truth is that it’s impossible to know. Science is really the only truth, and it’s being improved every day.

]]> By: Jesse http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-403760 Jesse Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:32:29 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-403760 One thing that I have seen no skeptic come up with an answer to is why people who have no faith persuasion whatsoever have these experiences. If you want to say that the brain is still working even though it's imperceptible to medical equipment, fine, but one would expect that only those who expected there to be life after death would have these experiences. However, that is not the case. Many athiests have had near-death experiences. One thing that I have seen no skeptic come up with an answer to is why people who have no faith persuasion whatsoever have these experiences. If you want to say that the brain is still working even though it’s imperceptible to medical equipment, fine, but one would expect that only those who expected there to be life after death would have these experiences. However, that is not the case. Many athiests have had near-death experiences.

]]> By: Rene Jorgensen http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-400986 Rene Jorgensen Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:19:06 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-400986 It's a good book and Piper should be congratulated for sharing his Near Death Experience. Only readers should be aware of one serious mistake he makes in the book which is to jump from hearing songs praising Jesus and meeting fellow Christians in heaven to religious fundamentalism. Research of Near Death Experiences show that there is no evidence to support that heaven is exclusively for Christians, or a narrow interpretation of the Bible, as experiences of heaven happen in all cultures and religions. Cross cultural studies of Near Death Experiences show that the Golden Rule truly means that we must love our neighbor - even if this person is of another faith - and "hell" is not something we can simply throw around when we disagree with people. If you have not fallen asleep in Christ, or simply use reason as well, and want to know what people who have Near Death Experiences truly experience in Heaven, have a look at my book Behind 90 Minutes in Heaven. It’s a good book and Piper should be congratulated for sharing his Near Death Experience. Only readers should be aware of one serious mistake he makes in the book which is to jump from hearing songs praising Jesus and meeting fellow Christians in heaven to religious fundamentalism. Research of Near Death Experiences show that there is no evidence to support that heaven is exclusively for Christians, or a narrow interpretation of the Bible, as experiences of heaven happen in all cultures and religions. Cross cultural studies of Near Death Experiences show that the Golden Rule truly means that we must love our neighbor – even if this person is of another faith – and “hell” is not something we can simply throw around when we disagree with people. If you have not fallen asleep in Christ, or simply use reason as well, and want to know what people who have Near Death Experiences truly experience in Heaven, have a look at my book Behind 90 Minutes in Heaven.

]]> By: Divine church of the I don't know http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-334808 Divine church of the I don't know Wed, 29 Jul 2009 01:52:00 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-334808 The biblical story of Lazarus is a real puzzler. What would be the first thing one would ask someone who just returned from the great beyond after, "Did you eat yet?" One would ask, "What is death like?" Amazingly, not one person asks Lazarus about his little trip. One chaplain attempts to spin the answer by insisting that the crowd was so stunned by the occurrence that they simply forgot to ask. The delusional theists always have an answer and when they don't they use the wild card response which is, "There are things that god wishes to remain a mystery." If only mere mortals could play that trump card once in a while. The biblical story of Lazarus is a real puzzler. What would be the first thing one would ask someone who just returned from the great beyond after, “Did you eat yet?” One would ask, “What is death like?” Amazingly, not one person asks Lazarus about his little trip. One chaplain attempts to spin the answer by insisting that the crowd was so stunned by the occurrence that they simply forgot to ask. The delusional theists always have an answer and when they don’t they use the wild card response which is, “There are things that god wishes to remain a mystery.” If only mere mortals could play that trump card once in a while.

]]> By: Kevin http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-278866 Kevin Thu, 05 Mar 2009 07:32:01 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-278866 I totally understand why people choose not to believe. You see all this suffering in the world and you wonder why God would allow such a thing to happen. It sounds silly to believe in a God that gives you eternal life. You are supposed to believe that God came out of no where and created this whole Universe? Now let me ask you something, how come it's soooo hard to believe there was a creator but yet it's not hard to believe that all of this around us happened by chance. The world as we know it, the sophisticated central nervous system that we all have. The fact that matter can't be created nor destroyed. The fact that if the sun was an inch further away, life wouldn't survive. You won't proof of God? You are seeing it everyday you wake up. Look at how beautiful our planet is. Look how perfect the Human Body is. I feel soooo sorry for non-believers but at the same time I understand why they feel that way. It's this simple people. Matter can't be created nor destroyed. The only way the Universe could have came about was by something not of this Universe. It has to be something spiritual, there is no other way it can happen. I really hope the Non-Believers come to their senses someday and realize that. Like I said, I understand why you feel the way you do but seriously guys, it is literally inpossible for all of this to happen by chance. There is a God and I hope you find him soon. Tomorrow could be too late. How easy would it be fore God to come back again and say "Hey everybody I am real, look at me" If he did that there would still be people who don't believe. Just open your eyes people, there is a God and he is all around you. I totally understand why people choose not to believe. You see all this suffering in the world and you wonder why God would allow such a thing to happen. It sounds silly to believe in a God that gives you eternal life. You are supposed to believe that God came out of no where and created this whole Universe?

Now let me ask you something, how come it’s soooo hard to believe there was a creator but yet it’s not hard to believe that all of this around us happened by chance. The world as we know it, the sophisticated central nervous system that we all have. The fact that matter can’t be created nor destroyed. The fact that if the sun was an inch further away, life wouldn’t survive. You won’t proof of God? You are seeing it everyday you wake up. Look at how beautiful our planet is. Look how perfect the Human Body is. I feel soooo sorry for non-believers but at the same time I understand why they feel that way.

It’s this simple people. Matter can’t be created nor destroyed. The only way the Universe could have came about was by something not of this Universe. It has to be something spiritual, there is no other way it can happen.

I really hope the Non-Believers come to their senses someday and realize that. Like I said, I understand why you feel the way you do but seriously guys, it is literally inpossible for all of this to happen by chance. There is a God and I hope you find him soon. Tomorrow could be too late. How easy would it be fore God to come back again and say “Hey everybody I am real, look at me” If he did that there would still be people who don’t believe. Just open your eyes people, there is a God and he is all around you.

]]> By: Veronica http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-173797 Veronica Thu, 29 May 2008 10:15:59 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-173797 Sometimes I pity people who do not believe..Christian you claim to be a Christian but do not believe in the dead rising again. Jesus himself said "even greater works than these shall they do...and yes in my country, just yesterday, someone pryaed for her sister who was dead and she came back to life. I have seen Emmanuel Twagirimana(the man who died for 7days) with my own eyes when he came to minister in our school and I do not see how someone can hallucinate for 7 days in the critical condition that he was in.Joel sax, This man died for 7days and rotted, but he was not buried because during the genocide i nRwanda, people were dying everywhere and no one had stregth, time to bury anybody as they were all running for their lives or nursing their won wounds. he shows us the scars in his body that were left by the fateful bomb, he showed us the place where his intenstines had started popping out, where he had been eaten up by jiggers and a place where his bone had been grafted from his leg to his arm. He has terrifying pictures in his book of the whole treatement process and you will definately see that no man would have gone through that accident and lived. Jesus already prophecied about unbelief when he talked about Lazarus that even when people will be sent from heaven/hell, they will never believe. As for MRIANNA I would rather live as if God is there and later find out that he doesnt exist, than live as if he is not there only to find out that He actually exists. the consequences of the latter belief are more grave than the first.And I know he lives because I talk to him everyday, and he talks back, whenever I am in a mess that makes me think there is no way out, and I make a simple prayer, he gets me out of it. I can see the devil is accomplishing his work in your lives (you too friendly atheist)by making yuo not belive and that exactly what he is here for, to comfuse you and make yuo think using your carnal mind instead of seeing things from a "God" point of view. For those who dont belive in God, look around you?How comes nature is so perfect? Who put the stars in the SKY and determined their distance from the earth-however powerful the eneegy a man can come up with, none can overshadow the sun that gives light to half of the world, who taught the sun where to stand in the morning?How come its far enough not to burn us and near enough to give us the light and energy we mean...look at the oceans, the flowers, the birds, I could go on and on-but you can be sure none of them put itself where it is...neither did you bring yourself to earth because really, you have no control of your life, someone else does-if you really had control over your life, then you wuold choose when to be born, when to get sick, when you will die..however clever man is, we have never found a solution to DEATH....because only one person holds the keys to death and life-and that is GOD, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He does not intend to have you go to hell, but you have the choice to go there. We who have chosen Christ, have oveecome death because by his death, we have eternal life (no wonder all these people who went to heaven never really died because they were alive in Spirit)...so my advice for you today is CHOOSE LIFE: CHOOSE JESUS CHRIST TODAY and your life will never be the same. SHUN THE DEVIL he hates with so much passion and he will ensure he will do anything in his power to see you go to hell and burn with him. HELL HAS NO EXIT and you have to make the decision to go to heaven while you are still alive...please don't take risks with eternity-it doesnt end Sometimes I pity people who do not believe..Christian you claim to be a Christian but do not believe in the dead rising again. Jesus himself said “even greater works than these shall they do…and yes in my country, just yesterday, someone pryaed for her sister who was dead and she came back to life. I have seen Emmanuel Twagirimana(the man who died for 7days) with my own eyes when he came to minister in our school and I do not see how someone can hallucinate for 7 days in the critical condition that he was in.Joel sax, This man died for 7days and rotted, but he was not buried because during the genocide i nRwanda, people were dying everywhere and no one had stregth, time to bury anybody as they were all running for their lives or nursing their won wounds. he shows us the scars in his body that were left by the fateful bomb, he showed us the place where his intenstines had started popping out, where he had been eaten up by jiggers and a place where his bone had been grafted from his leg to his arm. He has terrifying pictures in his book of the whole treatement process and you will definately see that no man would have gone through that accident and lived.
Jesus already prophecied about unbelief when he talked about Lazarus that even when people will be sent from heaven/hell, they will never believe.
As for MRIANNA
I would rather live as if God is there and later find out that he doesnt exist, than live as if he is not there only to find out that He actually exists.
the consequences of the latter belief are more grave than the first.And I know he lives because I talk to him everyday, and he talks back, whenever I am in a mess that makes me think there is no way out, and I make a simple prayer, he gets me out of it.
I can see the devil is accomplishing his work in your lives (you too friendly atheist)by making yuo not belive and that exactly what he is here for, to comfuse you and make yuo think using your carnal mind instead of seeing things from a “God” point of view.
For those who dont belive in God, look around you?How comes nature is so perfect? Who put the stars in the SKY and determined their distance from the earth-however powerful the eneegy a man can come up with, none can overshadow the sun that gives light to half of the world, who taught the sun where to stand in the morning?How come its far enough not to burn us and near enough to give us the light and energy we mean…look at the oceans, the flowers, the birds, I could go on and on-but you can be sure none of them put itself where it is…neither did you bring yourself to earth because really, you have no control of your life, someone else does-if you really had control over your life, then you wuold choose when to be born, when to get sick, when you will die..however clever man is, we have never found a solution to DEATH….because only one person holds the keys to death and life-and that is GOD, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He does not intend to have you go to hell, but you have the choice to go there. We who have chosen Christ, have oveecome death because by his death, we have eternal life (no wonder all these people who went to heaven never really died because they were alive in Spirit)…so my advice for you today is
CHOOSE LIFE: CHOOSE JESUS CHRIST TODAY and your life will never be the same.
SHUN THE DEVIL he hates with so much passion and he will ensure he will do anything in his power to see you go to hell and burn with him.
HELL HAS NO EXIT and you have to make the decision to go to heaven while you are still alive…please don’t take risks with eternity-it doesnt end

]]> By: Christian http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-141022 Christian Sun, 16 Mar 2008 23:58:35 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-141022 How did this man not bleed to death? His arm and leg were severed for 90 minutes? Yes I am a Christian, but I am as cautious as the next Christian when it comes to these stories. After all God instructed us to watch for false prophets. How did this man not bleed to death? His arm and leg were severed for 90 minutes?

Yes I am a Christian, but I am as cautious as the next Christian when it comes to these stories.

After all God instructed us to watch for false prophets.

]]> By: christian http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-118560 christian Fri, 25 Jan 2008 01:42:46 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-118560 i really dont know what to think about this. i heard about this book for the first time today, and i have already done big research. i dont think that this is real. i think that Don Piper could have sincerely believed that this happeneded to him. he could have been in acoma for that hour and half, and really not dead, and who knows what could have been going through the mind for that period. it is very probable that he was in fact in acoma, and more or less dreamed he was in heaven, and the dream was so realistic and so much how he pictured it that he really truly thought that he was there. point number 2. this defies the whole concept of christianity which boils down to faith. James 2 preaches all about faith. people here cant pull the old testement new testement card because its in the new testement. even if it were old testement, i guess if that doesnt matter, then it's linking to the new testement would be worthless. but anyway, that was a major sidetrack. many think that you have to see to believe. as a believer in the Lord, i am convinced not by physically seeing, but by experiencing God's presence. i believe i have "seen" him in a different fassion, and that came through faith, which is the root of christianity. So i dont believe that God would do this for that reason, which leads into point 3. If the Lord sent him back to earth, after being in heaven, tha would almsot be like the Lord sending him straight to hell itself. If he is heaven deserving, then why wouldn't the Lord, IF HE WAS TRULY DEAD FOR SOME PERIOD, not just keep him there. because unless you are lazerus or christ jesus himself who god himself said he raised from the dead, then that makes no since at all. think about it world i really dont know what to think about this. i heard about this book for the first time today, and i have already done big research. i dont think that this is real. i think that Don Piper could have sincerely believed that this happeneded to him. he could have been in acoma for that hour and half, and really not dead, and who knows what could have been going through the mind for that period. it is very probable that he was in fact in acoma, and more or less dreamed he was in heaven, and the dream was so realistic and so much how he pictured it that he really truly thought that he was there.

point number 2. this defies the whole concept of christianity which boils down to faith. James 2 preaches all about faith. people here cant pull the old testement new testement card because its in the new testement. even if it were old testement, i guess if that doesnt matter, then it’s linking to the new testement would be worthless. but anyway, that was a major sidetrack. many think that you have to see to believe. as a believer in the Lord, i am convinced not by physically seeing, but by experiencing God’s presence. i believe i have “seen” him in a different fassion, and that came through faith, which is the root of christianity. So i dont believe that God would do this for that reason, which leads into point 3.

If the Lord sent him back to earth, after being in heaven, tha would almsot be like the Lord sending him straight to hell itself. If he is heaven deserving, then why wouldn’t the Lord, IF HE WAS TRULY DEAD FOR SOME PERIOD, not just keep him there. because unless you are lazerus or christ jesus himself who god himself said he raised from the dead, then that makes no since at all. think about it world

]]> By: kevin http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-99977 kevin Sun, 09 Dec 2007 23:43:34 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-99977 you guys are going to be sorry...where is your proof that is a hallucinations...be open minded...i am glad that you guys are confident enough in you theory that god isn't real that you are willing to risk all eternity on it.....i stress ALL OF ETERNITY. i am not a perfect Christian i make plenty of mistakes but theres one mistake that i will never make and that is to feed into some atheist bull shit...you need to grow up and take a look around you...how do you think you got here....what do you think everything is.your soul will pay and when your rotting in hell and experiencing every horrible feeling imaginable to mankind magnified by thousands then you will realize. all i am saying is i dont understand how you think it is worth it to even risk it... get into something..try having faith....and may god have mercy on your soul you guys are going to be sorry…where is your proof that is a hallucinations…be open minded…i am glad that you guys are confident enough in you theory that god isn’t real that you are willing to risk all eternity on it…..i stress ALL OF ETERNITY. i am not a perfect Christian i make plenty of mistakes but theres one mistake that i will never make and that is to feed into some atheist bull shit…you need to grow up and take a look around you…how do you think you got here….what do you think everything is.your soul will pay and when your rotting in hell and experiencing every horrible feeling imaginable to mankind magnified by thousands then you will realize. all i am saying is i dont understand how you think it is worth it to even risk it… get into something..try having faith….and may god have mercy on your soul

]]> By: Mriana http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-99935 Mriana Sun, 09 Dec 2007 21:40:19 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/90-minutes-in-heaven-120-minutes-in-hell/#comment-99935 Oh my demoris, is that what you think? You think it is solely based on what we cannot see that we don't believe in your God or a historical Jesus? You think we base our ideas of heaven, hell, and a god being a human concept, based on what we can't see? Guys, if she says yes to all the above, shall we try to educate her? Oh my demoris, is that what you think? You think it is solely based on what we cannot see that we don’t believe in your God or a historical Jesus? You think we base our ideas of heaven, hell, and a god being a human concept, based on what we can’t see?

Guys, if she says yes to all the above, shall we try to educate her?

]]>