I don’t know what it is about us 21st century folks, but we want to see evidence of things that our ancestors readily accepted on faith. You have to prove to us that a virgin can give birth, that bodily resurrection is possible, that there’s a heaven, or that God even exists in this era of tsunamis and brutal dictatorships. Many have joined the ranks of the atheists or the non-churchgoing secularists when such definitive proof was not forthcoming. Indeed, even churchgoing Christians can secretly yearn for scientific and empirical reinforcement of our religious beliefs and are disappointed when such support is lacking.
To the rescue comes Dr. Eben Alexander. My first reaction was: he’s one of us: Virginia resident, Episcopalian, professional, 1976 UNC graduate (OK, that only resonates with me), social drinker (reformed), etc. He even mentions 2 close friends of mine in the first chapter of the book as being among his closest friends. So, in contrast with the anonymous accounts of near death experiences, this account was experienced by someone I may have met at some point in my life and who would fit right in at St. Stephen’s or at a Richmond cocktail party. My second reaction was that his account is far more than the out-of-body, light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel accounts that we have all heard and read about. It is detailed, it is vivid, it is magical, and he leaves the reader wishing for more – to the point of forgetting that his tour of heaven is taking place while family and friends are praying for his far-from-certain recovery. Lastly, because of his medical training and natural skepticism, Dr. Alexander had every reason to question his experience, yet could only conclude that it was indeed heaven that he experienced. There simply was no scientific explanation.
What resonates most of all, however, is that Dr. Alexander’s account just sounds right. It feels right. His description of an existence after this earthly life simply rings true. It’s consistent with Jesus’ teachings without being theological or even Christian. And I suspect that it’s consistent with other faiths as well. And it’s more than just wishful thinking, although everyone who reads Proof of Heaven wishes it were true. So, for me, Proof of Heaven has inspired a sense of conviction and even relief because deep down inside, it simply makes sense.
5 comments:
Thanks for this post, David. Many of us have balked at the word "proof" in the title, but we're nevertheless drawn to the book and find it compelling. Like you, I find that there's something about this book that "rings true." It doesn't "prove" anything, but it does resonate on a deep level with me. Proof has to do with knowledge that is based on empirical evidence. But there is such a thing as intuitive knowledge, also, which is the basis of our experience of love. I wish we paid more attention to intuitive knowledge, the kind of knowledge that is beyond proof and that needs community to help us test what we are sensing - is this just wishful thinking, or does it resonate deeply with others, also? In the 1960's a New Testament scholar, J.B. Philips, translated the NT into modern English. His experience of that did not lead him to embrace biblical literalism or inerrancy. But it did lead him to write a book called "Ring of Truth," in which he said something like what you're saying here - there's a deep "ring of truth" about the New Testament, about these human accounts of eternal things. I wonder if that's part of what many of us experience with Dr. Alexander's book.
I have thought quite a bit about David's post and Gary's response. I simply love their idea that Proof of Heaven "rings true" as it did so completely for me. I appreciate the discussions about the word "Proof" in the title being off-putting to many. My tact in thinking about this book – and what made it so magnificent – was not based on my believing that the book "proved" anything, but rather because it acted as a springboard for greater contemplation and faith because I so identified with Dr. Alexander’s underlying message. Great and inspired works do this because of the way they connect us with our spirituality, our struggles, and give us new tools for embracing God and exploring our relationship to Him. Faith is the key component, and I believe through His grace He supplies us with infinite ways to glean His power and glory and spiritually feed our faith. Proof of Heaven did that for me by providing a moment of revelation -- as momentous times of prayer, inspired people, books, and musical works have done for me in the past. After reading Proof of Heaven, I was reminded of how I have felt many times after listening to a beautiful performance of Handel's Messiah, or after the first time I saw the movie The Mission. A feeling that God is present and a connection to Him that is so strong and real that words do not suffice to describe it. Proof of Heaven inspired me on the deepest of levels to delve deeper into the Bible and to enrich my prayers in an attempt to become closer to Him. That, for me, signified the importance of this book. -- Jen Thompson
What remains with me after reading the Proof of Heaven is that Eban Alexander, like so many "scientific" or learned minds, had separated himself from a belief in God as a result of knowing so many details about how life functions at a purely organic level. In Alexander's case, this distancing from God happened in part, through an up-close and hands-on experience with the brain (the brain being given such a high level of importance in defining us). In his NDE, Alexander was reunited with his belief in God in this beautiful and extraordinary way. The use of the word PROOF is relevant only to those 'learned' men and women who have drawn the conclusion that there is no God because they have studied in such detail what constitutes life without accounting for its intricacy and non-randomness. It is precisely the symmetric beauty of life that announces the presence of God and promise of Heaven. Nevertheless, the book was a joy to read and as you have said, Gary, renews an intuitive sense of the promise of life beyond this one.
"Ringing true" is my experience with "Proof of Heaven." too. But what impresses me also is that "Proof" is going beyond where many of the preceding NDE books have gone, i.e., deeply within the general public. Has Dr. Alexander hit a nerve within a society becoming jaded by secular assaults?
Here's some of what I posted 2/27 on my own blog -- one which targets the writing community (and this is written somewhat provocatively to try to trigger discussion):
"...Seems that Dr. Eben Alexander's best-selling Proof of Heaven -- A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife -- is having an effect.
First, lots of people are talking about it, many excitedly. Secondly, it's selling. And most importantly, it's prompted a rebuttal, a sure sign that the Doctor's words have hit a chord.
If you go to Amazon's page on "Proof of Heaven," directly below it is a ponderously titled book: "A Christian rebuttal to Dr. Eben Alexander's Proof of Heaven, a Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife" by Robert Alan King.
I read aways into the "Look Inside" pages of the rebuttal, and I see nothing that does more than Bible-thump Dr. Alexander's work. As a Christian, I know how facile it is to pull scripture out of context and use it to prove one's views. Evidently King's problem is the credibility of Dr. Alexander's experience...
"...Proof of Heaven is a heart-felt expression of a man of science, a man who by his own admission was a "C and E" Christian -- that is, he went to church at Christmas and Easter - and more a part of the scientific world than that of faith ... until, that is, he came down with an astonishing disease that left him in a near-death state...."
Proof or not, the strong rebuttal so prominently displayed on Amazon is a tacit admission that "Proof of Heaven" is ringing some bells.
Doug, your comment is a timely one! Check out our "Playing Devil's Advocate" blog post for a few points to which you might like to respond. It is true that the book has struck a chord with its readers-- a melodic one for many, but discordant for some.
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