Near-death experiences are not proof of an afterlife

Greetings.

Jewish date:  24 Nisan 5770 (Parashath Shemini).

Today’s holidays:  Day 9 of the ‘Omer (Judaism), Birthday of the Buddha (Buddhism), Thursday in the Octave of Easter (Roman Catholicism), Feast for the Three Days of the Writing of the Book of the Law (Thelema), Feast of St. Geronimo (Church of the Subgenius).

Worthy causes of the day:  “ColorOfChange.org:  Keep the Internet open” and “Save the Critically Endangered Mexican Gray Wolves - The Petition Site”.

Image of a ketamine molecule via Wikipedia

Topic 1:  “The Ketamine Model of the Near Death Experience: A Central Role for the NMDA Receptor”. This may go over the heads of many readers.  The gist is that the author, Dr. Karl L. R. Jansen, claims that near-death experiences (NDEs)—the whole light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel business—can be reproduced by use of the drug ketamine.  That is not why I am noting this paper.  Instead, I would like to note this fragment:

Unfortunately, some scientists have been deterred from conducting research upon the NDE by claims that NDE's are evidence for life after death, and sensationalist media reports which impart the air of a pseudoscience to NDE studies. Irrespective of religous beliefs, NDE's are not evidence for life after death on simple logical grounds: death is defined as the final, irreversible end. Anyone who 'returned' did not, by definition, die - although their mind, brain and body may have been in a very unusual state.

One might quibble with Dr. Jansen on the definition of death; clinical death, in which the heart stops beating and the lungs stop breathing occasionally is reversible.  But, yes, a near-death experience is an experience which one may have near death.  Proof of an afterlife would require communication from someone who is actually dead.

Note:  I do believe in an afterlife, but only because I believe in a religion which holds by the existence of an afterlife—not due to any evidence which demonstrates that an afterlife exists.

Topic 2:  More on current anti-Semitism:  “Return of the Living Dead” and “FT: Promoting Demonization & Boycotts”.  The first article deals with the recent claim that the Gazan boy Muhammad Zen Ismail Al-Farmawi was killed by the Israeli Defense Forces.  Reports of his demise were premature, as he was found to be in Egyptian custody after illegally crossing the border.  This is only the latest in a series of events reported by “Palestinians” which turned out to be wildly inaccurate and biased to make Israel look bad.  The second deals with abuse of the term “apartheid” to make it apply to Israel.  (Shades of Nineteen Eighty-Four.)

Topic 3:  For today’s religious humor:  “I think I’ll pass, but thanks!”  (And I very much doubt that is what was intended when they made that movie.)

Peace.

Aaron

Joe Biden shoots his mouth off and someone sells bottled ghosts on eBay

Greetings.

Jewish date:  26 ’Adhar 5770 (Parashath Wayyaqhel-Fequdhe).

Today’s holidays:  Bahá’í Month of Fasting (Bahá’í Faith), Friday of the Third Week of Lent (Roman Catholicism), Feast Day of Jacobus Burgundus Molensis the Martyr (Thelema).

Worthy cause of the day:  “Save BioGems: Take Action: Protect the Spirit Bear”.

Image of no true friend of Israel via Wikipedia

Topic 1:  “YOUNG ISRAEL MOVEMENT CONDEMNS VP BIDEN'S COMMENTS ON JERUSALEM”.  Probably everyone by now has heard about US Vice President Joe Biden shooting his mouth off condemning Israel for deciding to build more housing units in eastern Jerusalem, i.e., in Israeli territory.  This article correctly notes the (probably unthinkingly) anti-Semitic discriminatory nature of Biden’s condemnation and how the tactic he is trying to use to move along the “peace process”, putting pressure on Israel, has no chance of working because the Palestinian Authority is interested in destroying Israel and has no real interest in making peace.  (The sad thing is that despite claims of being great friends of Israel, all the US presidential administrations at least as far back as Jimmy Carter have pressured Israel to do stupid things and appease terrorists in the name of “peace”.  Had John McCain been elected president, I fully expect that it would be Sarah Palin getting mad at Israel for no good reason instead of Joe Biden.)  Also notable on the topic of anti-Semitism:  “BBC Complaints: A Complaint in Itself” and “Expose ‘apartheid’ charge's real agenda”.

Topic 2:  “New Zealander auctions "ghosts" in a bottle”:  I appreciate the fact that the seller admits the effect of the exorcism might have just been psychological.  Rituals do often have psychological effects.  However, if I were buying bottled ghosts, I would want solid evidence that there really were ghosts in the bottles first.

Topic 3:  For today’s religious humor:  “Build Your Own Easter Island Kit” and “Build Your Own Stonehenge Kit”.

Peace.

Aaron

Militant atheist clichés, redefinition, and Israel in 1595

Greetings.

Jewish date:  14 Marḥeshwan 5770 (Parashath Wayyera’).

Today’s holidays:  The Days of the Dead (Hispanic Roman Catholicism), All Saints’ Day (Western Christianity). Feast of All Saints of the True Church (Thelema).

Worthy causes of the day:  “ACT for America:    We Call for a Formal Investigation
of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)”, “Release the Torture Memo Report”, “Help the Poor Deal with the Effects of Climate Change”, and “Take Action: Help permanently protect Americas Wildest Grassland”.

Topic 1:  Barry has noted that now, right after Halloween, would be a good time to go out and buy costumes for Purim.

Image via Wikipedia

Topic 2:  Chapters 5 through 9 of The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials, Book 2) by Philip Pullman.  A lot of this material is dedicated to progressing the plot (centered around a villain who has escaped from Lyra’s world) and the mechanics of inter-universe travel using a special knife (the “subtle knife” of the title of this book) which can cut holes between worlds.  Also showing up are:


A) Shamans among the Eskimos, more in mention that actually showing on-screen.  Their initiation requires going through a door into the “spirit world”.  Some never come back.


B) The Church in Lyra’s world keeping a close watch on scientific research, even censoring the results.  (Figures in a book written by a militant atheist.)


C) Horrible, barely visible monsters known as Specters which only attack adults.  They are viewed by some as Divine punishment for some sin.  (Also figures in a book written by a militant atheist; they like painting deities as mean and vengeful.)


D) Angels, otherwise known as bene elim (a genuine Hebrew term for angels) and Watchers.  They are seen in the form of winged, naked humans, largely due to the expectations of the witch who sees them, and they are working with Lord Asriel.  Lord Asriel, you will remember, is working towards killing God.  Reference is made to a rebellion of angels against God (think the fall of Satan) and angels breeding with humans.  The angels also have their own way to travel between worlds.  I am not clear what Pullman is planning with the angels, but intuition suggests a perverse version of Christian notions of angels.


E) The notion that Lyra/Pantalaimon and Will have destinies.


I am still not impressed with Pullman’s work, but after Pullman’s decision to have Lord Asriel working to kill God, there is little he can hope to do to redeem himself anyway.


Topic 3:  “The Goldstone Report - Using Terminology in Service of Deception”.  This article slams the misuse of the term “Palestinian”, noting how the term has actually been used historically.  Essentially the modern use of the term is a fabrication used to help fight the Israeli-Arab War.  Previously the term was geographical and when referring to humans only referred to Jews.  It was not applied to Muslims/Arabs until 1967.  Related to this is the article “Jews dominated the Holy Land in 1695”, which discusses a travelogue by Adriaan Reland, who visited Israel in 1695 and found a lot of Jews and extremely few Muslims/Arabs.


Peace, and start planning for Purim.

Aaron