Louis K ADC
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My experience happened in September 1982
I suppose I would classify it as a shared death experience. I was 27 at the
time.
My Father's family was Maronite Catholic from Lebanon. Mom converted to
Catholicism from a checkered Christian background, to marry my Dad. He was at
best a nominal Catholic, in name only, while my Mom was 'rabid', a committed
all-out Catholic. As kids we only knew Roman Catholic nothing of Maronite. I was
raised quite literally under the shadow of the church. Our house was but one
house removed from the church yard, so we were steeped in the church,
traditions, community. My brother even tried seminary for Junior High School to
become a Catholic missionary, but didn't follow through. Us 4 kids were close in
age, I was #3.
When I was 18 I had the first mystical experience that I remember, where I
believe God answered my first deep heart-felt prayer. I was a depressed
teen-ager, lonely, questioning existence. I sat in the middle of a field of tall
grass, then demanded of God that if He was real, that he heal my eyes (I had
worn glasses since age 12, hated them). The answer I got, more of a revelation
than words, was, 'Isn't it a miracle that you can see anything at all?! (I love
science and gadgets so I knew the eye was a fascinating machine.) Do I have to
heal your eyes for you to believe?' WOW! I knew it wasn't my mind, this was a
communication from someone or somewhere else. I could only conclude it was from
God. I felt utterly humiliated, having asked for such a selfish superficial
thing, yet elated that God had answered me!
Now a hunger was born in me to find this God that spoke to me! That journey led
me to join a Christian missionary group where I travelled across the US and
Mexico, met my wife and started a family.
Some months before my Father's death, my wife and I decided, since we were
living mobile in a small tent trailer; that we would go to Texas for my Mom's
family reunion. Little did we know that my wife had contracted hepatitis B.
After the reunion we went to Dallas to my parent's house. There my wife started
to show signs of sickness: fever, yellow eyes, etc.
My Dad refused to let us park our trailer in his back yard until my wife
could convalesce. So we had to find a park, my wife had to care for our 2 very
young daughters while I went out to work construction. We survived, but I was
angry with my Dad.
He died suddenly while accompanying my sister to Los Angeles for the Miss
Oriental USA beauty pageant. He was flown back to Dallas for burial.
As the funeral Mass went on, I said to myself that I should pray for him, even
though I was angry. BAM! IMMEDIATELY I was in the spirit! Suddenly, completely
unexpectedly, beyond anything I could have imagined. I felt as if I were
summoned to this 'tribunal'. There was almost no visual, everything was
telepathic communication. I felt as if I was standing, I was definitely at
attention, but I don't recall having
a body. I knew that God the Creator was in front of me, or His representative. I
seem to recall a light, but if so it was only a minor detail. I knew that my
father was on my left side in some form, though I didn't see him, I just knew. I
felt this was a special occasion, I was there for one purpose. The question was
posed, telepathically of sorts or heart to heart communication, 'Well?....' I
was being asked to give an opinion, a judgment on the life of my father. I said,
'I love him. I forgive him' and BAM I was back in my body and back at church!
Short and sweet!
I hadn't thought about the ramifications of this meeting beyond the judgment of
my Father, until I recently began listening to NDE accounts. Someone mentioned a
Shared Death Experience, and it seems like this could fall into that category.
I'm wondering if this was all for my Father, or if this judgment was staged for
my benefit? Did it really happen as part of the judgment of my father? Or was I
simply given the chance to make things right with him and God as he passed? Did
I need it to let go of the hurt?
How many times does a loved one, a family member or child get to put their two
cents in to the life judgment?
Why wasn't I shown around heaven? Or given the after death experience? I was not
the dead one, my father was. It wasn't about me. It was for his benefit I
presume, possibly for my benefit, but the judgment was for his benefit and
that's what I wanted to do is benefit him by my appearance. I remember feeling
awe that I was called to show up for him.
At the time
of your experience was there an associated life-threatening event?
No
Was the experience
difficult to express in words?
No
At what time during the
experience were you at your highest level of
consciousness and alertness? This was
a VERY short-term event, so, all of it.
How did your highest level
of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal
everyday consciousness and alertness?
More
consciousness and alertness than normal
I felt I was summoned, for a special
instance, for this specific purpose. I was completely present.
Please
compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had
immediately prior to the time of the experience.
This was not so much a visual experience, more just heart to heart
communication.
Please
compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had
immediately prior to the time of the experience.
This was not so much an auditory experience, more
just heart to heart communication.
Did you see
or hear any earthly events that were occurring during a time that your
consciousness / awareness was apart from your physical / earthly body?
No
What emotions did you feel
during the experience?
Awe, humility, introspection, love, concern for my
father
Did you pass into or
through a tunnel?
No
Did you see an unearthly
light?
Uncertain
This was not so much a visual experience,
more just heart to heart communication. I vaguely recall standing before a
light.
Did
you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable
voice?
I encountered a definite being, or a voice clearly of mystical or unearthly
origin
I felt or understood that I was in the presence
of God or His authorized representative, and I clearly understood the question
before me, 'Well...?' And that I was required to answer!
Did you encounter or
become aware of any beings who previously lived on earth who are described by
name in religions (for example: Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, etc.)?
No
Did
you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings?
Yes
My recently deceased Father.
Did
you become aware of past events in your life during your experience?
No
Did
you seem to enter some other, unearthly world?
A clearly mystical or unearthly realm
I can only describe
this place as a situation for judgment of my father. I can't even describe it as
a place as much as a situation. I didn't see much more than a light, thought I
knew an entity was before me that represented God, and that my father was on my
left hand side though I did not turn to see him. I just knew.
Did time seem to speed up or slow down?
No
Did
you suddenly seem to understand everything?
No
Did you reach a boundary
or limiting physical structure?
No
Did
you come to a border or point of no return?
No
Did scenes from the
future come to you?
No
During
your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness
suggesting that there either is (or is not) continued existence after earthly
life (“life after death”)?
Yes
I was summoned to testify for or against
my father. I understood that he was alive and that his future was somewhat
dependent on my judgment, though there was no hint as to what effect my
testimony would have on him or his future. I did not question the
appropriateness of my being there, I simply and obediently, in Godly fear,
answered the question, 'Well...?'
During
your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that God
or a supreme being either does (or does not) exist?
Yes
Again, I was summoned to testify for or
against my father. I understood that he was alive and that his future was
somewhat dependent on my judgment, though there was no hint as to what effect my
testimony would have on him or his future. I did not question the
appropriateness of my being there, I simply and obediently, in Godly fear,
answered the question, 'Well...?' the question was posed to me by someone with
the authority to call me out of my earthly existence into the spirit world, so
had my utmost reverence and attention.
During
your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that you
either did (or did not) exist prior to this lifetime?
No
During
your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that a
mystical universal connection or unity/oneness either does (or does not) exist?
No
During your experience,
did you encounter any specific information / awareness regarding earthly life’s
meaning or purpose?
No
During your experience,
did you encounter any specific information / awareness regarding earthly life’s
difficulties, challenges, or hardships?
No
During your experience,
did you encounter any specific information / awareness regarding love?
Yes
My answer to the question posed to me
regarding my judgment of my father was 'I love him, I forgive him.' So in that
sense I believe that my admission of love might have helped him but definitely
helped me to overcome my own emotions of anger.
During your experience,
did you encounter any other specific information / awareness that you have not
shared in other questions that is relevant to living our earthly lives?
No
Did you have a sense of
knowing special knowledge or purpose?
Yes
It was the only time in my life that I can
admit to perceiving information other than vocal, visual, or in a dream. The
communication was through ESP or telecommunication.
What occurred during your
experience included:
Content that was entirely consistent with the
beliefs you had at the time of your experience
The word tribunal continues to come to me now as I describe these events.
The entity that had the authority to summon me or my spirit, and have my
father's departed spirit together in front of this tribunal I interpreted as God
and treated it as such. So it was not beyond what I might expect.
How accurately do you
remember the experience in comparison to other life events that occurred around
the time of the experience?
I remember the experience more accurately than
other life events that occurred around the time of the experience
After 42 years it is still very clear in my memory. The only vague part of
the experience was my perception of any light
Discuss any changes
that might have occurred in your life after your experience:
I think I remember feeling surprised that I was
called on to testify for my father, now it seems like it was possibly for my
benefit to forgive him. It did cement my belief in the afterlife, heaven,
judgment, etc. at the time.
My
experience directly resulted in:
Slight changes in my life
Did you have any changes in your values or beliefs after the experience that
occurred as a result of the experience?
No
Do you
have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that
you did not have before the experience?
No
Are there one or several parts of your experience
that are especially meaningful or significant to you?
I was glad I got the chance two tell him I loved him and also to forgive
him. I was happy and relieved that that episode was over. I was not informed as
to any effect it might have on his further life in the spirit though I am glad
to have released him from any consequence of my bad feelings. I was already in a
very spiritual work, so it did not affect me at the time. It means more to me
now as I am able to reflect on it and consider the ramifications of the event.
Have you ever shared this experience with others?
Yes
I think I told my wife right away, but in
her usual form she didn't show much reaction or emotion.
Did you have any knowledge
of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience?
Yes
I was aware of Doctor Moody's book Life
after Life, and of the possibility of NDEs, but never had one or knew anyone who
had or studied much about them. My experience was so immediate and short term
that I didn't have time to connect it to any part of my life besides my
relationship with my father.
What did you believe about
the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:
Experience was definitely real
I knew for sure that it was real and
valid. I never had any doubts about that, because I knew that I was not in any
altered state of mind through drugs or duress, but that it was something that
definitely happened to me.
What do you believe about
the reality of your experience at the current time:
Experience was definitely real
I knew at the time and I know now that it
was definitely a real event that happened to me. I never doubted it nor had a
reason to doubt it.
Have your relationships
changed specifically as a result of your experience?
No
Have your religious
beliefs/spiritual practices changed specifically as a result of your experience?
Yes
I was fairly certain of the existence of God before, but afterwards I was
absolutely sure.
At
any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience?
No
Is there anything else
that you would like to add about your experience?
none
Did
the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and
comprehensively describe your experience?
Yes
Yes thank you. There were aspects of my
experience that I had not considered until now.