Untangling Hellish Visions -Nancy Evans Bush

Untangling Hellish Visions -Nancy Evans Bush

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Nancy Evans Bush, M.A. — web site http://www.dancingpastthedark.com/
Book “Dancing Past the Dark” — http://www.dancingpastthedark.com/book/

Presented at the IANDS 2012 Conference, Aug. 31-Sept. 2, in Scottsdale, AZ

Abstract: The conventional understanding of hell is as a place of eternal torment after death. This view, which is generally believed to be historical and biblical, colors the publicÕs interpretations of distressing NDEs, producing enormous fear or outright rejection of the entire concept of hellish experiences. A review of the roots of Western hell shows that the familiar concept is neither historically stable nor biblically accurate. How, then, can hellish visions be interpreted? I contrast the conventional literal/materialistic understanding (external, factual, time-space orientation) with a symbolic/spiritual interpretation (internal, imaginal, occurring in mythic timelessness). By de-literalizing and reframing the interpretation of common hellish symbols (e.g., fire, snakes,monsters), such an experience can be understood as precipitating a developmental thrust, rather than as a vision of punitive torment. This approach opens the most distressing NDEs to being understood as intensely personal events that nonetheless share in the great Mystery of the human unconscious. It can be read in both religious and secular terms.

For more information on near-death experiences, visit http://iands.org

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38 Comments

  1. I bet Howard storm and others will not like this. I’ve done my own biblical study I’ve seen Gehenna in Jerusalem on YouTube on the Jewish tourist videos. Jesus was making a point if you behave in certain judgemental vile ways and “sin” you’ll end up living a creating hell on earth and suffer for what you make yourself. James his brother says the same thing but in terms of how we used our speech to be vile and speech and treat one another in this life. Remember Jesus came to bring us back in line with who is God he is a good God. And he wants us to bring heaven on Earth as it is in Heaven.

  2. I have Howard storms book. I hate it, I just thought I needed mastery of my own fear. I suppose being a 51year old “Christian” I’m trying to find out if hell afterlife is real? Other NDEs atheists find themselves in paradise

  3. I can perfectly understand Nancy E. Bush's explanation of the non-duality of good and evil -or oneness of good and evil, and the concept of hell as a state of consciousness instead of a physical place. This is how I, fortunately, relearned these concepts through my Nichiren Buddhist practice. "The oneness of good and evil is the principle that good and evil are not separate (and of course, not the same), but are inherent in all phenomena. 'Good' in Buddhism means that which benefits oneself and others, while 'evil' means that which harms oneself and others. Life therefore simultaneously possesses the potential for both good and evil, and even when manifesting one, it is never devoid of the potential for the other." (https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/dic/Content/O/23)
    If one dies in a "hellish" state of consciousness (as in the case of those attached to fame, material things, pride, vengeance, resentment) or after living an existence hurting others without a drop of remorse, this is the state one experiences during the period between death and the next rebirth. Just as when we have nightmares when we go to sleep. And this is the same state of the family in which one is born.

  4. Godly loves us but hates our sins..they seperate us from Him.
    Jesus is Lord God Almighty clothed in unfallen humanity and He is the author of eternal life to all who believe on Christ alone for salvation.

    The only reason anyone will ever be in Heaven is solely by the shed blood, death, burial, and resurrection, of Jesus Christ alone.

    Anything added or subtracted from this is another gospel.

    Our good works, repenting of sins, and obedience, are solely for rewards in Heaven or a lack thereof and have absolutely nothing to do with salvation at all.

  5. For those interested in further reading/research, I would recommend reading Dr. David Bently Hart (especially to those of a traditional religious background where the idea of an eternal hell is, unfortunately, preached).

    Dr. Hart is recognized as one of the leading theologians of the 20/21st century by many scholars in the field. He argues very convincingly (in my opinion) against the idea of an eternal hell. He presents both logical and theological reasons to support his views and leaves no stone unturned.

    He views hell as necessarily a temporary state at most.

  6. Evil is real, just look around you. Being evil is a choice. It is also a choice when you die. Evil does not like to be around good. If you think for one minute that evil does not exist, then what about the evil you see on this planet? Evil lives in the hearts and desires of mortal man. He is making choices everyday on what he will experience when he dies. "Where the tree falls, there it lies". I have had a NDE . I experienced a Love so pure that it could not know evil of any kind. BUT, I see evil in this world and when we refuse to be accountable for that evil, we become more evil. I don't have all the answers just because I had a NDE. In fact I have realized that the more I know, the more I know I don't know. Anyone who has had a NDE only has had a glimpse of the next life. We don't stop learning when we die. When We come back into this realm after an NDE we are trying to understand what we just experienced, and to integrate it into this life. Some people find that difficult and they kill themselves. People like William Buhlman and Robert Monroe are having OBE's and if you think that you cannot be deceived in an OBE than think again. You are dealing in a lower realm. Deceit would not be called deceit if it were so easy to detect. The problem with our country right now is that people don't think they have to be accountable to a higher being (God), so all their lying and cheating is okay to them because they don't think there is any repercussion . Maybe hell is not like the artist of the times create, but rest assured you are accountable for what you do here. You will feel every pain you caused because you will no longer be able to deceive yourself or others. If you like feeling other peoples pain and it gives you pleasure, then you will be with others just like yourself. some people actually get pleasure out of other peoples pain. Like water, you will seek your own level, and that level may be as low as a slug in a puddle. So you will reap what you sow. God Speed

  7. "A belief in hell fires can cause you to hallucinate Hades’ conditions. A belief in a stereotyped heaven can result in a hallucination of heavenly conditions. You always form your own reality according to your ideas and expectations. This is the nature of consciousness in whatever reality it finds itself. Such hallucinations, I assure you, are temporary."
    —Seth, Seth Speaks

  8. What I understood from the majority of bad NDEs are Christians, or had a Christian upbringing ,or a similar doctrine of the afterlife you know the belief of heaven or hell after death, and it seems it depends on the mental state tat they were in, before they took their life or had a painful death experience , the majority of the NDEs where a positive experience ,and the small %of the negative NDEs they did end up with a positive outcome, sorry to tell you Nancy Bush the bible has no place in the mind of those who died saw the other side and came back forsaken their previous beliefs about hell and judgment, if atheist died and went to heaven what does that say about the bible ?

  9. maybe its the fact that the spirit world is a realm where thoughts manifest into reality,ive heard some nde'ers say that as soon as they thought it then it became reality,as soon as they thought about being somewhere they were instantly there,the spiritual realm is more a realm of thought than one of physical reality,and so GOD warns us of a hell we could possibly have if our minds are caught up in evil and sin,you must seek out an understanding of GODS way and if you live your life here on earth in an evil manor then you may not be able to get those evil thoughts out of your mind when you enter the spirit realm,in other words GOD dose not send us to hell we send our own selves there because we lived a sinful evil life here and thats all we understand, so i say heed the words of our almighty GOD and you will be saved,always pray to our lord Jesus because he has said he is the way, i believe in my lord Jesus

  10. William Buhlman, who has more than 30 years experience with self-initiated Out of Body experiences, talks about 'consensus realities'.  Apparently we ourselves, as was talked about above, manifest or create our reality on the other side.  When enough people believe in a particular idea or reality, such as 'Heaven' (or 'Hell'), then it becomes a consensus reality.  Those who believe in it go there as they believe they deserve.  Buhlman teaches people how to navigate the other realms in order to avoid or remove themselves from those situations. 

  11. I LOVE this woman!!  I just finished her book, Dancing Past the Dark, which attempts to address logically and with compassion the phenomenon of negative NDEs.  She has gone up against nearly every sector of NDE believers, many of whom actually express ANGER at her research and ideas, and they do so to their discredit.  This woman is not only incredibly intelligent but a true hero, a tribute to the eternal mind of man.

  12. The biggest trick of the devil is that he does not exist.
    There are 2 forces governing the universe.  Good Vs. Evil.  For all the people who had a hellish NDE, it does not necessary mean that they are bad or deserve it.  It is only an experience.   As one can experience the good ; one can also experience the bad. The more one understands the beautiful & love of good, one must also understand with same proportion the ugliness & abomination of hell.   This is knowledge.  All of us will have this understanding one day.

  13. Those who have 'hellish' NDEs surely do believe their experience was real. But then there are those, such as Dannion Brinkley, who say that if anyone should have gone to hell it would have been him, yet he did not see any kind of hell during any of his NDEs. So, is hell just something that we manifest from our personal understanding of Biblical theology? If so, are all the 'heavenly' NDEs just a personal manifestation also? What then is real?

  14. Actually, Jesus talked more about hell than he did heaven. Check your references. Mat 5:29, Mat 5:30, Mat 10:28, as well as many other places. I just wish people that based their whole paradigm on the Bible would do so thoroughly rather than selectively.

  15. There is no hell in the Bible. No Jew believes in hell, and they're the ones who base their entire religion around the OT!! Jesus didn't come to save us from hell, He came to save us from death (the grave.) The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6.23) At best, it's a mistranslation, (as in the KJV) at worst it's a total fabrication.

  16. Having gone through Hell myself, rape, abuse, war, total rejection from my family, and mental illness; I can understand how people can become bitter. Although, I have been experienced unimaginable pain , I still attempt to act out of love always. I try to keep my heart pure for God.

  17. To anyone who has had an Hellish NDE, I would HIGHLY recommend The Nature of Personal Reality by Jane Roberts. It talks about how our beliefs create our inner reality, not only in this existence but temporarily after death. If you are taught hell is a real thing, you might meet that belief initially after death depending on your belief system and how strongly you hold it.