Proof Of Heaven?

[LazyGun]

Not a question, just a link to an article.

You may have heard of this book and this guy - Eben Alexander. Wrote a book called "proof of heaven" which became a bestseller in the US and is apparently being made a film. Caught the public imagination because of the scientific authority imparted to the book by the fact that the author was a "famed neurosurgeon", and, according to him, he was by his own diagnosis "brain dead" through acute bacterial meningitis resulting in a coma.

Some of the details and story sounded odd to me at the time, so I was interested in reading the following article in the Esquire. It was the first paragraph of the story in particular I found particularly stomach -churning, him appearing on Fox News immediately following news of the Newtown Massacre, responding confidently to a tearful question from the interviewer about the experience of the kids killed.

Less a Prophet, more a Profit, I think.

http://www.esquire.com/features/the-prophet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkw24aeth7s

[woofgang]

so what else is new? the USA is full of con artists. Think Jim and Tammy-Faye Bakker.

[LazyGun]

@Woofgang - Thank you for your valuable contribution.

Who are Jim and Tammy- Faye Bakker?

Oh, and did I claim such actions were new, or radical? No, I did not. What I did say was this particular individual was current, and his notion of heaven is given credence and authority by his own self-promotion as a "famed neurosurgeon". Esquires article is useful in that it offers a more nuanced and accurate view of both the man and some of the stories he recounts.

If you find the article so beneath you, so uninteresting, so happens-every-day, why bother commenting at all?

[woofgang]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Bakker


because its not news....

and Phil Collins wrote a song about it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjvaisJ2eX0

[woofgang]

PS ypu are welcome, I like to know that my comments are appreciated :)

[LazyGun]

@Woofgang. I do not appreciate your comment here - I was being sarcastic :)

Thanks for the links though.This is not the news section though, is it? I stated at the start that this was a link to an article.

Televangelists are 2 a penny, I agree - what does that have to do with this guy?

Once again - if you find this issue so mundane, so uninteresting- why did you even bother to offer a comment at all?

[Zacs-Master]

While in heaven, Alexander rode a butterfly with a beautiful girl. He realized later that she was the biological sister he'd never met.

Mmm.

[LazyGun]

@Zac - Heh, yes. Noticed that myself. I will admit to a particular antipathy toward this individual, partly because he is trading on his "neurosurgeon" credentials, but more because of that Fox News appearance he made, but thats probably just me.

Relentless self-promotion irritates me beyond measure, especially when the truth is massaged to fit the image.

[Zacs-Master]

You see fruit cakes come in all shapes and sizes and intelligence should never be assumed to be a bar to becoming one.

[LazyGun]

Its not his intelligence that is in question - I believe him to be very intelligent - I just hate the self-promotion and the way the media and public buy into the credibility of his vision conferred by his qualification :)

The Esquire article paints a rather different picture of the man, which is why i thought I might share it for those interested...

[Zacs-Master]

I wasn't questioning his intelligence. I was staring that high intelligence should never be seen as a guarantee that people are trustworthy, honest and above self deceit.
I believe the article is written very tongue in cheek and is cleverly written to expose him as a charlatan whilst seemingly flattering him.

[jim360]

"Do not try and prove there's a heaven. That's impossible. Instead, only try to realise the truth.... there is no Heaven."

[woofgang]

Lazygun " I was being sarcastic :) "

that's a coincidence, so was I!

[pixie373]

People will buy it because they already believe it. I've read the article-as far as my phone would let me and watched the video. I still can't see the "proof" though. Where is it? And what?

[Jeza]

Not watched the video but I believe you live your own HEAVEN and HELL here on earth.

[woofgang]

pixie373
"People will buy it because they already believe it"
Seriously good answer Pixie, accounts for the success of many cons and charlatans.

[naomi24]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eben_Alexander_(author)

Alexander said “Esquire's cynical article distorts the facts of my 25-year career as a neurosurgeon and is a textbook example of how unsupported assertions and cherry-picked information can be assembled at the expense of the truth."

Oh, the irony!

Interesting to note that as of July 3, 2013, Proof of Heaven was on the New York Times Best Seller list for 35 weeks – and that both Sam Harris and Oliver Sacks have something to say about Alexander’s claim.

[mikey4444]

"Became a best seller in America"....hardly the best endorsement is it ?

Yet more drivel, aimed at the credulous and educationally challenged.

Only in America !

[jomifl]

I think we can hear the E.coli speaking..