Join the Discussion | With Eyes Open

I do believe in life after death. When dad died he looked up into the corner of the room and said "that's beautiful"

I'd like to hear that I've been judged as having led a good life and that I learned a lot this time around.

I've thought a lot of things about death. Once of them concerns my consiousness, where does it go? Does that state cease as my physical being stops functioning?

Another thing I've thought is that my "state of being" will be similar to what it was before I was born. I didn't know about it, period.

Yet I've had enough deja vu experiences where I feel that my consiousness has moved through time somehow. Or that I'm living the same life over and over again, understanding a little more each time.

My last thought to share is that I've had a couple of "mystical" experiences, to give them a name. It's where you feel "one with everything", body and mind join with the particles of the universe and you are integrated fully with the natural order of life and your spirit is alive. This may sound strange but I believe is was as valid an experience in life as anything else, and even a blessed event.

Both my mother and husband had what I realized was a near death experience shortly before dying. My mother spoke of peace and a golden light but it was the peace that was in her voice that eventually gave me comfort. My Husband, who just died this July called me early in the morning from the hospital to tell me he had good news, "This call is to give you good new. I feel excellent," he said. "They worked on me all night and it is going to be alrignt." He was happy and he wanted to share his happiness. I hold on to these expression and believe they are in a good place, yet, my husband seemed to be feighting to live up to his last breath. A conflict between what the soul/ spirit wanted and what the personality wanted? Even thought I knew of near death experiences, why didn't I recognize it as such when my husband shared his experience?

I COULD NOT GO ON IN MY DAY TO DAY LIFE AND NOT BELIEVE IN AN AFTER LIFE.I LOST MY MOTHER TO LUNG CANCER AND MY BROTHER TO AIDS FOUR MONTHS APART.I WAS ONE OF THEIR PRIMARY CARE GIVERS I WATCHED THEIR TRANSITION INTO DEATH AND TOWARD THE END YOU COULD FEEL GOD THERE.HEAVEN WILL BE TO ME WHATEVER MADE ME THE HAPPIEST ON EARTH.

Upon my arrival, I would like to hear directions to where the Romanovs are. I am not being cute or snide. I am very serious. On my first trip to Europe about 25 years ago, traveling through Spain and seeing all the monuments I had an intense sense of the past as present and present as future. This sense of history was intensified after my breast cancer diagnosis. I saw an exhibit on the Romanovs in Wilmington, Delaware -- their life and their tragic and violent death. At the end of the exhibit I felt them all around me. I had the same sense of a living past and the presence of those gone before me when I made my first trip to London just a month ago. My cancer was caught in its earliest, most treatable stage. However, as I wandered through London, familiarizing myself with the lives and deaths of the English kings, it occurred to me that had I not acted quickly, I could be dead now.

Oh yes. I want to hear Queen Elizabeth I and/or Eleanor of Aquitane directing me to the Romanovs. Then I want them to direct me to my father at which point I will embrace him and then ask him why he signed on with such a stupid executor to settle his estate.

We need more info in the media regarding this issue. Death is an event of our life, just as important as the day we entered this life. We have a long way to come to make our society aware and comfortable to talk about this subject. Thank you for having this special.

I do believe in an afterlife. I do expect to meet my loved ones who have left before me. It is not that I have always had this strong belief. It is because I can no longer deny that they have contacted me in different ways and given me signs.

I believe heaven does exist. When I enter heaven I hope to see family and friends that have gone before me. I hope they are there to greet me and show me around. They will take me to the Lord and I will forever be at peace.

5 years ago. I pray and talk to her all the time. I ask her if she can hear me and to send me a sign. I have received many signs from her. When she first passed away, many strange things happened.

I find the program very interesting and look forward to parts 2,3 & 4. I do believe that heaven exists and I only hope that I will find peace there!! Also, whenever I think that my suffering is too much I think of Jesus on the cross and my problems are nothing compared to that. If I had to list 4 lines that I wanted to leave to my family when I die I would say "don't be sad but be happy for me, for now I don't have to suffer any more".

It seems as if everyone facing death finds comfort in religion. Are there those that accept it without this "gallows conversion"? If there are, how do their survivors deal with this?

Congratulations, Mr. Moyers, for a tender and thought-provoking insight to an event we all must experience.

And thank you for continuing your contributions to an intellectual examinination of our lives and culture.

If anyone is interested, I have a very encouraging Bible based brochure entitled "When Someone You Love Dies". It not only discusses the mourning process but also shares a very hopeful view of the future based on your own copy of the Bible. The brochure directs attention into the Bible as to what happens when we die. There seems to be so much mystery today as to what happens when we die, and this really helps clarify the matter with scriptures you perhaps have never seen before. There are scriptures cited for you to look up so that you can see that the information is trustworthy as it is coming from the Bible itself. There is no charge for the brochure and I would be happy to send it to any one who is interested, as I feel it can truly be of comfort to anyone who has lost a loved one in death or faces death themselves. Please email me at the above address if you would be interested in reading this.

As a Christian,I believe that there is an afterlife.I think the first thing I would like to hear is "Welcome!".

I try to believe in God but I can't because there is no proof. Sometimes I think that all this is for nothing and we are just living and then dying in vain. I don't think there is an afterlife. I think it is something people created to make themselves feel better and come to terms with death. I think when you're dead, you're dead. That's it. There is nothing more. That's what scares me more than anything.

Tell us what you think.

Please note this area is designed as an informal discussion area. If you are looking for help, there are many useful links in our Resources section.