Wilbur Whatley wrote:slomo wrote:I am curious, as a matter of discernment, how did you come to the conclusion that the "white light" was really the Devil? How do you believe Jesus would have presented Himself, and what do you believe He would have done or asked of you?
Thank you for responding to my weird post. There have been quite a few instances in my life where it seems, and I have been told by others, that I have an unusually powerful sense of "discernment," so I was interested to see you use that term. But in this story of my own life--which has always seemed to me to be a critical doorway--I don't trust my discernment at all.
I'm a religious Catholic. The event occurred about a month into my sobering up for the first time, and I was generally in a "pink cloud" of spiritual growth. For about the first time in my adult life, I was doing a lot of running and other exercises, to detoxify. I came back from a several mile run, had a couple of hits of average pot, and suddenly I was launched into the "Akashic records." This wasn't the drug. I've smoked pot many hundreds of times, often at much greater doses and strengths. This was a visitation.
At the time, I sincerely thought it was Jesus inviting me into paradise. I had a petty reason for declining the invitation. Although I had just been tempted with my heart's desire--universal knowledge--I was also dominated by the thought that I hadn't slept with enough women yet! So my thought was, wow! what a great offer, but later please! That's pretty ignominious, but it's the truth.
The temptation has never returned in almost 30 years. I was given a choice, and I made it. I often think about this.
As to your question, I have not "concluded" that it was the Devil. But the more I think about it--and pick up hints from things I read along the way--more and more I think that Jesus doesn't operate like that, while the Devil does. It is well known in scripture that the Devil comes in robes of light. I actually now think that the evil one was trying to trick me into a strange kind of suicide, which is something that is very common in my family (at least 7 close relatives).
But I can't prove this, of course. The whole thing just creeps me out.
That's quite a bit of an answer, but it only scratches the surface.
Thanks again for asking. I'm kind of lonely for answers on things like this.
Well that is fascinating. You always hear about the doorway and the white light and the feeling of joy and peace. But I am aware that in ordinary "waking" life, all kinds of good and bad emotions come and go, having nothing to do with long-term outcomes. So I always wonder, what's on the other side of the white light, if anything? The potential for trickery is infinite. But trust is not my strong suit, I can be paranoid. It has been suggested in some corners of the online world that the discarnate entities that speak through mediums are not really the true spirits of the dead, but rather jinn (I avoid using the value-laden word "demon") who are reading the Akashic record.
It could drive you crazy to think about it, so in the end you just have to listen to your inner voice and do the best you can.