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635
quantitative
webpage
NDERF 557 Salena NDE 20676
https://nderf.org/Experiences/1salena_nde.html
1997
1997-04-16
2005
F
On April 16, 1997, Salena was driving to the grocery store with her mother and 11-day-old son when they were involved in a severe car accident. Her mother was driving, and at the moment of impact when another vehicle struck them, Salena went to "another place and time." She found herself in what she later realized was a desert-like area, wearing a natural-colored burlap or sackcloth robe instead of her regular clothes. Her right hand was palm-up in sand, and she could actually feel the grains falling through her fingers when she tested her reality.
In this otherworldly location, she observed people in the distance all wearing similar robes, crowded around and worshipping someone. As she approached, everything began moving in slow motion except for her. The crowd was crying and moaning in worship of the Lord, whose presence she could feel though she couldn't clearly see His face. The Lord pointed her out and asked her to come forth, then began asking her to do something. The crowd was shocked that she had appeared from nowhere and was standing next to Him. Just as she heard what He wanted her to do, she woke up in the car wreck. When Salena became conscious in the car, she found her glasses in her lap, her seatbelt still on, and her right hand positioned exactly as it had been in the desert experience - down by her side with palm facing up. Her mother was convulsing and unresponsive, and her newborn was on the floorboard screaming. She was so disoriented that when asked by paramedics, she thought it was Saturday instead of Wednesday. Both her mother and infant were airlifted to the hospital. Her mother remained in intensive care for two months before passing away, while her son survived with lasting effects. A year later, Salena suddenly remembered that the Lord had asked her to speak to others about Him, despite her feeling unqualified for such a task. --- Biblical Summary --- Biblical elements: The experience contains strong biblical parallels. The desert setting and sackcloth clothing echo biblical narratives of prophets and John the Baptist. The worship scene resembles heavenly worship described in Revelation. Being singled out by the Lord and given a commission to speak about Him mirrors biblical prophetic callings like Isaiah's or Jeremiah's. The slow-motion effect when approaching the divine presence could represent entering sacred time/space. Her feelings of inadequacy about speaking for God parallel Moses' and Jeremiah's initial responses to their callings. The transformative nature leading to Bible study and testimony aligns with biblical conversion experiences. Unbiblical elements: Some elements require careful consideration. The inability to see the Lord's face clearly, while possibly reflecting Exodus 33:20 ("no one may see me and live"), leaves ambiguity about whether this was truly Christ or another entity. The crowd's shock at her appearance suggests she didn't belong there naturally, which could imply she witnessed a past biblical scene rather than heaven. The delayed memory of the commission (one year later) is unusual for biblical callings which are typically remembered clearly. The experience lacks explicit Christian identifiers like the cross, salvation message, or clear identification of Jesus, though the commission to speak about "the Lord" suggests Christian context.
5
Other
5
14
25
Strong Evidence
6
Severe car accident with life-threatening injuries to all occupants
Specific detail of hand position in vision matched exact position upon waking, unique desert scene
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4/16/2025
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