The Spiritualist Vision of the Afterlife with Stafford Betty

Stafford Betty, PhD, is a philosopher and professor of religious studies at California State University, Bakersfield. He is author of Vadiraja’s Refutation of Shankara’s Non-Dualism, The Imprisoned Splendor, The Afterlife Unveiled, and Heaven and Hell Unveiled.
Here he points out that the spiritualist vision of the afterlife has been generated over the past 150 years through the testimony of ostensible spirits speaking through trance mediums. This literature has been extensively scrutinized by scientists and, in the best instances, is often accompanied by information that offers evidence of either an afterlife or extrasensory perception. Professor Betty describes many common threads that can be found throughout this literature that offer a vivid description of a realm of human existence beyond the physical life on earth. He refers to the stages of spiritual evolution that may occur in the afterlife.
New Thinking Allowed host, Jeffrey Mishlove, PhD, is author of The Roots of Consciousness, Psi Development Systems, and The PK Man. Between 1986 and 2002 he hosted and co-produced the original Thinking Allowed public television series. He is the recipient of the only doctoral diploma in "parapsychology" ever awarded by an accredited university (University of California, Berkeley, 1980). His master's degree is in criminology. He serves as dean of transformational psychology at the University of Philosophical Research. He teaches parapsychology for ministers in training with the Centers for Spiritual Living through the Holmes Institute. He has served as vice-president of the Association for Humanistic Psychology, and is the recipient of its Pathfinder Award for outstanding contributions to the field of human consciousness. He is also past-president of the non-profit Intuition Network, an organization dedicated to creating a world in which all people are encouraged to cultivate and apply their inner, intuitive abilities.
(Recorded on July 10, 2015)

[@erinfitzpatrick4095]

I love this guest, always enjoy your interviews with him. I've read 2 of his books and recomend them to anyone interested in the near death subject.

[@ronanc5914]

Great interview. Stafford Betty is outstanding.

[@bigalthegamingmaster302]

Excellent information. Thank you Dr. Mishlove and Dr. Betty.

[@laurelharris8519]

Much of what he says correlates with the experiences of Swedenborg in his books and the hypnotherapy clients of Dr. Michael Newton of the Newton Institute.

[@marilyntape9050]

Laurel Harris I’ve read a Swedenborg book 😃🇦🇺

[@grantdouglas8523]

Excellent job of putting it all together.Clearly we die at whatever state of development we are in and we carry that with us. It may lead to earth attachment for awhile (even attachment to people), a desire to possess for more disturbed entities, higher realms for more developed entities, and various encarnations in numerous realms for soul development. An almost infinite number of existences until we become united with God as individual beings. We must develop in a way that this not only possible but desired.

[@jstylezPictures]

no it doesn't, I've studied by youtube videos and internet research and audiobooks afterlife and ndes this man talks false narrative as does religion, from my research and own beliefs I believe you get your own heaven, whatever brings you joy and what your attracted to will be there obviously if your of sound mind like lol

[@karinschultz5409]

@@jstylezPictures Tried to read your post, but could not make heads or tails of your argument. Too many grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. I would only say, that it takes more than a youtube post to pass my bullshit detector.

[@alandean2]

On the basis of this interview with Stafford Betty I read The Afterlife Unveiled: What the Dead are Telling Us About Their World. Excellent account that was much more coherent and researched than most other books. Even though a slim volume was on a par with David Fontana's Is There an Afterlife? I hope there are many more interviews with Stafford Betty.

[@theotheronetoknow]

Turn on a light that can be dimmed. Dim the light low, that is earth. Brighten the light a bit, that is a higher "plain", brighten the light again, that is again a higher "plain". Yet the light is in the same place.

[@dankahraman354]

everything is wave forms even matter. Read "optics for dummies".

[@beckyweaver5981]

theotheronetoknow That makes NO sense

[@shivajiramos8559]

Excuse my intrusion, but, I am certain the word you meant to spell was PLANE, not plain.

[@gonza8824]

EXCELLENT AS ALWAYS AND DR MISHLOVE IS GETTING MORE ATTRACTIVE WITH AGE:) I HAVE HAD EXPERIENCES LIKE THAT, WHEN I ARRIVE TO A NEW PLACE, I SEE WHAT HAS HAPPENED, USUALLY A TRAGEDY AND USUALLY INVOLVING A DEATH.

[@milzijex7340]

Wonderful interview. Thank you indeed.

[@gonzalobotero]

Great stuff , am a true believer is just like the movie "Astral City" a spiritual journey written by the medium Chico Xavier by the spirit of Andre luiz and his after death story.. great movie always wanted my daddy peter to see it sadly he passed away this past may without being able to watch it, but I often told him the story so he could be aware of what happens after we die! If Anyone has the time and interest to watch it !! It's here onKZbin you will love it! ASTRAL CITY A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

[@mortalclown3812]

Swedenborg visions also overlap a bit except for his denial of reincarnation, which I definitely believe exists - based on a recurring dream I had for decades as much as the array of compelling evidence. Peace. :-)

[@nancyantia]

Thank you so much for this interview!!

[@douglasw.kelley198]

We love you Jeffrey

[@TheHannibalTV]

Very interesting

[@cmamet.m6526]

That’s worth watching ...thank you for sharing ...

[@dalilamahalasastrologylaur7216]

Very fascinating!!

[@TeaInTheMoment]

Very informative.Thanks for sharing.

[@cynhanrahan4012]

Higher plane just means we live in a multi dimensional world. Why should we care? Because it's a great comfort to know. Your discussion of addicted spirits remind me of the song Whiskey Lullaby. Us southerners manage to wrap a tangle of beliefs into all our lives.

[@alisonrogerson3143]

What a delightful & lovely man

[@hameddadgour]

great conversation!

[@amanitamuscaria7500]

what an interesting bloke - I love this

[@meenacleland9092]

Excellent interview 👍

[@christofl6523]

Very interesting perspective.

[@gaiagua]

Hello, Dr. Mishlove, excellent interview. A program about EVP (electronic voice phenomena) it will be interesting.

[@chips1972]

Good stuff... I would like to see Jeffrey interview Tom Campbell, author of the My Big Toe ,trilogy... Thanks for the conversation.....

[@kareldegreef3945]

why are you talking to yourself again => go and take your pills ;-)

[@marklambert4793]

chips1972 I'll love it when humanity grows up enough that they don't feel the need to cut each other down as a matter of course!

[@ransbarger]

So are you.

[@mortalclown3812]

@@andrewestbrook4473 I'm not a Campbell fan, but am interested in your CV: It must be impressive.

[@mortalclown3812]

@@marklambert4793 That's so. Opinions are one thing: diminishing, snarky stuff is so...yes. Almost went there myself. 🙋 Pax et lux

[@wulphstein]

This is good stuff.

[@marklambert4793]

I love that question "Why Should We Care?"

[@silvergirl3688]

Mark Lambert A shallow person probably doesn’t care.

[@brandonsalcedo4142]

This is so interesting! Not the best video to end my night at 3 in the morning with all lights turned off in my room, but ah what the heck! hehe. kinda scary, but way cool! Thanks jeff!!

[@azman6568]

3:47 am here lol

[@annprince5298]

Could I point to the fact that the existence of a afterlife might have an effect man,s aggression knowing any criminal act will be judged an d the aggressor will end up in place which they are fitted for the actions in the physical world. Nothing is missed so we must be careful with our actions and thoughts ,we are after all Spirit first and foremost.

[@TheyMadeMonsters]

great vid!

[@theodoredamron3487]

Where would one Find all the literature the Professor was referring to and how could one get in touch with him?

[@Rvnmoon111]

I don’t believe most mediums and I have seen my own loved ones in apparitions after death. There is no way to confirm any info related by mediums because it can easily just be that they are psychic. If a spirit wants to communicate, it can appear directly to the loved one.

[@SkyLabZaamslagtheNetherlands]

Orb behind Doctor at 10:27/10:18!

[@humanbeing524]

The choices we make now have consequences in the next world. Some people are attracted to the dark side and it will continue in the next life, it seems, but they can change. Makes sense to me. Why not? We are energy with the forces of attraction and repulsion.

[@coolcat3918]

The "It's good to be bad" will haunt them for quite a while once they've crossed over to Shadowlands. Pun intended.

[@Basilisk4119]

I don't care who says what. When all's said and done I'm sticking with Jesus.

[@dankahraman354]

jesus did not exist.

[@Basilisk4119]

@@dankahraman354 Thanks for clearing that up.

[@dankahraman354]

jesus did not exist. Your best source outside of the gospels is Josephus and what he has to say could be contaminated by christian interference. The 4 gospels are contradictory. I have problems with the spiritualist explanation. It raises many more questions than it answers and once on this path it isn't difficult to get further off course from a verifiable base.

[@Basilisk4119]

@@dankahraman354 Believe what you want.

[@dankahraman354]

I accept facts not beliefs.

[@eileentorres1496]

This is ridiculous. There are so many Nde accounts of people saying they were not good people and were accepted immediately into the Light. Also people are mean due to their treatment as children and are innocent. No loving God would send them to darkness

[@gonza8824]

iI read also about bad nde experiences.... but those ones anre not so published or used by nedia for some reason...

[@jcr65566]

it happened to me twice This story is of my story of when I had a NDE And its true. I come from a family of atheist. this happen 43 years ago I was 26 when back then I knew just almost nothing about God heaven or hell except what I seen on tv or radio and what I was told about Jesus was when I was 12. it was told to me by an elder of a church. That I met when my mum took me to see him At the time My mother was an atheist and she would not go in to the church So we met the church elder after the service out side the church. My mum took me to see him he was a Paediatrician and for the last three months night after night I was I was being pulled in to Hell by a huge being later I found out it was a demon, it was covered in what look like mould. And it had a four posted solid gold crown on it head the size of a dustbin lid. I was pull in to a pit of blue and Gray burning fog This was Hell it would burn my skin off and with ever breath my lips mount and lungs would get burnt then grew back again instantly to be burned of again ans again. This went on for night after night I wake up I would wake up screaming in my mothers arms. But going to a church this time was a one time event only. I never went near a church again till I got married to my wife Jenny 18 years later Because she was and still is a christian. I become a christian. The NDE happen 14 years later when I was 26 from start to finish this has so much information in it I cant fit it all on here information that confirms what I tell you here to the best of my knowledge is true. I had to have an surgery to save my life Medical report showed I was so ill during surgery my heart had stop they took turns doing CPR for 30 minutes till they called it I was then left with out a heart beat for a further 8 minutes I found my self floating on the ceiling of the operating room. I was then pull though the wall First off We are conceived Body Soul Spirit our soul controls our body but it can not function without a body So when we die for a while our soul is out side of our body. When our soul goes to heaven or goes to Hell it is given a new body. I was pull in to heaven I was put in a new body. There I notice that that had no genitalia at all. I seem to be dressed in a roman like toga. In heaven I met thousands upon thousands of my ancestors And I seem to be able to communicate with each and ever single one of them. They all seem also to have no genitalia and the first thing I notice was the woman had no breast . The next thing I notice was My ancestors seem very concerned about me. Then they started to move away from me. I then notice there was a man with two other man beside him (I later learned that the two other men were angels) This man was kneeling on the ground with his back to me He look like he was looking at moving photos then I notice they were photos of me of when I was a boy of 12. 13 years ago . Then he come to the photos of me talking to that church elder. The photos showed me after talking to the elder I truly believe in Christ. When he seen this he look up at me and smiled. I could now see his face I can still see the love in his eyes. I ask him for his name he told his name was Emmanuel . At the time I never heard that name before so I did not know that, I was speaking with Christ himself .. When my ancestors found out that I was not going to Hell . They were very happy. One of them showed me how to crate a white marble stone slab. After I made it. I was siting on it when Emmanuel walk over to me and told me I have to go back. As I had to finish off my purpose what ever that was I keep saying no! No! No! Please but he sent me back any way It was then I felt my heart beating in my chest my ancestors then started to move away from me very fast I later figured out You see when he started my heart up my soul was now connected to my mortal body my mortal sinful body. And my body was full of sin. I floated though the wall in to the operating room and started sinking in to my cold dead body,. it was like sinking in to cold mud. Then I fell asleep and later woke in recovery. I was fighting to take off the oxygen mask when I notice I was not in heaven any more all around me was darkness they later put me back in the wards. they wanted to give me a shower It was then I was able to look at my body in the mirror I notice there were a dark patch marks on the back of my arms my legs I was told that it was congealed blood laying under my skin. I knew I had the NDE but I did not know that I had acutely died on the operating table. And that I had been dead for thirty eight minutes. I was still very weak as I had lost over 40 kilos. When I tried to tell people about this they really did not want to know But ever though it been over 40 years I still remember ever bit of it.

[@AngstBoy42]

@@jcr65566 I believe your story 100%. Thank you for sharing it.

[@jcr65566]

Jesus told peter all who believe in me are save Jesus set this in to law you only have to pray to Jesus and you are saved when you talk to Jesus you have set up a relationship with him and once you do

[@jcr65566]

God knows our future potential

[@ilovemyboyfriend5425]

im into wicca but i like Spiritualist

[@nishasankaran]

Very good👍

[@NotDJz]

I have question? If a spirit guide leaves you because a few years out of your life you fell into a place where you went against them, one you change back to wanting there help, do they come back? I actually felt when my guide left me, and I'm struggling to feel their presence again.

[@laurelharris8519]

David Ford Speak to them. Ask for help if you need it.

[@julesh1908]

Your spirit guide will never leave you but they will step back and wait till you ask for their help.

[@jbasfilhful]

Leslie Fint recordings!

[@janetones6221]

Thank you. Definitely Victorian mentality of a punisher God. However how could a victim such as an addict and/or disabled person go into the lower realms after death? The living Creator would never be cruel, that's the egomania found in duality. It should be known to Victorian timeframe that we are what believe. Much appreciated this information. Prophetics today are worlds away from this shaming approach to morality. 😍👍👍😍😍

[@janetones6221]

*we

[@tamlaedmundson8099]

IF its related to power, money and personal agenda, RUN!

[@kennedy20007]

Too Short!

[@sidious6826]

Look on KZbin for the channel Afterlife Topics And Metaphysics. It's good stuff 😁😁

[@doriesse824]

Why does there have to be Theism in order for there to be Duality?

[@silvergirl3688]

Lavender Dorie A Creator put knowledge of right and wrong on our hearts. Without darkness there wouldn’t be light. Without free choice, it wouldn’t be love. Choose To seek God through Jesus. He will never turn anyone away ,if you seek Him with your whole heart, mind, soul.

[@dilmurat123456789]

what's wrong with the montage?

[@humanbeing524]

So he is trying to see a consistent pattern in experiences to find the truth.

[@annprince5298]

It seems the Spiritualist of today would like to change these remarkable testimonies. Because it doesn't,fit in with sir idea of the "modern"Spirit world. In ..2010. Several tutors from the Arthur Findlay college discussed subjects like evil influence from the Spirit world ,well what about the Spirit person who has not got rid of his love drink and how he would stand behind nd someone on earth who was drinker and overshadowed him to influence thin to keep because he wanted the ethereal essence of the alcohol. Modern day thinking as it being sanitised dimension If this sort of interference by Spirit happened then it probably my still happen because of the. amount consumed. Also the medium can't contact the foetus well that's obvious it is a baby that has passed only the family would know which one ,the one in Spirit or the earth family. Because of the statements were ridiculed, the tutors were not best pleased. You can find the statements on-board Benomo site and other blogs he,s written. I doubt the Spirit world has changed ,it laws and rules still holds.

[@annprince5298]

Leonard

[@dan020350]

✌️

[@Happyland_Motel_Gamer_Cat]

20:27 Holy shit he's a Preacher from the 70's.

[@jimmason08]

He definitely reminds me of a preacher spewing bullshit. Just a good rambler

[@silvergirl3688]

The Apostle Paul said, Brothers, do not grieve as others do who have no hope.(in afterlife and heaven)

[@pineapplaplatypotamus]

“These kind of evidences” lol

[@darrylgoben7108]

ck out neville johnson// john paul jackson//rick joyner...kat kerr...kat kerr...kat kerr

[@SkyLabZaamslagtheNetherlands]

Graham Bell invented the Phone for Speaking with the Death! So Bye Bye with the 60s.... Thanks Bell

[@darrylgoben7108]

famlar sprts hav been contacted for 6 years...prophets an medums hav the same gft..they r just tuned nto 2 dfferent sources...goddevl..

[@pineapplaplatypotamus]

Darryl Goben Do people ever tell you that your language is unreadable?

[@spiritof6986]

I have real difficulty accepting NDE's as any kind of evidence. Near death isn't dead. And brain chemicals that can induce hallucination when the body is in a state of trauma are well understood and documented.

[@spiritof6986]

@@Phoenix_cataclysm_in_2040 Interesting! I could debate this, but at the end of the day who am i to say that there isn't something happening on a spiritual or quantum level? I'm not at all convinced even after reading those articles, however, i keep an open mind. I don't believe that our consciousness just dies at the expiration of the body. Thankyou for the links.

[@spiritof6986]

@@Phoenix_cataclysm_in_2040 Sorry friend. I read about Vicki Umipeg on neardeath.com and have been familiar with Dr Alexanders' testimony for a couple years.

[@spiritof6986]

@@Phoenix_cataclysm_in_2040 I'll check them out. I won't accept anything as evidence though. If the brain is still active, no matter how low the level of activity, it is still active on some level and chemicals are still being absorbed and released. A mediums testimony isn't evidence either. 99% are con artists/deluded/suffering from a mental illness. However, 1% are genuine and 1% that science or good investigative journalism can't find a rational answer for, is evidence of something going on that is in every sense of the word, extraordinary. I'm skeptical, but open minded. Nevertheless, in 40yrs of interest, study and research, i am yet to find any solid proof of NDE'S being provable spiritual experiences or of any medium being in touch with people that have passed onto a different realm or dimension after death in the one that they occupied here.

[@spiritof6986]

@@Phoenix_cataclysm_in_2040 We can certainly agree upon Darwinian theory being unacceptable. Imo, it's hypothesis, not theory. If i caused offence, none intended. My point to be concise, is that we don't understand enough about the mind to associate any supernatural occurrence with an NDE. If someone can be proven to be clinically dead, zero cardiovascular or brain activity for 2hrs at least and then is (miraculously) brought back to life and consciousness with a real death, not near death experience, I'll be nearly persuaded. Why is it that Muslims see Mohammed, Hindus see Krishna etc etc after NDE's(bit of a generalisation, but true in many instances)? Why is each account different? The story about the young lad is interesting. Do you mind me asking what birthsign you are? Forgive me for what may seem a rather nieve or odd question.

[@spiritof6986]

@@Phoenix_cataclysm_in_2040 But still not dead. A 'nearly dead' experience isn't the same as actually coming back from the dead to tell a story. I strongly suspected that you would be a water sign. The evidence of people who a born at certain times of the year being far more 'in tune' with unexplainable phenomenon is overwhelming.

[@jcr65566]

If you have not got the holy spirit there no there no escape from hell You own spirit has no place to go but hell

[@brianmcnellis5512]

the religions are man made which is why there heavens which is there are people who have made a genuine attempt to get close to God have a form of bliss which they have no idea falls far below that which is above them. there heavens are near or at the top of the astral plane which is all physical. It's not until we get to the 6th dimension and above that we get into soul travel not astral projection.

[@Mulberry2000]

so is this.

[@theodoreabidogun3232]

Found and lost....

[@Snakefinger1000]

Sounds very Catholic to me. Dark realms ? Nah don't think so. There's a life review where we feel all the pain that we have caused but it lasts for seconds in Earth time. Once it's out of the way it's all good.

[@zenmasterjack3873]

You attract what you attract my friend.

[@ultimatefighter225]

Sorry but you've got it wrong old man.

[@jbasfilhful]

kardec, kardec and kardec.

[@uncleleroyshoodoocorner8113]

We study allen kardec in santeria

[@mr.eidson6119]

Paul Krugman? Yikes.

[@-funny344]

How depressing to think that God is not merciful and we are no more than worms moving up in the mud. I am a spiritualist but do not agree with the thoughts of Stafford. IMO we are met by a merciful God that actually runs this universe and all is well. People that believe in darkness on the other side are often in darkness themselves from what I have seen. Our loved ones are safe and not in darkness. No suicide, drugs, alcohol, abortion, can remove us from Gods love I have found. Very little Divine in this episode.

[@silvergirl3688]

max patrick Yes, but rejecting God can keep us from Him and will. He will not force us to believe in Him.that’s why He gave us free will

[@dankahraman354]

keep the 'divine' out of everything that includes "God's love', spare us!

[@darrylgoben7108]

ths s babby level

[@starrycrown]

This is very Swedenborgian.

[@silvergirl3688]

Biblical view of hell is eternal, sorry to say.great chasm between paradise side of Hades and torment side, Decision must be made in this lifetime.Read Revelations, in end times, hell thrown into eternal lake of fire. Wishful thinking to believe there’s a way out of hell.Hell is spoken more by Jesus than heaven. No formula...just Jesus.You cannot fool God, He’s right, but he’s wrong about Christianity. Of course your works and life are evidence of Spiritual growth and Salvation.There is no pergatory or place where lost can be prayed out of. Read the Bible people.There is a heaven, hell, angels, demons and Jesus is the only way to the Father and eternal life.