Premonitions

[SoonerCoug]

We once had a thread about this on CG, but there was a very different group of posters back then, so I thought I'd throw this out there for the new group.

When I was a freshman at BYU, there was something quite amazing and horrible that happened. I was sitting in Book of Mormon class one day, and we were discussing something from Mosiah. We talked a lot about why God allows suffering and how we learn from our own suffering. Toward the end of class, the professor asked if anyone had had an especially large challenge in life that they felt they had overcome...

So, this girl from Texas raises her hand and tells this story about how she was born with a horrible heart defect, and she wasn't supposed to live past age 11. She was now 18, and the doctors were saying that she was doing better and better all the time, and they no longer expected her to die prematurely. She talked about how when she was younger, she used to blame God and wonder how he could have created her with this awful defect, but she took comfort in the thought of a resurrection. Anyway, it was a particularly touching testimony that inspired everyone, and it was quite eloquently presented. (I'm not doing it justice.) She also talked about how she was excited to be married and raise a family. She was very emotional and passionate.

On the hike back to Deseret Towers (within 5 minutes of her little speech), she collapsed and died.

What is your interpretation? Here are the various possibilities, as I see it:

1) She hadn't been feeling well, and her heart problem was on her mind, and that's why she decided to speak up (whether it was conscious or subconscious).

2) God (the Spirit) told her she was about to die, and this inspired her to give a final, special testimony.

3) The lecture and/or speech got her very emotionally worked up, and this contributed to her heart attack.

4) YOhio astutely pointed out to me that this could have just been a freaky coincidence.

[Moliere]

What is your interpretation?

My interpretation is that the doctors were wrong. They should have told her she would live until she is 18.

I always have a hard time with stories where the doctor says "you won't walk again" or "you have 2 months to live" and then when that person overcomes the limitations set by the doctor it is considered a miracle. I believe in miracles, but I don't believe living beyond a doctors expectations is anything unusual.

[ERCougar]

My interpretation is that the doctors were wrong. They should have told her she would live until she is 18.

I always have a hard time with stories where the doctor says "you won't walk again" or "you have 2 months to live" and then when that person overcomes the limitations set by the doctor it is considered a miracle. I believe in miracles, but I don't believe living beyond a doctors expectations is anything unusual.

I have a problem with doctors telling anyone how much time they have. All they have are vague guesses. A congenital heart defect? Sure, you can say "you're unlikely to make it to adolescence", but I seriously doubt anyone pronounced "YOU WILL LIVE TO THE AGE OF 11!". Same is true of cancer. All we have are percentages.

[byu71]

For me I would put this in the same category as answered prayers , answered priesthood blessings, answered blessings to living the commandments, et. al.

Sometimes my premonitions do actually come to pass. Sometimes they don't.

I am one who though does believe in the great powers of the mind. If we think hard enough on a premonition, perhaps subonciously we can bring it about.

[Babs]

I'm going to be cold and indifferent for a minute, here, but I'm confused as to where premonitions come into play. This doesn't seem like a premonition at all. Seems more like heartbreaking irony to me.

[Portland Ute]

I'm going to be cold and indifferent for a minute, here, but I'm confused as to where premonitions come into play. This doesn't seem like a premonition at all. Seems more like heartbreaking irony to me.

If Alanis Morriset knew about this story, it would have for SURE made it into her song.

[falafel]

I'm going to be cold and indifferent for a minute, here, but I'm confused as to where premonitions come into play. This doesn't seem like a premonition at all. Seems more like heartbreaking irony to me.

I was thinking the same thing.

[Donuthole]

I'm going to be cold and indifferent for a minute, here, but I'm confused as to where premonitions come into play. This doesn't seem like a premonition at all. Seems more like heartbreaking irony to me.

Out of the corner of my eye, your new avatar looks a lot like the Air Jordan logo. Just thought you should know.

[SoonerCoug]

I'm going to be cold and indifferent for a minute, here, but I'm confused as to where premonitions come into play. This doesn't seem like a premonition at all. Seems more like heartbreaking irony to me.

It's a question of whether she had a premonition of a future event. I honestly think premonitions are a real biological phenomenon. "Sense of impending doom" is a characteristic of real medical conditions.

I also think some of the true believers might see a spiritual component.

I'm interested in the connection between mind and body when it comes to end-of-life issues. For example, I have heard stories of ill people deciding what day they were going to die, and I wonder how much truth there is to this.

[UtahDan]

I have had several strong premonitions in my life and so far none of them have turned out to be correct.

[Moliere]

It's a question of whether she had a premonition of a future event. I honestly think premonitions are a real biological phenomenon. "Sense of impending doom" is a characteristic of real medical conditions.

I also think some of the true believers might see a spiritual component.

I'm interested in the connection between mind and body when it comes to end-of-life issues. For example, I have heard stories of ill people deciding what day they were going to die, and I wonder how much truth there is to this.

Interesting point. I believe there is a connection between mind and body and a healthy mind is very important to a persons well being. This could contribute significantly to a person have some power over when they will die (to a small degree).

Good support for this is seen in how quickly people tend to deteriorate after a loved one dies. I've seen it time and time again when a spouse dies the person left living alone really goes down hill fast. This might be due to them focusing so much on the death of the spouse causing their mind to basically shut down their body. Just speculation but it seems to happen more often then not.

[Jarid in Cedar]

Good support for this is seen in how quickly people tend to deteriorate after a loved one dies. I've seen it time and time again when a spouse dies the person left living alone really goes down hill fast. This might be due to them focusing so much on the death of the spouse causing their mind to basically shut down their body. Just speculation but it seems to happen more often then not.

I definitely see this if the surviving spouse is in marginal health as well(rarely if they have good health). It is as if they live as a symbiont when their health is in decline. Once one half of the pair dies, the other does not have the vitality to fight the fight much longer.

[Green Lantern]

It's a question of whether she had a premonition of a future event. I honestly think premonitions are a real biological phenomenon. "Sense of impending doom" is a characteristic of real medical conditions.

I believe "spider sense" is the medical term.

[JohnnyLingo]

I believe "spider sense" is the medical term.

Ten points.

[Donuthole]

Ten points.

How many points would you have awarded for an accurate reference (spidey sense)? Just curious.