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[tense music]
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- Tonight, it's something
we've all wondered about.
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What happens when we die?
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- Everyone's heard of
the phrases "pearly gates"
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and "a city on the hill."
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- Spinning white
light came towards me
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out of this murky darkness.
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- Do we go to an actual place
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and if so, what kind of place?
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Is it a good place?
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- The main street is said
to be paved with gold.
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Many cultures prior to
Christianity have the same sort
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of paradise that you have to
be judged in order to enter.
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- Or something very different?
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- Fire, brimstone,
eternal suffering.
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It's the bad place
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and it's terrifying
even to non-believers.
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- People spend more time
trying to stay out of hell
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than they do trying
to get into heaven.
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- And what if instead
of going anywhere,
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we're simply reborn?
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- It doesn't happen often,
but every once in a while,
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someone comes back
from the dead.
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- Now, remarkable stories from
around the globe, of heaven,
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hell, and life after death.
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[dramatic music]
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Many people believe in
some kind of heaven,
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a place you get sent to if
you've lived a good life.
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It's a concept that
dates back centuries.
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[tense music]
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- I think sort of the classic
Christian view of heaven is
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that it's a lush, idyllic
paradise somewhere in the sky
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where God and the angels
and the saints reside.
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Ask most Christians
to describe heaven
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and you'll probably get
some version of this.
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- [Dennis] This idea of a lush
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and bountiful heaven
is first made popular
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by a 16th century Dutch
painter named Hieronymus Bosch.
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- Bosch is born in
the mid 15th century.
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His most famous
religious work is known
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as "The Garden of
Earthly Delights",
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which he creates just a
few years before he dies.
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- Looking at the details of
the painting, it's fascinating.
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We see men and women
of multiple races
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gathering in a beautiful garden,
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playing with animals, even
hanging out with Jesus himself.
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- Due to how popular
this painting is,
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it's copied extensively which
helps spread this particular
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idyllic image of heaven.
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- [Dennis] But this
isn't the same picture
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that the Bible paints.
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- It might surprise
you to learn that Jesus
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and the Bible in general doesn't
actually tell us much about
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what heaven looks like.
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All Jesus says is that
it's a particular place
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that he'll prepare for us
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and in the gospel of Luke,
Jesus declares that when we die,
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we'll be with him in paradise.
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That's about it, at
least from his own words.
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- Outside of Jesus' own words,
the bulk of the description
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of heaven comes from the
Book of Revelations,
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which is the last
book of the Bible.
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- There's a lot of
death in Revelation
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as we work our way towards
the end of the world,
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so it makes sense that this is
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where we would get our
most detailed description
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of the afterlife,
especially heaven, which
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of course, the Bible is
trying to help us reach.
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Everyone's heard of the
phrases "pearly gates"
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and "a city on the hill."
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These ideas come
from Revelation.
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Heaven is described
as a new city
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of Jerusalem, high
up on a mountain.
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It has tall walls and 12
gates made from pearls.
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- The main street is said
to be paved with gold
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but clear as glass, and there's
no need for a sun or the moon
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because it's illuminated by God.
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- Whether it's a city paved
in gold or a lush garden,
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the main point about the
Christian view of heaven is
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that it's marvelous.
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It's a wonderful
and amazing place,
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and you definitely
want to go there.
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- [Dennis] Surprisingly,
the concept of heaven
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doesn't start with Christians.
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It goes back much further.
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- Many cultures prior to
Christianity have the same sort
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of place, an ideal
paradise that you have
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to be judged in order to enter,
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and one of the earliest
is in Iranian religion,
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which is known as
Zoroastrianism.
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- Zoroastrianism predates
Jesus by 600 years
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or more depending
on who you ask.
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It's based on the teachings
of a prophet named Zoroaster
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as set forth in a text
called the Avesta,
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which describes a judgment
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that takes place on a
bridge called the Chinvat
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that you cross when you die.
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- Interestingly, the
more righteous you are,
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the bridge stays wide,
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but the more sinful you
are, the bridge narrows
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to the edge of a blade.
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[tense music]
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- If you've lived according
to the right principles,
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you enter the House of Song,
which is basically heaven.
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- The idea of tests and
judgments is a sort
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of common thread
throughout various
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different religious traditions.
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We see it in stories of
Egyptians, of the Chinese,
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and even the Polynesians.
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And all of these cultures
believe in this good place,
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a place after death that we
are judged worthy of or not.
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- [Dennis] While the
question of whether
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that good place is real
has puzzled us all,
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in 2008, a neurosurgeon
named Eben Alexander
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claims he knows the answer,
because he's been there.
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- Well, I grew up in
North Carolina, went to a
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conventional Methodist church
which basically promised
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eternity in heaven if
you'd been living a very,
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kind of Christian life.
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But as a scientist,
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I was falling away from
some of those beliefs.
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Having gone through this
long career of taking care
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of neurosurgical patients,
I really could see no way
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that conscious
awareness could survive
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the death of the brain and body.
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- [Dennis] Then a
terrifying experience
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provides a new perspective.
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- Was at 4:30 in the
morning, November 10th, 2008.
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I awoke with severe back pain,
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headache and soon thereafter,
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my family, when they
saw me having seizures
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on the bed, called 911.
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- [Dennis] Eben has a severe
case of bacterial meningitis.
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As he falls into a deep coma,
his life starts slipping away.
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- This bacteria is
resistant to antibiotics.
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In hour one, you might
have two or three bacteria,
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but if you get 12 hours out,
you've got literally trillions
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of these bacteria and they
are just taking over.
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- [Dennis] The bacteria
attacks the part
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of the brain controlling
speech, consciousness,
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memory, and emotion.
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For seven days, Eben
hovers near death.
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- My survival went from
10% to 2% with no chance
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of recovery, and the doctor
was recommending stopping
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antibiotics and taking
me off the ventilator
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and just letting me go.
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- [Dennis] Then
against all odds,
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not only does Eben wake
up, he's somehow okay.
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It's a medical miracle,
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but Eben believes the miracle
is actually not medical.
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It's divine.
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- My whole journey started
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in what I call the
Earthworm-eye view,
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like being in dirty
jello, like roots
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and blood vessels all around me.
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There was a slowly
spinning white light
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that came towards me out
of this murky darkness.
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It came packaged with a
perfect musical melody.
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It opened up like a
rip in the fabric
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of that ugly,
Earthworm-eye view realm,
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and led me up into
this brilliant,
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ultra-real gateway valley.
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There was this beautiful forest
going off around a meadow,
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sparkling waterfalls
into crystal blue pools.
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There were thousands
of beings dancing
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in this meadow down below.
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Lots of joy and merriment.
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There were children
playing and dogs jumping.
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Up above were these swooping
orbs of angelic choirs,
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I mean, the words do
not do it justice.
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Towards the very end of
my journey, I recognized
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that there were thousands
of beings going off
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around me into the distance,
heads bowed, murmuring energy,
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and it was all leading me
in a certain direction.
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That's what I was witnessing
was his sense of of being drawn
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to where these beings were.
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And there was a beautiful
young woman beside me as a kind
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of a spiritual guide
on this butterfly wing.
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She looked at me with
a look of pure love
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and that message from her
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to me I think was the
main message I was
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to bring back to this world.
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You are deeply loved
and cherished forever.
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And I cannot tell you
how comforting it was,
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but I knew by then that I
could trust in the universe,
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that I would be taken care of.
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- [Dennis] When he
shares this experience,
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Eben's doctors are skeptical.
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They think he was dreaming,
perhaps even hallucinating.
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- But Dr. Alexander
rejects that idea.
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As a neuroscientist,
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he believes that his brain
should have been so damaged at
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that point that it
wouldn't have had
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the ability to hallucinate.
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- His educated belief is
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that he actually
witnessed the divine.
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When he came close
to death, he realized
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that heaven was real because
in his mind, he went there.
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- [Dennis] Eben
Alexander goes on
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to write a book
about his experience,
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and while his account
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of visiting a wondrous place
he calls heaven becomes
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well-known, it's far
from the only one.
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- There are lots of stories
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of people having near
death experiences
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and one thing that's really
hard to dismiss is that all
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of these people describe
similar experiences of reaching
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or encountering
some state of being
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that they would
describe as heaven-like.
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- [Dennis] While
many consider heaven
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to be a spiritual realm,
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there's one group that believes
it's a very real place.
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- Heaven is often thought
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to be a place we
reach when we die,
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but what if you didn't have
to wait that long to enter it?
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What if you could enter
heaven without having to die?
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According to some
Tibetan Buddhists,
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heaven is literally
a place on Earth.
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It's called Shambhala.
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- [Hugo] The 14th and current
Dalai Lama describes Shambhala
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as a pure land in
the human realm,
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where only those with the
right merit may enter.
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- So the key here
obviously is describing it
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as existing in the human realm.
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So it's said that this
realm is located somewhere
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in Central Asia, in or around
the Himalaya mountains.
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- The first mention of
Shambhala actually comes
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from an ancient Hindu text
known as the Vishnu Purana,
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which dates back
to around 400 AD.
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This Sanskrit name is adopted
into Buddhist tradition,
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which finds its way into Tibet
around the seventh century.
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- [Dennis] A thousand
years later, the idea
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of Shambhala reaches Europe,
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inspiring a few very brave souls
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to head out to find it.
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- One of the first
Europeans who tries
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to find Shambhala is a
17th century Portuguese
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Jesuit named Estevao Cacella.
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Now through religious circles,
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Cacella hears about
this legendary kingdom
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of heaven on Earth
near the Himalayas.
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- In 1627, he leads a mission
from India into Bhutan
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to the Tashi Lhunpo
Monastery in Shigatse, Tibet,
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which is the home
of the Panchen Lama,
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the second highest ranking
Tibetan Buddhist monk,
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after the Dalai Lama.
247
00:11:50,042 --> 00:11:52,583
- Cacella is hoping to get
guidance on finding Shambhala
248
00:11:52,583 --> 00:11:55,542
and he stays in Tibet
for three years,
249
00:11:55,542 --> 00:11:59,000
but as far as we know, he
never makes it to Shambhala
250
00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:01,125
before he dies in 1630.
251
00:12:02,333 --> 00:12:04,875
- Even though he probably
never reached Shambhala,
252
00:12:04,875 --> 00:12:06,917
the report that Father
Cacella sent back
253
00:12:06,917 --> 00:12:09,292
to Portugal about his expedition
254
00:12:09,292 --> 00:12:11,667
and his meetings with
Buddhist monks is
255
00:12:11,667 --> 00:12:13,667
what really introduces
the Western world
256
00:12:13,667 --> 00:12:15,042
to the name Shambhala
257
00:12:15,042 --> 00:12:17,250
and to the concept
of a heaven on Earth.
258
00:12:19,125 --> 00:12:21,708
- And so the search
for Shambhala is on.
259
00:12:21,708 --> 00:12:23,667
For centuries, all these
different explorers
260
00:12:23,667 --> 00:12:25,042
and writers speculate
261
00:12:25,042 --> 00:12:28,375
where in Central Asia this
utopia might be hidden.
262
00:12:28,375 --> 00:12:30,458
[dramatic music]
263
00:12:30,458 --> 00:12:34,375
- [Dennis] Then in 1924, a
Russian husband and wife team
264
00:12:34,375 --> 00:12:38,042
embarks on perhaps the
most promising search
265
00:12:38,042 --> 00:12:40,667
for this paradise on Earth.
266
00:12:40,667 --> 00:12:42,000
- Writer, Helena Roerich
267
00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:44,375
and her archeologist
artist husband, Nicholas,
268
00:12:44,375 --> 00:12:48,042
become obsessed with
Shambhala after Helena claims
269
00:12:48,042 --> 00:12:51,042
that she received telepathic
directions from an otherworldly
270
00:12:51,042 --> 00:12:53,667
spirit, imploring them
to go and find it.
271
00:12:54,625 --> 00:12:57,208
- This intrepid duo get the
attention of the Bolsheviks
272
00:12:57,208 --> 00:12:59,833
who had just overthrown
the Russian government
273
00:12:59,833 --> 00:13:01,625
and the Bolsheviks
then become convinced
274
00:13:01,625 --> 00:13:04,833
that if they can find
Shambhala, they will be seen
275
00:13:04,833 --> 00:13:06,917
as being on the
side of the good.
276
00:13:06,917 --> 00:13:10,292
- Soviet Secret Police
leader Gleb Bokii
277
00:13:10,292 --> 00:13:13,000
even thinks that Shambhala
might hold secrets
278
00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:16,833
to powerful knowledge,
things like mind control,
279
00:13:16,833 --> 00:13:20,458
advanced weapons, and
prophecies of the future.
280
00:13:20,458 --> 00:13:24,208
- So the Bolsheviks decide
to fund the Roerich's
281
00:13:24,208 --> 00:13:27,667
journey to search for Shambhala,
and we know a lot about
282
00:13:27,667 --> 00:13:29,125
their adventures in part because
283
00:13:29,125 --> 00:13:32,208
they took extensive
documentation in their diaries.
284
00:13:33,708 --> 00:13:35,125
- [Dennis] Over the
next four years,
285
00:13:35,125 --> 00:13:38,333
the team explores
thousands of miles.
286
00:13:39,500 --> 00:13:41,833
- They crisscross
various mountain passes
287
00:13:41,833 --> 00:13:44,500
in the Gobi Desert,
charting several peaks
288
00:13:44,500 --> 00:13:46,083
for the very first time.
289
00:13:46,083 --> 00:13:48,375
Along the way,
they visit temples
290
00:13:48,375 --> 00:13:52,417
and meet with spiritual
leaders to collect clues.
291
00:13:52,417 --> 00:13:54,333
- It's an intense journey.
292
00:13:54,333 --> 00:13:56,417
They have to deal
with rebel groups
293
00:13:56,417 --> 00:13:59,292
and looters, not to
mention extreme desert
294
00:13:59,292 --> 00:14:02,333
weather conditions
and starvation.
295
00:14:02,333 --> 00:14:04,917
Several of their team
members actually die
296
00:14:04,917 --> 00:14:06,250
during the expedition.
297
00:14:07,542 --> 00:14:11,000
- [Dennis] But do they
ever reach Shambhala?
298
00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:13,500
- The Roerich diaries
describe an area
299
00:14:13,500 --> 00:14:14,875
of the Altai Mountains
300
00:14:14,875 --> 00:14:17,333
where they meet, quote,
"an old believer"
301
00:14:17,333 --> 00:14:20,125
that shows them the
entrance to Shambhala,
302
00:14:20,125 --> 00:14:23,125
but it's sealed with stones
303
00:14:23,125 --> 00:14:26,083
and the old believer tells
the Roerichs that the people
304
00:14:26,083 --> 00:14:29,542
of Shambhala won't emerge from
the entrance until it's time
305
00:14:29,542 --> 00:14:31,250
to rid the world of evil.
306
00:14:32,542 --> 00:14:34,500
- Unfortunately, their diaries
don't say if anything else
307
00:14:34,500 --> 00:14:38,125
happened, so we will never
know if they actually
308
00:14:38,125 --> 00:14:39,417
did find Shambhala.
309
00:14:40,750 --> 00:14:42,250
- [Dennis] Whether
successful or not,
310
00:14:42,250 --> 00:14:45,958
the Roerich quest inspires
a much more sinister
311
00:14:45,958 --> 00:14:48,542
expedition a few years later.
312
00:14:49,750 --> 00:14:51,542
- In the 1930s, as Hitler
313
00:14:51,542 --> 00:14:54,125
and the Nazis are
gaining power in Europe,
314
00:14:54,125 --> 00:14:56,792
they become increasingly
interested in augmenting
315
00:14:56,792 --> 00:14:59,542
that power with the divine.
316
00:14:59,542 --> 00:15:02,083
- Hitler's right hand
man and head of the SS,
317
00:15:02,083 --> 00:15:05,417
Heinrich Himmler is
obsessed with spiritualism
318
00:15:05,417 --> 00:15:09,875
and the occult, and he recruits
an officer named Ernst Schafer
319
00:15:09,875 --> 00:15:13,542
to lead a team to Tibet
in search of Shambhala.
320
00:15:13,542 --> 00:15:16,083
- Schafer, who's much
more scientifically
321
00:15:16,083 --> 00:15:19,042
minded than Himmler isn't
thrilled with the idea,
322
00:15:19,042 --> 00:15:21,333
but he also knows he can't
refuse Himmler if he wants
323
00:15:21,333 --> 00:15:22,792
to stay alive.
324
00:15:22,792 --> 00:15:26,917
So he sets off for Tibet, but
he doesn't find Shambhala.
325
00:15:28,333 --> 00:15:31,167
- Schafer has to bring
something back to Himmler,
326
00:15:31,167 --> 00:15:33,042
so he starts
collecting all sorts
327
00:15:33,042 --> 00:15:34,958
of things from
his time in Tibet.
328
00:15:34,958 --> 00:15:36,917
He collects plants and animals.
329
00:15:36,917 --> 00:15:40,042
He collects casts of
various Tibetan people,
330
00:15:40,042 --> 00:15:42,042
all sorts of archeological
331
00:15:42,042 --> 00:15:44,208
and anthropological
evidence that he can give
332
00:15:44,208 --> 00:15:46,792
to his boss upon his return.
333
00:15:46,792 --> 00:15:48,208
- Lucky for Schafer,
334
00:15:48,208 --> 00:15:51,500
the Nazis are receptive
to this trove of research
335
00:15:51,500 --> 00:15:55,167
and ultimately consider his
expedition to be a success.
336
00:15:55,167 --> 00:15:58,792
They even reward him with
his own institute inside
337
00:15:58,792 --> 00:16:01,375
one of their prestigious
organizations.
338
00:16:01,375 --> 00:16:03,292
- [Dennis] Despite
these failed attempts,
339
00:16:03,292 --> 00:16:07,708
some believers still hope
Shambhala will be found.
340
00:16:07,708 --> 00:16:11,375
- According to Tibetan Buddhist
beliefs, it's in Shambhala
341
00:16:11,375 --> 00:16:14,375
that a new supreme being
called Kalki will be born.
342
00:16:15,542 --> 00:16:17,333
Now, Kalki will come forth
343
00:16:17,333 --> 00:16:20,375
and defeat those trying
to destroy the kingdom
344
00:16:20,375 --> 00:16:23,375
and usher in a
golden age of peace.
345
00:16:23,375 --> 00:16:29,125
- This is forecast to occur
in the year 2424 or 2425.
346
00:16:29,125 --> 00:16:32,625
So maybe then we'll
finally find out if heaven
347
00:16:32,625 --> 00:16:34,250
is a place on Earth.
348
00:16:35,750 --> 00:16:38,458
- Of course, many people
believe there's a darker side
349
00:16:38,458 --> 00:16:42,583
to the afterlife, one that's
usually known as hell.
350
00:16:45,083 --> 00:16:46,625
- The word hell itself,
351
00:16:46,625 --> 00:16:50,333
it actually comes from an eighth
century Anglo-Saxon phrase
352
00:16:50,333 --> 00:16:53,083
used by the pagans to
describe what they envisioned
353
00:16:53,083 --> 00:16:55,125
as the netherworld
of the damned.
354
00:16:56,333 --> 00:16:59,000
- Hell is like the ultimate
horror when it comes
355
00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:00,208
to the afterlife, right?
356
00:17:00,208 --> 00:17:03,042
Fire, brimstone,
eternal suffering.
357
00:17:03,042 --> 00:17:04,500
It's the bad place
358
00:17:04,500 --> 00:17:08,208
and it's terrifying,
even to non-believers.
359
00:17:08,208 --> 00:17:10,208
- It's in our music,
in our movies,
360
00:17:10,208 --> 00:17:12,375
in our books,
great works of art.
361
00:17:12,375 --> 00:17:16,167
Hell is everywhere in the
human collective psyche.
362
00:17:19,708 --> 00:17:22,250
- The idea of what hell looks
like varies from culture
363
00:17:22,250 --> 00:17:24,708
to culture, but
one thing is clear,
364
00:17:24,708 --> 00:17:28,250
no matter how it's imagined,
it's always the place
365
00:17:28,250 --> 00:17:30,708
where people face
the consequences
366
00:17:30,708 --> 00:17:33,333
for their behavior on Earth.
367
00:17:33,333 --> 00:17:35,708
- The Mesopotamian religion
has a versions of hell
368
00:17:35,708 --> 00:17:39,583
called Kur, and it's
basically a sealed fortress
369
00:17:39,583 --> 00:17:44,333
where prisoners must
drink dirt and eat stones.
370
00:17:45,333 --> 00:17:47,000
- For the ancient Greeks,
371
00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:49,333
once the dead get to
Hades, the underworld,
372
00:17:49,333 --> 00:17:50,875
which is famously guarded
373
00:17:50,875 --> 00:17:53,667
by a terrifying three-headed
dog named Cerberus,
374
00:17:53,667 --> 00:17:57,292
they receive judgment and
anyone who's deemed wicked
375
00:17:57,292 --> 00:17:59,208
proceeds to a place
called Tartarus
376
00:17:59,208 --> 00:18:01,292
to receive their
divine punishment.
377
00:18:02,625 --> 00:18:05,000
- Hindu text about spiritual
punishment describes several
378
00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:06,625
realms similar to hell.
379
00:18:06,625 --> 00:18:09,583
Torture there can include
things like dismemberment,
380
00:18:09,583 --> 00:18:11,542
piercing, and
burning, depending on
381
00:18:11,542 --> 00:18:14,417
what specific offenses a
person might have committed.
382
00:18:14,417 --> 00:18:16,375
- The ancient Egyptians believe
383
00:18:16,375 --> 00:18:21,125
that upon death, a person
would be judged by 42 judges
384
00:18:21,125 --> 00:18:22,500
and their heart would be weighed
385
00:18:22,500 --> 00:18:25,292
against the feather of truth.
386
00:18:25,292 --> 00:18:27,083
- If the heart is
lighter than the feather,
387
00:18:27,083 --> 00:18:30,417
then they're allowed to pass
into the permanent afterlife,
388
00:18:30,417 --> 00:18:32,583
but if it's heavier,
they're thrown
389
00:18:32,583 --> 00:18:35,208
to the god Ammit, the
devourer of the dead,
390
00:18:35,208 --> 00:18:38,417
and portrayed as this hybrid
being that's part hippo,
391
00:18:38,417 --> 00:18:40,708
part lion, and part crocodile.
392
00:18:40,708 --> 00:18:43,708
Ammit would torture
them in a lake of fire
393
00:18:43,708 --> 00:18:44,833
and then eat them.
394
00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:47,417
- The Christian version of hell
395
00:18:47,417 --> 00:18:49,417
ultimately becomes
the most famous.
396
00:18:49,417 --> 00:18:53,458
Hell is a dark place where
unrepentant sinners go
397
00:18:53,458 --> 00:18:56,667
after being judged
by God after death.
398
00:18:56,667 --> 00:19:00,042
- [Dennis] This version of
hell becomes widespread,
399
00:19:00,042 --> 00:19:03,542
thanks to a bestselling
14th century author.
400
00:19:03,542 --> 00:19:08,083
- In 1321, the Catholic
Italian writer Dante Alighieri
401
00:19:08,083 --> 00:19:10,917
pinned his famous divine comedy.
402
00:19:12,500 --> 00:19:16,042
- It's an epic poem which is
divided into three sections.
403
00:19:16,042 --> 00:19:18,292
In the part called
"The Inferno",
404
00:19:18,292 --> 00:19:20,792
he maps what he calls
the nine circles of hell,
405
00:19:20,792 --> 00:19:24,250
based on levels of how
bad the punishments are.
406
00:19:24,250 --> 00:19:27,500
And Dante goes into substantial
detail about the type
407
00:19:27,500 --> 00:19:29,417
of torture which is involved.
408
00:19:29,417 --> 00:19:32,917
- He also describes which
particular bad deeds
409
00:19:32,917 --> 00:19:34,792
will earn you a place in hell.
410
00:19:34,792 --> 00:19:38,750
Being lustful earns you a
spot in the second circle.
411
00:19:38,750 --> 00:19:42,208
He puts Cleopatra and Helen
of Troy here, for instance.
412
00:19:42,208 --> 00:19:44,708
Heretics end up in
the sixth circle
413
00:19:46,333 --> 00:19:50,542
where they spend eternity in
entombed, in flaming crypts.
414
00:19:50,542 --> 00:19:52,333
- [Dennis] But all
these accounts of hell
415
00:19:52,333 --> 00:19:55,625
leave out one crucial detail.
416
00:19:55,625 --> 00:19:57,417
Where is it?
417
00:19:57,417 --> 00:20:00,375
- Though the Christian Bible
doesn't offer a precise
418
00:20:00,375 --> 00:20:01,833
location for hell,
419
00:20:01,833 --> 00:20:05,500
we do get some clues,
like "heart of the Earth,"
420
00:20:05,500 --> 00:20:09,083
and "lower earthly regions,"
which contribute to the idea
421
00:20:09,083 --> 00:20:11,792
that hell might be
located underground.
422
00:20:13,250 --> 00:20:16,417
- It might have to do with
the ancient Egyptians.
423
00:20:16,417 --> 00:20:19,875
They believed in an underground
hell long before the Bible.
424
00:20:19,875 --> 00:20:24,208
For them, it was reached
through caves which are dark,
425
00:20:24,208 --> 00:20:27,875
scary, hot, and very real.
426
00:20:27,875 --> 00:20:31,125
- [Dennis] This idea is
further developed in something
427
00:20:31,125 --> 00:20:34,292
called the Book of Caverns.
428
00:20:34,292 --> 00:20:36,042
- The Book of Caverns
is not an actual book
429
00:20:36,042 --> 00:20:37,875
in the traditional sense.
430
00:20:37,875 --> 00:20:39,375
It's a collection
431
00:20:39,375 --> 00:20:43,000
of religious documents
inscribed on tomb walls written
432
00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:46,167
between 1300 and 1200 BC,
433
00:20:46,167 --> 00:20:50,542
and is perhaps the best source
for the Egyptian idea of hell.
434
00:20:50,542 --> 00:20:54,333
It details the journey
the sun god Ra takes
435
00:20:54,333 --> 00:20:57,167
through six caverns
of their netherworld.
436
00:20:57,167 --> 00:21:00,792
- It lays out many familiar
themes of how like judgment
437
00:21:00,792 --> 00:21:04,208
and punishment, but
there's also a real focus
438
00:21:04,208 --> 00:21:06,708
on the underworld as
a geographical place
439
00:21:06,708 --> 00:21:11,375
because it gives several hints
about an actual topographical
440
00:21:11,375 --> 00:21:13,250
structure of the caverns.
441
00:21:13,250 --> 00:21:16,875
It's almost like a map to hell.
442
00:21:16,875 --> 00:21:18,375
Though as far as we know,
443
00:21:18,375 --> 00:21:20,708
no one has been
successful in finding it.
444
00:21:20,708 --> 00:21:23,042
- [Dennis] The ancient
Greeks also believed
445
00:21:23,042 --> 00:21:24,750
hell was underground.
446
00:21:24,750 --> 00:21:28,542
In fact, an influential
scholar named Strabo claimed
447
00:21:28,542 --> 00:21:32,542
it could be reached via a
portal called Pluto's Gate.
448
00:21:32,542 --> 00:21:35,542
It's named after the Roman
God of the underworld,
449
00:21:35,542 --> 00:21:39,792
and it's a place Strabo
said he actually visited.
450
00:21:39,792 --> 00:21:41,500
- And at this site,
451
00:21:41,500 --> 00:21:44,542
there's a stone temple which
is built over a cave believed
452
00:21:44,542 --> 00:21:46,542
to be the gateway to hell,
453
00:21:46,542 --> 00:21:49,625
and that's because
this cave is deadly.
454
00:21:49,625 --> 00:21:52,000
Anyone who gets too close to it
455
00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:55,042
and lingers there
dies from suffocation
456
00:21:55,042 --> 00:21:58,750
by this foul smelling gas
emanating from the cave,
457
00:21:58,750 --> 00:22:03,042
sometimes referred to
as the breath of death.
458
00:22:03,042 --> 00:22:04,500
- To the ancients,
459
00:22:04,500 --> 00:22:07,500
this is pretty convincing
proof of the underworld
460
00:22:07,500 --> 00:22:10,417
and what else but hell could
actually be down there?
461
00:22:11,625 --> 00:22:14,125
- Pluto's Gate becomes a
major tourist attraction.
462
00:22:14,125 --> 00:22:15,958
People come from miles around
463
00:22:15,958 --> 00:22:20,125
to sit at a safe distance in
the specially built seating
464
00:22:20,125 --> 00:22:24,542
and watch as priests send
live animals into the cave.
465
00:22:24,542 --> 00:22:27,292
Everything from bulls to birds,
466
00:22:27,292 --> 00:22:29,958
and when they pull them
back out, they're dead.
467
00:22:31,333 --> 00:22:33,167
- [Dennis] When
Earthquakes hit the area
468
00:22:33,167 --> 00:22:34,917
in the sixth century AD,
469
00:22:34,917 --> 00:22:39,542
the cave is destroyed and
its location is lost to time.
470
00:22:40,917 --> 00:22:42,167
- As we get into the Dark
471
00:22:42,167 --> 00:22:44,625
and Middle Ages, people
decide that these accounts
472
00:22:44,625 --> 00:22:47,625
of an entrance to
hell must be mythical.
473
00:22:47,625 --> 00:22:50,542
So Pluto's Gate is
chalked up as legend.
474
00:22:52,042 --> 00:22:56,917
- [Dennis] Then in 1965, a
team of Italian archeologists
475
00:22:56,917 --> 00:22:58,625
sets out to look for it.
476
00:22:59,833 --> 00:23:03,125
- And sure enough it's
found, in present day Turkey
477
00:23:03,125 --> 00:23:04,792
near the city of Pamukkale.
478
00:23:07,875 --> 00:23:10,292
- [Dennis] Following
a thermal hot spring,
479
00:23:10,292 --> 00:23:13,125
the team uncovers
the ruins filled
480
00:23:13,125 --> 00:23:14,875
with inscriptions dedicated
481
00:23:14,875 --> 00:23:17,917
to the god of the
underworld, Pluto.
482
00:23:17,917 --> 00:23:21,000
- The cave is located along
a geologically active seismic
483
00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:25,667
fault line, which releases
deadly carbon dioxide gas,
484
00:23:25,667 --> 00:23:28,250
which will kill any
human or animal today.
485
00:23:28,250 --> 00:23:30,750
Anyone who visits
the cave will see
486
00:23:30,750 --> 00:23:32,667
dead birds lining the entrance.
487
00:23:35,042 --> 00:23:38,292
- [Dennis] And today,
archeologists continue to search
488
00:23:38,292 --> 00:23:39,875
for other physical caves
489
00:23:39,875 --> 00:23:43,667
that ancients might have
interpreted as hell.
490
00:23:45,250 --> 00:23:46,583
- [Robert] In 2012,
an archeologist
491
00:23:46,583 --> 00:23:48,167
named Michael Galaty
492
00:23:48,167 --> 00:23:50,875
is working in the Mani Region
of Southern Greece as part
493
00:23:50,875 --> 00:23:54,542
of a team excavating the
extensive Alepotrypa cave.
494
00:23:55,833 --> 00:23:58,833
- What's fascinating
about Alepotrypa is not
495
00:23:58,833 --> 00:24:00,708
that it was used by
the ancient Greeks,
496
00:24:00,708 --> 00:24:04,417
but that it predates them
by thousands of years.
497
00:24:04,417 --> 00:24:06,333
It's one of the
earliest known inhabited
498
00:24:06,333 --> 00:24:08,000
places of that region.
499
00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:10,708
It's clear that ancient
people once lived
500
00:24:10,708 --> 00:24:12,708
and died in the cave.
501
00:24:12,708 --> 00:24:15,208
- Excavations have
identified the remains
502
00:24:15,208 --> 00:24:19,250
of over 170 different people
across several centuries,
503
00:24:19,250 --> 00:24:24,458
and it appears to have been
in use from about 6,000 BC
504
00:24:24,458 --> 00:24:27,625
all the way up to 3,200 BC.
505
00:24:27,625 --> 00:24:29,167
- It's around that time
506
00:24:29,167 --> 00:24:31,542
that a catastrophic
earthquake takes place.
507
00:24:32,458 --> 00:24:34,917
[rocks clattering]
508
00:24:34,917 --> 00:24:37,333
Burying not only the
entrance to the cave,
509
00:24:37,333 --> 00:24:39,958
but hundreds of
people trapped inside.
510
00:24:39,958 --> 00:24:42,958
[explosion rumbling]
511
00:24:44,292 --> 00:24:47,708
- Think of it like the
ancient eruption of Pompeii.
512
00:24:47,708 --> 00:24:49,667
You have all these
innocent people trapped
513
00:24:49,667 --> 00:24:53,875
and buried except unlike
Pompeii, many of the people
514
00:24:53,875 --> 00:24:57,833
inside the Alepotrypa Cave
wouldn't have died instantly.
515
00:24:57,833 --> 00:24:59,708
Many might have died
slowly from things like
516
00:24:59,708 --> 00:25:02,083
injuries or starvation.
517
00:25:02,083 --> 00:25:03,667
It would've been torture,
518
00:25:03,667 --> 00:25:07,417
and maybe this is where the
idea of hell comes from.
519
00:25:07,417 --> 00:25:08,958
- Archeologists have found
520
00:25:08,958 --> 00:25:11,833
that there was also a large
society of people living just
521
00:25:11,833 --> 00:25:14,458
outside the cave at that time,
522
00:25:14,458 --> 00:25:16,000
so they would've
seen this happen
523
00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:19,875
and they might've heard
the tortured screams
524
00:25:19,875 --> 00:25:23,542
of the poor people
trapped underground inside
525
00:25:23,542 --> 00:25:25,375
for several more days.
526
00:25:25,375 --> 00:25:27,708
[dramatic music]
527
00:25:29,042 --> 00:25:30,667
It would be horrifying.
528
00:25:30,667 --> 00:25:33,083
Like hell on Earth.
529
00:25:33,083 --> 00:25:36,333
- Galaty, like many others,
is fascinated with how
530
00:25:36,333 --> 00:25:38,583
and why all of these cultures
531
00:25:38,583 --> 00:25:40,875
around the Mediterranean
tell a similar story
532
00:25:40,875 --> 00:25:45,833
of hell being a physical place
on Earth that's underground
533
00:25:45,833 --> 00:25:47,542
where people are tortured.
534
00:25:47,542 --> 00:25:49,083
He thinks that the tragedy
535
00:25:49,083 --> 00:25:52,292
of the cave collapse in
Alepotrypa may have inspired
536
00:25:52,292 --> 00:25:54,208
this storytelling tradition.
537
00:25:54,208 --> 00:25:58,375
Basically, a prehistoric
origin story for all
538
00:25:58,375 --> 00:26:00,208
of our modern
beliefs about hell.
539
00:26:08,083 --> 00:26:12,625
- Lots of people consider death
to be life's final curtain,
540
00:26:12,625 --> 00:26:15,042
but what if there's an encore?
541
00:26:15,042 --> 00:26:19,083
Would you want the chance
to do things differently?
542
00:26:20,167 --> 00:26:21,792
- Across the world,
543
00:26:21,792 --> 00:26:24,208
many faiths believe in
something called reincarnation.
544
00:26:24,208 --> 00:26:25,750
So what does this mean?
545
00:26:25,750 --> 00:26:30,792
Well, you die and then
you get to start again.
546
00:26:31,792 --> 00:26:34,208
You get another life, you
get another chance to try
547
00:26:34,208 --> 00:26:36,167
and do better.
548
00:26:36,167 --> 00:26:39,500
- [Robert] Reincarnation means
that your soul gets reborn
549
00:26:39,500 --> 00:26:41,583
into a different body.
550
00:26:41,583 --> 00:26:44,583
- The word reincarnation
literally means
551
00:26:44,583 --> 00:26:46,417
entering the flesh again.
552
00:26:46,417 --> 00:26:48,375
So similar to the
Christian viewpoint,
553
00:26:48,375 --> 00:26:50,208
the soul is
essentially immortal.
554
00:26:50,208 --> 00:26:53,958
It just moves from
body to body over time,
555
00:26:53,958 --> 00:26:56,875
instead of immediately
going to heaven or hell.
556
00:26:56,875 --> 00:27:00,792
- [Dennis] Reincarnation is
a core belief in Buddhism,
557
00:27:00,792 --> 00:27:04,042
which was founded around 600 BC.
558
00:27:04,042 --> 00:27:06,667
- Buddha taught his followers
that the cycle of life
559
00:27:06,667 --> 00:27:08,250
and death is endless.
560
00:27:08,250 --> 00:27:11,917
When we die, our soul
is reborn in a new body.
561
00:27:11,917 --> 00:27:15,917
But what form that body
takes is based on our karma,
562
00:27:15,917 --> 00:27:19,417
essentially how good or bad
we were in our previous life.
563
00:27:19,417 --> 00:27:21,125
- Live well and pure,
564
00:27:21,125 --> 00:27:23,875
come back as a healthy
and successful human.
565
00:27:23,875 --> 00:27:27,042
Live sinfully, and you might
end up as an earthworm.
566
00:27:30,792 --> 00:27:32,208
- [Dennis] Perhaps
the greatest example
567
00:27:32,208 --> 00:27:36,833
of Buddhist reincarnation
today is the Dalai Lama.
568
00:27:36,833 --> 00:27:39,458
- The Dalai Lama is the
head of Tibetan Buddhism,
569
00:27:39,458 --> 00:27:42,500
which is the most prominent
school of modern Buddhism.
570
00:27:42,500 --> 00:27:46,292
- Buddhists believe that the
Dalai Lama is the same soul
571
00:27:46,292 --> 00:27:50,375
reincarnated in a new
body each time he dies.
572
00:27:51,542 --> 00:27:54,417
- There have been 13 Dalai
Lamas prior to the current one,
573
00:27:54,417 --> 00:27:57,125
dating back to the early 1400s.
574
00:27:57,125 --> 00:27:59,750
So if you do the
math, it means that
575
00:27:59,750 --> 00:28:01,417
the current Dalai Lama
has been reincarnated
576
00:28:01,417 --> 00:28:03,792
so many times that he's
actually been walking the Earth
577
00:28:03,792 --> 00:28:06,417
for over 600 years.
578
00:28:06,417 --> 00:28:10,958
- [Dennis] The current Dalai
Lama was revealed in 1937.
579
00:28:12,333 --> 00:28:16,792
- In December of 1933, the
13th Dalai Lama dies and soon
580
00:28:16,792 --> 00:28:19,375
after, the highest ranking
Tibetan Buddhist monks have
581
00:28:19,375 --> 00:28:22,667
to start looking for his
replacement, the embodiment
582
00:28:22,667 --> 00:28:25,125
of his reincarnated soul.
583
00:28:25,125 --> 00:28:27,958
- [Robert] It can take years
and there are very strict rules
584
00:28:27,958 --> 00:28:31,333
and steps as well as
a series of tests.
585
00:28:31,333 --> 00:28:33,542
- Obviously, one of
the first criteria is
586
00:28:33,542 --> 00:28:35,583
to find a child born right
587
00:28:35,583 --> 00:28:38,208
after the previous
Dalai Lama died.
588
00:28:38,208 --> 00:28:40,083
The monks test
many such children,
589
00:28:40,083 --> 00:28:43,500
but in 1937, they
meet Lhamo Thondup.
590
00:28:43,500 --> 00:28:46,708
Like the others before him,
he's just the right age.
591
00:28:46,708 --> 00:28:48,667
- [Dennis] Incredibly,
this boy proves
592
00:28:48,667 --> 00:28:51,625
to be different
almost immediately.
593
00:28:51,625 --> 00:28:53,042
- The monks ask the boy
594
00:28:53,042 --> 00:28:57,000
to make selections from
a large group of objects.
595
00:28:57,000 --> 00:29:00,083
Thondup chooses two
items that had belonged
596
00:29:00,083 --> 00:29:03,708
to the previous Dalai Lama,
a drum and a walking stick,
597
00:29:03,708 --> 00:29:07,292
and he literally says
the words, "It's mine".
598
00:29:07,292 --> 00:29:08,708
- It's pretty uncanny.
599
00:29:08,708 --> 00:29:12,667
Why would this boy be so drawn
to these particular objects
600
00:29:12,667 --> 00:29:16,083
unless his soul recognized them?
601
00:29:16,083 --> 00:29:18,083
- [Dennis] Believers
in reincarnation
602
00:29:18,083 --> 00:29:23,208
point to other examples
outside of Buddhism as well.
603
00:29:23,208 --> 00:29:26,250
- Perhaps the most well-known
researcher of reincarnation
604
00:29:26,250 --> 00:29:30,542
and past lives is a psychologist
named Ian Stevenson from
605
00:29:30,542 --> 00:29:32,250
the University of Virginia.
606
00:29:32,250 --> 00:29:35,167
- Stevenson publishes 20
books during his career,
607
00:29:35,167 --> 00:29:37,958
most of which involve
interviewing children who claim
608
00:29:37,958 --> 00:29:40,583
to have unusual, vivid memories
609
00:29:40,583 --> 00:29:44,125
and then comparing them with
records of deceased people.
610
00:29:45,917 --> 00:29:48,750
- [Dennis] Stevenson's
most shocking story comes
611
00:29:48,750 --> 00:29:51,458
from the Pollock family
in Hexham, England.
612
00:29:52,583 --> 00:29:55,708
In 1957, John and
Florence Pollock's
613
00:29:55,708 --> 00:29:58,958
young daughters,
Jacqueline and Joanna die
614
00:29:58,958 --> 00:30:01,792
after being struck by a car.
615
00:30:01,792 --> 00:30:05,458
- In early 1958, Florence
gets pregnant again
616
00:30:05,458 --> 00:30:07,833
and gives birth to twin girls
617
00:30:07,833 --> 00:30:09,917
that they named
Gillian and Jennifer.
618
00:30:10,917 --> 00:30:13,250
- John immediately sees
similarities between Gillian
619
00:30:13,250 --> 00:30:16,292
and Jennifer, and his
deceased daughters.
620
00:30:17,583 --> 00:30:19,083
Particularly with Jennifer,
621
00:30:19,083 --> 00:30:21,750
who has two
birthmarks on her hip
622
00:30:21,750 --> 00:30:24,750
and on her forehead,
in the same spots
623
00:30:24,750 --> 00:30:26,417
that Jacqueline had scars.
624
00:30:27,583 --> 00:30:30,083
- [Dennis] Once the girls
are old enough to talk,
625
00:30:30,083 --> 00:30:33,375
they have some very
interesting things to say.
626
00:30:34,417 --> 00:30:36,917
- The girls recount
stories and facts
627
00:30:36,917 --> 00:30:40,583
only their deceased older
sisters could have known.
628
00:30:40,583 --> 00:30:44,125
- Florence describes overhearing
the twins talking about
629
00:30:44,125 --> 00:30:46,542
the car accident in
the present tense,
630
00:30:46,542 --> 00:30:48,375
as if they're reliving it.
631
00:30:48,375 --> 00:30:51,792
They say things like "There's
blood coming out of your eyes.
632
00:30:51,792 --> 00:30:53,375
That's where the car hit you."
633
00:30:53,375 --> 00:30:55,042
Though there are a lot
of skeptics out there,
634
00:30:55,042 --> 00:30:56,375
Ian Stevenson continues
635
00:30:56,375 --> 00:30:59,292
to interview the family
over a period of decades,
636
00:30:59,292 --> 00:31:01,875
and the girls
continue to exhibit
637
00:31:01,875 --> 00:31:03,833
this incredible behavior.
638
00:31:03,833 --> 00:31:05,875
- After compiling
all of his research,
639
00:31:05,875 --> 00:31:08,125
Stevenson has enough
evidence to conclude
640
00:31:08,125 --> 00:31:10,042
that the Pollocks are legit
641
00:31:10,042 --> 00:31:12,208
and do provide enough
evidence to support
642
00:31:12,208 --> 00:31:14,875
the idea of reincarnation.
643
00:31:14,875 --> 00:31:17,875
- While we can't be sure
if the stories are true,
644
00:31:17,875 --> 00:31:19,500
they certainly provide hope
645
00:31:19,500 --> 00:31:22,250
that death doesn't
have to be the end.
646
00:31:27,375 --> 00:31:29,542
- Reincarnation isn't
the only possibility
647
00:31:29,542 --> 00:31:31,375
for a second chance at life.
648
00:31:31,375 --> 00:31:34,833
Instead of coming
back as a new person,
649
00:31:34,833 --> 00:31:38,375
what if you can come
back as yourself?
650
00:31:39,542 --> 00:31:41,417
- In the Bible,
651
00:31:41,417 --> 00:31:44,958
people die all the time and
presumably end up in heaven
652
00:31:44,958 --> 00:31:47,042
or hell, but we shouldn't forget
653
00:31:47,042 --> 00:31:48,958
that there's an alternative.
654
00:31:48,958 --> 00:31:51,833
It doesn't happen often,
but every once in a while,
655
00:31:51,833 --> 00:31:53,583
someone comes back
from the dead.
656
00:31:55,542 --> 00:31:57,667
- Coming back from the dead
is commonly referred to
657
00:31:57,667 --> 00:32:01,667
as resurrection, or
sometimes called anastasis
658
00:32:01,667 --> 00:32:05,500
from the Greek word meaning
rising up or standing up again.
659
00:32:05,500 --> 00:32:09,125
The most famous resurrection
story is that of Jesus Christ.
660
00:32:09,125 --> 00:32:11,667
- [Dennis] Jesus isn't
the only one believed
661
00:32:11,667 --> 00:32:13,458
to rise from the dead.
662
00:32:13,458 --> 00:32:16,375
- There are many accounts of
Jesus himself actually bringing
663
00:32:16,375 --> 00:32:19,542
people back from the dead
during his ministry on Earth.
664
00:32:19,542 --> 00:32:23,458
- The gospel of John tells the
story of Lazarus of Bethany.
665
00:32:23,458 --> 00:32:27,208
While lying on his deathbed,
desperate for help,
666
00:32:27,208 --> 00:32:30,208
his sisters, Mary and
Martha go looking for Jesus
667
00:32:30,208 --> 00:32:31,750
who is quite far away.
668
00:32:31,750 --> 00:32:33,000
When they find him
669
00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:34,458
and tell him about
their brother,
670
00:32:34,458 --> 00:32:38,833
Jesus replies, "Our
friend Lazarus is asleep,
671
00:32:38,833 --> 00:32:41,583
but I am going to awaken him."
672
00:32:41,583 --> 00:32:44,333
- That's when Jesus
utters his famous words,
673
00:32:44,333 --> 00:32:47,208
"I am the resurrection
and the life.
674
00:32:47,208 --> 00:32:50,167
You who believes in
me shall never die."
675
00:32:51,458 --> 00:32:54,125
- Jesus has the
tomb of Lazarus open
676
00:32:54,125 --> 00:32:56,292
and he commands the
deceased Lazarus
677
00:32:56,292 --> 00:32:58,250
to rise up and come out.
678
00:32:59,542 --> 00:33:03,375
Miraculously he does, and
Lazarus's sisters are overjoyed.
679
00:33:04,750 --> 00:33:07,958
- [Dennis] According to the
Bible, it's not just Jesus
680
00:33:07,958 --> 00:33:10,708
who has this miraculous power.
681
00:33:10,708 --> 00:33:14,583
- One of Jesus's most about
followers is the apostle, Peter.
682
00:33:14,583 --> 00:33:17,875
He's a fisherman from
Galilee that devotes his life
683
00:33:17,875 --> 00:33:19,583
to spreading the word of Christ.
684
00:33:19,583 --> 00:33:22,333
Peter basically becomes
his right hand man.
685
00:33:24,500 --> 00:33:26,833
- In Acts 9, Peter
is preaching in Lydda
686
00:33:26,833 --> 00:33:30,208
when two men from the nearby
town of Joppa show up.
687
00:33:30,208 --> 00:33:33,208
They tell him there's a local
seamstress named Tabitha
688
00:33:33,208 --> 00:33:35,125
who fell ill and died.
689
00:33:36,417 --> 00:33:39,083
She was a pious Christian
known for her charitable acts,
690
00:33:39,083 --> 00:33:41,542
and she was so beloved
by everyone in Joppa,
691
00:33:41,542 --> 00:33:43,875
they were hoping Peter
could come quickly
692
00:33:43,875 --> 00:33:46,333
and see if there's
anything he could do.
693
00:33:46,333 --> 00:33:49,083
- According to the story,
Peter wastes no time getting
694
00:33:49,083 --> 00:33:52,083
to Joppa and he goes to the
upper chamber of a house
695
00:33:52,083 --> 00:33:54,042
where the townspeople
have cleaned
696
00:33:54,042 --> 00:33:57,125
and laid out Tabitha's body,
697
00:33:57,125 --> 00:34:00,625
and he decides to show
them the power of the Lord.
698
00:34:01,917 --> 00:34:03,583
- He kneels down next to her,
699
00:34:03,583 --> 00:34:08,542
says a prayer, and
commands, "Tabitha, arise."
700
00:34:08,542 --> 00:34:12,125
She opens her eyes,
sees Peter and sits up.
701
00:34:12,125 --> 00:34:14,375
He takes her hand, lifts her up,
702
00:34:14,375 --> 00:34:17,667
and calls in the others
to see what he has done
703
00:34:17,667 --> 00:34:19,042
through God's grace.
704
00:34:21,208 --> 00:34:23,667
- The story of this
resurrection miracle spreads
705
00:34:23,667 --> 00:34:27,250
and creates many more Christian
believers, which is exactly
706
00:34:27,250 --> 00:34:29,042
what Peter had planned.
707
00:34:30,250 --> 00:34:32,667
- [Dennis] These accounts
help lay the foundation
708
00:34:32,667 --> 00:34:34,958
for a stunning prediction.
709
00:34:34,958 --> 00:34:36,208
- In the book of Revelation,
710
00:34:36,208 --> 00:34:38,208
it foretells that there
will be a complete
711
00:34:38,208 --> 00:34:41,375
and total resurrection of
the dead, as in every person
712
00:34:41,375 --> 00:34:44,083
who has died will be
brought back to life.
713
00:34:45,250 --> 00:34:47,042
- The idea is linked
to this notion
714
00:34:47,042 --> 00:34:48,417
called the second coming.
715
00:34:48,417 --> 00:34:49,833
It's something that we
see not only in the book
716
00:34:49,833 --> 00:34:52,375
of Revelation, but also
other creedal statements
717
00:34:52,375 --> 00:34:53,708
like the Apostles' Creed.
718
00:34:55,792 --> 00:34:59,208
- Basically, after ascending
to heaven, Jesus returns
719
00:34:59,208 --> 00:35:02,375
to Earth to judge both
the living and the dead.
720
00:35:02,375 --> 00:35:04,542
To judge the dead, he'll
have to raise them.
721
00:35:04,542 --> 00:35:06,875
Yes, all of them.
722
00:35:06,875 --> 00:35:08,875
- Just imagine what
that would mean.
723
00:35:08,875 --> 00:35:13,375
Untold billions of bodies
pulled from their graves
724
00:35:13,375 --> 00:35:17,292
and reanimated, on top of the
existing living population.
725
00:35:17,292 --> 00:35:20,417
- [Dennis] There might be
a much more tangible way
726
00:35:20,417 --> 00:35:26,375
to bring people back from
the dead, and sooner.
727
00:35:26,375 --> 00:35:28,458
- The idea of resurrection
has captivated
728
00:35:28,458 --> 00:35:31,583
the human imagination
for millennia,
729
00:35:31,583 --> 00:35:34,542
but where did the
idea first begin?
730
00:35:36,833 --> 00:35:39,875
- One of the most powerful gods
in the Egyptian pantheon is
731
00:35:39,875 --> 00:35:43,792
Osiris, the god of
agriculture and fertility.
732
00:35:43,792 --> 00:35:46,583
And according to his
legend, Osiris is murdered
733
00:35:46,583 --> 00:35:50,792
and dismembered by a jealous
rival god, his brother Seth.
734
00:35:50,792 --> 00:35:55,708
- Osiris's faithful wife, the
goddess Isis, reassembles him,
735
00:35:55,708 --> 00:35:59,375
wraps him in linen strips,
anoints him with sacred oils,
736
00:35:59,375 --> 00:36:01,875
and buries his body.
737
00:36:01,875 --> 00:36:05,500
- This ritual resurrects Osiris,
738
00:36:05,500 --> 00:36:08,083
and he ultimately becomes
the God of the underworld,
739
00:36:08,083 --> 00:36:10,250
and it's because of this legend
740
00:36:10,250 --> 00:36:12,875
that mummification
becomes all the rage
741
00:36:12,875 --> 00:36:16,708
with Egyptian pharaohs who also
want a shot at immortality.
742
00:36:17,667 --> 00:36:19,833
- But some Egyptologists
like Kurt Sethe
743
00:36:19,833 --> 00:36:23,250
in the 1930's proposed
that Osiris might actually
744
00:36:23,250 --> 00:36:26,208
have started out as a
real life king of Egypt,
745
00:36:26,208 --> 00:36:27,500
and this suggests
746
00:36:27,583 --> 00:36:30,167
that a human can somehow
come back from the dead
747
00:36:30,167 --> 00:36:31,458
and become deified.
748
00:36:33,875 --> 00:36:37,875
- [Dennis] A similar theme
is echoed in Greek mythology.
749
00:36:37,875 --> 00:36:41,708
- Resurrection happens
several times in Greek myths.
750
00:36:41,708 --> 00:36:46,417
In most cases, it's a gift
bestowed upon select humans
751
00:36:46,417 --> 00:36:48,917
by the gods, but that's
not always how it goes.
752
00:36:50,333 --> 00:36:52,708
- In one story, there's a
demigod named Asclepius,
753
00:36:52,708 --> 00:36:56,417
who is the son of Apollo
and immortal woman,
754
00:36:56,417 --> 00:37:00,542
and Asclepius is a doctor
who lives in the human world
755
00:37:00,542 --> 00:37:03,208
and he's really honed his
healing skills, to the point
756
00:37:03,208 --> 00:37:07,500
where he starts dabbling with
raising people from the dead.
757
00:37:07,500 --> 00:37:10,750
- [Dennis] First up, the
son of the king of Athens.
758
00:37:12,542 --> 00:37:14,500
- Asclepius
resurrects Hippolytus
759
00:37:14,500 --> 00:37:16,500
after he dies in a chariot fall.
760
00:37:16,500 --> 00:37:19,667
He also resurrects the
Thracian king named Lycurgus
761
00:37:19,667 --> 00:37:23,333
and a prince of Crete called
Glaucus, amongst others.
762
00:37:23,333 --> 00:37:24,875
- This angers Zeus,
763
00:37:24,875 --> 00:37:28,542
who thinks only real gods
should be resurrecting people,
764
00:37:28,542 --> 00:37:31,708
so he strikes Asclepius
down with a lightning bolt.
765
00:37:31,708 --> 00:37:33,792
[lightning booms]
766
00:37:33,792 --> 00:37:36,667
- [Dennis] Farther east,
ancient Hindu tradition
767
00:37:36,667 --> 00:37:39,708
has its own famous
resurrection story.
768
00:37:40,875 --> 00:37:43,542
- In the Hindu holy text
known as the Mahabharata,
769
00:37:43,542 --> 00:37:45,208
there's a great story about
770
00:37:45,208 --> 00:37:48,375
a beautiful princess
named Savitri.
771
00:37:48,375 --> 00:37:50,458
She meets and
falls madly in love
772
00:37:50,458 --> 00:37:52,583
with a woodsman named Satyavan,
773
00:37:52,583 --> 00:37:54,875
who's really an exiled prince.
774
00:37:54,875 --> 00:37:58,625
- After they get married, they
receive an unwelcome prophecy
775
00:37:58,625 --> 00:38:02,583
that Satyavan will die on
their one year anniversary.
776
00:38:02,583 --> 00:38:05,958
And sure enough, that's
exactly what happens.
777
00:38:05,958 --> 00:38:08,167
- Savitri is devastated
778
00:38:08,167 --> 00:38:10,667
and when Yama, the
god of death, comes
779
00:38:10,667 --> 00:38:14,375
to take Satyavan's soul, she
pursues him across the desert
780
00:38:14,375 --> 00:38:15,792
to the entrance
of the underworld,
781
00:38:15,792 --> 00:38:18,875
all the time she's
pleading that he return
782
00:38:18,875 --> 00:38:20,542
her beloved husband.
783
00:38:20,542 --> 00:38:22,292
- Now, Yama isn't
in the business
784
00:38:22,292 --> 00:38:23,750
of giving back the dead,
785
00:38:23,750 --> 00:38:26,792
but he's moved by the
princess's devotion,
786
00:38:26,792 --> 00:38:31,500
feels bad for her, so he
offers to grant her one wish.
787
00:38:31,500 --> 00:38:34,292
Anything, except giving
back her husband.
788
00:38:35,375 --> 00:38:38,500
- Savitri cleverly tells
Yama that her wish is
789
00:38:38,500 --> 00:38:41,542
to have many
children, he agrees.
790
00:38:41,542 --> 00:38:44,542
But then she follows up by
asking how she's supposed
791
00:38:44,542 --> 00:38:47,375
to have this large
family without Satyavan,
792
00:38:47,375 --> 00:38:50,125
the only man she
has vowed to love?
793
00:38:50,125 --> 00:38:53,083
- So Savitri basically
outsmarts the god of death
794
00:38:53,083 --> 00:38:56,708
and she forces him to
resurrect her beloved husband.
795
00:38:57,958 --> 00:39:00,333
- [Dennis] As powerful
as these stories are,
796
00:39:00,333 --> 00:39:03,708
most scholars consider
them to be myths,
797
00:39:03,708 --> 00:39:07,125
but can there be some
truth to the concept
798
00:39:07,125 --> 00:39:09,000
of reanimating the dead?
799
00:39:10,500 --> 00:39:12,417
- Any sensible doctor will
tell you that the type
800
00:39:12,417 --> 00:39:14,667
of resurrection
described in the Bible
801
00:39:14,667 --> 00:39:18,875
or other religious myths just
isn't scientifically sound.
802
00:39:18,875 --> 00:39:21,500
However, that doesn't
necessarily mean
803
00:39:21,500 --> 00:39:24,250
that when we die, it's all over.
804
00:39:24,250 --> 00:39:26,792
Science has increasingly
found that the body
805
00:39:26,792 --> 00:39:31,333
and brain don't just go
from 100 to zero instantly.
806
00:39:31,333 --> 00:39:33,208
- One of the most
fascinating areas
807
00:39:33,208 --> 00:39:36,750
of modern research involves
what are called zombie genes.
808
00:39:38,042 --> 00:39:40,708
These are genes that increase
their activity for up
809
00:39:40,708 --> 00:39:44,750
to 12 hours after death, meaning
that their associated cells
810
00:39:44,750 --> 00:39:47,042
are still alive and active.
811
00:39:47,042 --> 00:39:50,083
We used to think that all
biological processes stopped
812
00:39:50,083 --> 00:39:53,667
after death, but apparently
that's not the case.
813
00:39:55,042 --> 00:39:57,375
- In related research,
scientists have successfully
814
00:39:57,375 --> 00:40:00,250
reanimated pig brains
and organs up to an hour
815
00:40:00,250 --> 00:40:01,792
after the animal has died.
816
00:40:03,542 --> 00:40:04,833
- This is a huge step towards
817
00:40:04,833 --> 00:40:07,292
what would clearly
be the ultimate goal,
818
00:40:07,292 --> 00:40:12,000
to actually, medically bring
someone back from the dead.
819
00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:15,708
Perhaps resurrection will
one day be possible with
820
00:40:15,708 --> 00:40:17,833
or without divine intervention.
821
00:40:17,833 --> 00:40:20,042
[dramatic music]
822
00:40:20,042 --> 00:40:23,542
- Whether we end up
in paradise or hell,
823
00:40:24,542 --> 00:40:28,042
in a new body or in our old one,
824
00:40:28,042 --> 00:40:32,250
all humans can rely on
an absolute certainty.
825
00:40:33,250 --> 00:40:38,083
Someday, we'll find out
where we go when we die.
826
00:40:39,417 --> 00:40:41,000
I'm Dennis Quaid.
827
00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:43,833
Thanks for watching
"Holy Marvels."
67095
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