Latest news with #Hell
The Sun
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
As I lay dying in a car crash I saw HELL – screaming souls were grabbing for me but I'm not afraid to go back
A WOMAN who nearly died after her car flew off the road claims she discovered Hell as she passed over into the other side. There she saw "souls screaming and reaching for help" - and isn't afraid to experience is again. 8 8 Yoga Premananda, as she's known, nearly met her demise after making plans to meet up with a friend to go partying in Vegas. Deciding to do the trip alone, the 51-year-old holistic energy healer recalls feeling "euphoric" and lost track of where she was going - and her speed. While on an empty desert road, with nobody else around, her attention kicked back in and suddenly, a feeling of dread washed over her. She struggled to breathe and before she knew it, her car flew off the road. Yoga said: 'I started gasping for air. I had never felt anything like this before in my whole life. 'As I was dying, I saw my legs crushed under the steering wheel.' Recalling her discovery of Hell, Yoga, from Florida, US, said she entered a cold and dark room before landing in a "terrifying" pit. She says a shadow figure was present, along with a never-ending ceiling, and that there was a strong smell of smoke. Yoga was then greeted by Archangel Raphael – a prominent healing figure across multiple religions – who challenged her. And suddenly, she was in the "waiting room" for Heaven. Woman reveals what 'heaven is like' after near-death experience from choking 'I wasn't scared, but I didn't know what I was doing in the Hell realm,' said Yoga. 'There was a spinning pyre of flames, with souls hanging off it, screaming and reaching for help. 'The shadow figures around me wondered who I was. 'And the whole room's dimensions were odd; the walls were shadows and they felt cold, yet hot; dry, yet wet. 'I wasn't even thinking about my body back on Earth. 'When Archangel Raphael appeared, he was wearing dark sunglasses, a long dark trench coat and a black hat. 'Suddenly, I was beamed into a waiting room for Heaven in a split second. 'I felt very normal and quite comfortable. 'When I reached the other side, I was relieved – it was like home.' Before entering Heaven, she went into a long white tunnel with other souls that were coming and going. Archangel Raphael then made the decision on if you got to dance with God or the Devil. She said: 'He was sitting at a desk going through and stamping papers with information of the souls. 'There was a bright and light energy around it; the total opposite to what I thought Hell was like. 'No one used words, but we still communicated. 'A familiar feeling came over me as some souls went to the end of the tunnel – and I knew I wasn't supposed to go there. 'I still had my physical body, whereas other souls were just orbs of light passing through.' 8 8 When it was her turn to approach Archangel Raphael, he stamped her ticket and reversed the crash. Yoga said: 'He got the okay from God to save my life. 'When I went back into my physical body, my car was miraculously on the road with no scratches or bumps. 'It was like a scene from a movie. 'I was filled with purpose and the information I had received rearranged my body. 'A piece of my brain had been activated – and the process was complete.' Yoga, scared, turned the car around and headed back home. She said: 'I feel as if a higher power got me back safely that day. 'I hadn't realised the breath and depth of what had happened to me. 'I felt between worlds, like a part of me was still in Heaven's waiting room. 'A few weeks later, I struggled to breathe while driving again and I rushed to the hospital.' Doctors tried to prescribe her anti- anxiety medication, but she says a voice full of wisdom spoke internally and urged her to leave. Now, this voice guides her each and every day and she's since gone on to achieve several certificates in healing, detox and cleansing as part of her new path. Yoga uses her journey to help other people understand their near death experiences through her work as a holistic healer. She added: 'God chose to save my life and send me back here to have a beautiful journey. 'People say I seem different; but it's just the new me. 8 8 8 'I've had to deal with insomnia, anxiety and mental fog due to everything not making sense anymore. 'I haven't touched any drug, alcohol, caffeine, medicine or animal-based products since to cleanse my body. 'But I've come to learn that what we do on Earth is backwards. 'This reality here isn't our only reality – or our permanent one. 'Hell taught me a lot; I learned the importance of compassion for others. 'I'm not fearful about experiencing it again and I'm happy to have been able to escape the boxes we create for ourselves that only hurt us in the long run. 'People need to wake up so we can get as close as possible to our true nature before it's too late.' What is a near-death experience? A near-death experience (NDE) is a profound, personal experience reported by individuals who have been close to death or in a life-threatening situation. These experiences often involve vivid, unusual, and realistic sensations and perceptions that can include out-of-body experiences, feelings of peace and well-being, seeing a bright light, and encountering deceased loved ones or other beings. Key features of near-death experiences Out-of-body experiences: Individuals may feel detached from their physical body, observing the scene from a different perspective. Tunnel vision and bright light: Many report moving through a dark tunnel toward a bright light. Feelings of peace and well-being: NDEs are often described as intensely positive, with feelings of serenity, love, and joy. Life review: Some individuals report a rapid review of their past life events. Encountering others: People may encounter deceased loved ones, religious figures, or other beings. Possible explanations While there isn't a universally accepted scientific explanation for NDEs, some theories suggest they may be related to: Physiological changes Possible changes in brain activity during periods of oxygen deprivation or stress could contribute to the experiences. Psychological responses The mind might generate these experiences as a coping mechanism in the face of death. Spiritual interpretations Some individuals interpret NDEs as evidence of an afterlife or a connection to a higher power.
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
I was beaten with a stick from age 2 on Jesus Army farm where paedo ‘prophets' abused kids & ‘deserters' turned up dead
TO casual visitors the Jesus Army's communal farms in a quiet Northamptonshire village appeared idyllic. Children played in the fields, picked fresh fruit and did not face the pressures of the modern world. Advertisement 12 Nathan was born into the Jesus Army and sexually abused by a 'man in his 40s' from the age of ten Credit: BBC 12 New Creation Farm, where preacher Noel Stanton lived Credit: Jesus Fellowship Central Offices/Youtube 12 Noel Stanton founded the Jesus Fellowship Church in 1973 12 Founder Stanton, who died in 2009 aged 82, was among the powerful men accused of assaulting the flock Credit: BBC But for the kids who grew up in Children weren't allowed toys, crisps, television, radio, hobbies, sugar or even to visit museums. A new BBC documentary titled The Rise and Fall of the Jesus Army reveals how children were beaten on a daily basis if they broke these rules and told they were 'possessed'. Even worse was the sexual abuse in a Christian community that was supposed to value celibacy. Advertisement READ MORE FEATURES The controversial church, which began life as the Jesus Fellowship in 1973, closed its doors for good in May 2019 following over 600 allegations of abuse. Founder Stanton, who died in 2009 aged 82, was among the powerful men accused of assaulting the flock. Breaking the spell Stanton's cult had over them is difficult. Nathan, 38, who was born into the Jesus Army and sexually abused by a 'man in his 40s' from the age of ten, says that Noel is 'still someone I respect". Advertisement Most read in The Sun He explains: 'It was my whole life basically. I would spend hours with Noel shouting at us that you would go to Hell for stupid little things you did as a kid.' Stanton, originally from Bedfordshire, ran a stationery business before becoming pastor of the Baptist church in Bugbrooke in 1957. I was trapped in a cult & forced to give all my money to leaders who made me unwell with their 'cruelty' Over the following decade he attracted increasingly 'unorthodox individuals' to his evangelistic sermons. Earlier follower John says: 'He claimed he was a prophet speaking God's will.' Advertisement Fervent believers would speak in tongues and think they had been touched by Jesus. The congregation were expected to be totally devoted to the Jesus Fellowship. John continues: 'It wasn't just a case of just going to church, it was a case of belonging to the church.' 'Extreme and dangerous' 12 Earlier follower John says Stanton claimed he was a prophet speaking God's will Credit: BBC Advertisement 12 Philippa Barnes says children were tightly overseen by Stanton and didn't have time with their mums Credit: BBC 12 The congregation were expected to be totally devoted to the Jesus Fellowship. Pictured: Bugbrooke chapel Credit: Alamy That devotion went further in 1974 when New Creation Hall and New Creation Farm were opened. Stanton's disciples sold their home and all their worldly goods to buy these properties, which they didn't own. Advertisement The homes would be shared by any of the followers living there. Magsy, who was brought up in nearby Upper Stowe, recalls: 'We were playing in the fields and picking fruit. It was beautiful.' But Philippa Barnes, who was aged seven when she moved there, could sense something was wrong. She says: 'We were very tightly overseen by Noel. You didn't have time with your mum. It was extreme. It was dangerous.' Advertisement There were no crisps, no worldly things because that was inviting the devil in Magsy Families were split up, with some children placed with strangers and married couples slept in separate beds. The women were separated from the men, who were in control of the community. Elders, who were always male, were expected to enforce the rules. Magsy recalls: 'There were no crisps, no worldly things because that was inviting the devil in.' Advertisement In the evening Noel and other elders would purge people of their 'sins' as they writhed about on the floor convulsing like something out of The Exorcist movie. Magsy continues: 'There would be people who looked possessed, people laying hands on them, Noel crying out 'the devil'.' Suspicious deaths 12 Magsy was beaten with a stick from the age of two Credit: BBC This remained hidden from the outside world until Stephen Orchard, 19, died in suspicious circumstances in 1978 after leaving the 'cult'. Advertisement His injuries suggested he had lain on a railway track in the path of a train less than a mile from Bugbrooke, but the coroner recorded an open verdict. Stephen wasn't the only one. Eighteen months earlier David Hooper, 24, had died from exposure to freezing temperatures at the farm after being outside partially clothed in early December 1976. Then in 1986, Jesus Army member Mohammed Majid was found floating in an underground water tank on the grounds. Advertisement There would be people who looked possessed, people laying hands on them, Noel crying out 'the devil' Magsy The publicity around Stephen's death did nothing to quell interest in this new way of life. By 1980 their communes had over 430 residents and were running a string of businesses, including a hotel and health food shops. With followers working for the love of the religion, the coffers swelled. For the children who could not escape, it was a brutal upbringing with regular punishment beatings. Advertisement Magsy, who was beaten with a stick from the age of two, says: 'I was rodded every day. The brothers decided if you were defiant.' Sexual abuse 12 Sarah recalls how brazen one senior member of the church was, putting his hand on her leg while his wife was across the room Credit: BBC 12 When the Jesus Fellowship was thrown out of the Baptist Union and the Evangelical Alliance in 1986, Stanton launched the Jesus Army in 1987 in a bid to bring in fresh converts Credit: BBC 12 Church members were sent out into cities such as London to find waifs and strays in need of a bed Credit: Alamy Advertisement 12 The Jesus Army held raves in warehouses, with people singing 'we are generation J' and talking about getting a 'natural high' from God Credit: BBC John was the first of the disgruntled grown-ups to leave and to go public with his concerns. As a result the Jesus Fellowship was thrown out of the Baptist Union and the Evangelical Alliance in 1986. Unperturbed, Stanton launched the Jesus Army the following year in a bid to bring in fresh converts. Advertisement Church members were sent out into cities such as London to find waifs and strays in need of a bed. They opened up a Battle Centre in the capital and more communities in places such as Sheffield. Next up were raves in warehouses, with people singing 'we are generation J' and talking about getting a 'natural high' from God. But word got around paedophiles that the Jesus Army offered easy access to young children. Advertisement And the elders failed to crack down on reports of sexual abuse. I was rodded every day. The brothers decided if you were defiant Magsy Sarah recalls how brazen one senior member of the church was. She says: 'He would put his hand on my thigh under the table while his wife was across the room. He just shut me down.' When Philippa told the police that a Jesus Army member had sexually assaulted one of her friends he was sentenced to six months in prison. Advertisement But he only served half of that time inside and was welcomed back as leader. After Noel died the new leaders introduced safeguarding training and safeguarding officers. The damage, though, had been done. An investigation by Northamptonshire Police titled Operation Lifeboat uncovered 214 allegations of abuse. Advertisement Only five of the abusers were prosecuted and only two of them received custodial sentences, the longest being Nigel Perkins and Alan Carter, who received three year jail terms in 2017 and 2018 respectively. DC Mark Allbright explains: 'It was difficult, there was closing of ranks.' An independent review in 2017 carried on behalf of the Jesus Army found that Stanton had abused boys and that the leaders had failed to act. Facing hundreds of compensation claims the church closed two years later. Advertisement Those cases are ongoing and many more victims are yet to come forward, with one in six children in the Jesus Army believed to have experienced abuse. The Jesus Fellowship said: 'We continue to hold out an unreserved apology to anyone who has been affected by abuse and failings of any kind in the Jesus Fellowship. 'In 2013 we, as the senior leadership of the church, initiated a wide-ranging process that invited disclosures of any kind of abuse, both historic and recent, and referred all such reports to the authorities.' The Rise and Fall of the Jesus Army airs on BBC2 on Sunday July 27. Advertisement
The Spinoff
16-07-2025
- General
- The Spinoff
Help Me Hera: My friends don't seem to remember my birthday
Should I confront them about it, or is it time to make new friends? Want Hera's help? Email your problem to helpme@ Kia ora Hera, It's my birthday tomorrow and none of my friends have reached out to make birthday plans with me. I planned a lovely weekend spending Saturday with friends and Sunday with my cousin but none of them twigged that it was the weekend before my birthday. I have a lot of people I know, and some people who I consider my best friends, but I don't think any would call me their best friend. A couple of years ago my oldest friend forgot to put my 40th birthday party in her calendar and made other plans. I didn't get invited to whatever she did to celebrate hers the following month. I just found out I didn't make the cut for another friend's 40th birthday dinner. I've had a pretty rough couple of years and I feel lonely; it's painful to find out that I don't have the kind of people who rally around at the best times, let alone in a crisis. I'm open to any advice at all, but I'm particularly interested to know if you think it would be helpful to try and talk to my friends about how sidelined I feel, or if I should just move on and develop new friendships. Nga mihi mahana, Dear Lonely First and foremost, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I think this is a difficult question to answer, because there's no universal set of expectations for what a close friendship should look like. One person's Scooby Doo ghostbusting fantasy is another person's codependent vision of Hell. It's much harder to make a moral judgement about whether someone is behaving negligently in a friendship than in a romantic relationship, because romantic relationships (for better or worse) come with a lot of cultural scaffolding and etiquette. Friendships, on the other hand, are the wild west. I'm sorry your friends didn't remember your birthday. What I don't understand is why you didn't tell them? You say 'nobody twigged' but there's no reason to be coy about something that's obviously so important to you. In a perfect world, you wouldn't need to drop hints. Your friends would know you well enough to proactively hire the bouncy castle and champagne fountain. But this is only setting you up for bitter disappointment when they inevitably forget. The truth is, people will forget your birthday, and it isn't because they don't love you. It's because many people just don't care about birthdays. I understand why you're hurt. You're probably great at remembering other people's birthdays and buying thoughtful gifts, and don't understand why other people can't reciprocate. But you can't use your birthday as a referendum on how much other people love you, because not only is the data worthless, it's an easy way to have a miserable day for no reason. I'll be real with you. Unlike the wise and wonderful Madeleine Holden, I am a birthday minimalist. I would no sooner throw a birthday party than I'd voluntarily get my gums scraped at the dentist. I don't care if the people I love remember my birthday and am equally bad at returning the favour. When it comes to birthdays, I'm mostly in it for the cake. I don't think it's stupid or childish to want a lovely birthday surrounded by friends and family. But I do think you need to set the people you love up for success. First and foremost, that means reminding people it's happening. Don't drop hints. Grab a megaphone. Borrow their phone and set a recurring calendar reminder. Plan a party. Make attention-seeking posts on the morning of, soliciting love and attention. Bake your own damn cake. You have to set the tone if you want people to live up to your expectations. I know a few birthday divas, and without exception, they are relentless in their pursuit of birthday satisfaction. They always get what they want because their demands are explicit and their energy is contagious. This might not seem fair. But I do think it's the most practical solution to your problem. The goal here isn't to train people to remember. The goal is to do whatever it takes to have a wonderful day. That's going to require a little shameless hustling. Obviously your question isn't just about your birthday. Your birthday is symbolic of a bigger loneliness. That's much harder to address. I'm sorry your friends haven't been there for you during a difficult time. It's deeply painful to feel your relationships mean more to you than they do to others, and I hope that one day you find that reciprocity you're looking for. You ask whether you should confront your friends or just make new ones. I don't think these options are mutually exclusive. There's nothing wrong with making new friends, especially if you're feeling lonely. That doesn't necessarily mean you have to jettison the old ones. It does sound like, in general, you have a lot of people in your life who love and care for you. Setting aside the topic of birthdays, what does a close friendship look like to you? Talking every day? Every week? Every month? Is it the amount of time you spend together or the depth of the conversation? Are you mourning something you used to have or longing for something you've never experienced? I'm not saying your loneliness is your problem to solve. But I do think people have wildly different interpretations of what it means to be close. If you're constantly feeling like your friendships are lopsided – you're always the one initiating contact, or you've drifted apart and want to find a way to close that distance – I think it's worth trying to have a deeper conversation with these friends before writing them off. I wouldn't frame it as feeling 'sidelined', I'd lead with 'feeling really lonely' and see whether your friends are able to step up their game. In general I don't think there's anything wrong with expressing disappointment if your friends have disappointed you, but I feel like you've skipped an important step here, which is asking for their help. If you're the kind of person who is used to caring for others without needing to be asked, the idea of asking for help probably fills you with horror and disgust. You seem like the sort of person who is good at intuiting other people's needs and simply want a little reciprocity. But clearly this hasn't been working out for you. It might be time to try a new strategy. I want to make it clear that I don't think you're in the wrong here. If you've been having a rough few years, your friends should have rallied around without prompting. But before you chew them out for their failure, or slowly ghost them, try being vulnerable and asking for a little extra attention and care. This might not work the way you hope. They might just be shit friends. On the other hand, they might surprise you. But give them a decent chance to disappoint you, before chastising them for letting you down. Either way, don't turn your birthday into a referendum on how loved you are. I'm sure your friends care about you and want you to have a special day. So get on the horn and remind them.
Miami Herald
04-07-2025
- Miami Herald
This NC town is ‘on the rebound' — and ranks among nation's best places to visit
A North Carolina city is 'on the rebound' — and ranks among the nation's best places to visit. Asheville is No. 3 on a list of destinations boasting scenery, activities and restaurants that make them some of the most interesting places for travelers to check out in the country, according to results updated in late June. 'Surrounded by stunning landscapes, packed with entrepreneurial talent and evolving with the tastes of the people who settle and explore them, these destinations show off what makes the United States so distinctive,' CNN Travel wrote in its report. To determine the best towns to visit, the website said it asked readers and contributors to nominate places across the country. 'We considered hundreds of candidates and winnowed the list to 10 by evaluating the finalists' attractions, food and beverage offerings, cultural and nightlife scenes, diversity, sense of identity, proximity to other interesting spots and 'wow factor,'' the website wrote. 'We also looked at travel essentials, including lodging options and the ease of getting there.' Why Asheville ranks as a top travel destination On the list of top vacation spots, Asheville was the only place in North Carolina to rank in the top 10. CNN Travel said the city ranked high for its 'scenic setting, dining and drinks, outdoor access' and art scene, adding to its legacy of being a mountain getaway destination. 'Last year, Hurricane Helene's destruction knocked Asheville off its stride,' the website wrote in its report. 'But the storm has unified this resilient community more than ever. And Asheville's mountain views, scenic trails, vibrant neighborhoods, lively arts scene and delicious food and drinks are all still here for you to enjoy.' In a write-up about the Asheville area, CNN Travel said the hurricane closed parts of the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway and unleashed catastrophic flooding in low-lying parts of the River Arts District. But several attractions — including the iconic Biltmore Estate — are welcoming visitors as Western North Carolina rebuilds. 'Just get back up here, spend money,' Brad Childers, general manager of the Asheville-area restaurant Hell or High Water, told the outlet. 'We're open, we're ready. Everything is still gorgeous. These mountains are still here — they're not going anywhere.' The city isn't a stranger to being recognized as a fan-favorite destination. Earlier this year, it was named one of the nation's best places for beer lovers and one of the South's top cities, McClatchy News reported. In the more recent rankings, the No. 1 place to take a trip was Ithaca, New York, a roughly 55-mile drive southwest from Syracuse. Rounding out the top five: Missoula, Montana, at No. 2Bend, Oregon, at No. 4Annapolis, Maryland, at No. 5 CNN Travel didn't share additional information with McClatchy News on July 3.
The Review Geek
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Review Geek
The Sandman – Season 2 Episode 2 'The Ruler of Hell' Recap & Review
Episode 2 Episode 2 of The Sandman Season 2 begins with Morpheus arriving in Hell only to find it empty. He is welcomed by a dejected and depressed Lucifer who assures him that they don't have any tricks up their sleeves. They go as far as to promise that within the bounds of Hell, they won't harm Morpheus. Curious, he follows along as Lucifer locks all the gates and has their wings cut off. Once they are out of Hell, the fallen angel then gives the key to Morpheus. He accepts it and realises Lucifer's plans too late. Lucifer never wanted to rule Hell, and inspired by Dream constantly leaving his realm, the fallen angel has quit Hell. All the residents of Hell have left, including Nada which means her location is now unknown. On top of that, Morpheus's life just got harder as he cannot let the key fall into the hands of someone reckless. Morpheus panics as he rushes back to the Dreaming. With Lucifer gone, every being hungry to rule Hell is after the key. He tries to palm it off to Death so he can focus on finding Nada. She refuses and reminds him of his first duty as the new ruler of Hell. He needs to retrieve all the demons and Hell's souls before they wreak havoc on the world. On cue, a bunch of beings show up, demanding the key. Morpheus decides to host a banquet and pick Hell's next ruler. Some notable attendees include Thor, Odin, Loki, Kilderkin, Chaos, Japanese sea god Susano-O-No-Mikoto and Azazel. Next arrive the fae ambassadors, Cluracan and Nuala. Every seven years, nine faeries are given to Hell as a tithe. They want Morpheus to stay as the ruler of an empty Hell. Nuala is upset as Morpheus continues with his diplomatic assurances. As they are led to the banquet, the Dreaming subjects acquiesce to every guest's wishes. From a secret gallery, Morpheus observes everyone reveal their true selves. Lucienne's first pick is Odin but Morpheus notes that he is reckless enough to bring his imprisoned trickster of a son, Loki. As expected, Odin wants Loki to trick Morpheus into giving them the key. But Loki claims his powers don't work on Dream in his own realm. Most of the guests think the best way to win Dream over is to bribe him. Lucienne's next pick is Azazel since he knows Hell best. It cuts to Azazel and his party engaging in sadistic acts. Thor is nasty with the female demon, Merkin and she puts him in his place. Nuala checks on her while Thor causes a scene. Morpheus steps in and ends the fighting. More guests arrive but they are the angels, Remiel and Duma who simply want to observe and report to God. Morpheus is nervous but his chef, Taramis, sees it as him having the upper hand. She deduces that even God doesn't know what to do or He would have taken the key. Everyone knows Morpheus will make the right decision. Soon, bribes are offered. Morpheus rejects Kilderkin's dream essence. Chaos threatens him. Susano-O-No-Mikoto makes a sincere pitch. Next is Odin who offers to find the missing Endless. He also reveals why he is desperate; he hopes to delay Ragnarok by relocating the giants and the dark elves to Hell. Following a gory show presented by Cain and Abel, Morpheus ends the banquet and sends everyone to their rooms. He also confides in Lucienne that he finally has two candidates. At the end of The Sandman Season 2 Episode 2, Azazel shows up in Morpheus' throne room. He offers Choronzon as revenge for challenging Morpheus in Season 1. When Morpheus rejects the gift, Azazel reveals that he has Nada. He brutally kills Choronzon and threatens to kill Nada the same way unless he gets the key. The Episode Review The Sandman Season 2 Episode 2 is another fun chapter and if this season continues the same way, the show can very well end with the legacy of having the perfect run. It seems that this adaptation has found a working formula and is sticking to it in every episode. Morpheus faces a challenge with a sprinkle of some existential philosophy or moral dilemma, the bad guys get involved but they aren't really bad and right when the problem is about to be resolved, there is a shocking cliffhanger. Along with it, we also get some exciting characters from folklore and myths in a new form such as the desperate Odin, a fae who is actually sincere for once, and the angry Japanese sea god who has changed. Lucifer's plan is a masterclass on revenge as well. Like Morpheus, viewers will be second-guessing Lucifer's every move till the other shoe drops. And the best part is that it cannot go wrong. No matter what decision Morpheus takes, Lucifer has won. But we do hope this isn't the last we see of the fallen angel. Previous Episode Next Episode Expect A Full Season Write-Up When This Season Concludes!
