Atheists generally hold that the universe consists solely of physical matter. They view concepts like the soul, spirit, divinity, and afterlife as mere fiction.
But how do they reconcile extraordinary experiences? Moments that defy the laws of physics and leave people astonished? What about unexplained miracles—like patients with terminal cancer who find themselves healed after prayer, or those who have clinically died and reported knowledge they couldn’t possibly have known?
Skeptics typically insist on a scientific explanation rooted in materialism. Yet, those who are more inquisitive often find that rejecting the notion of the supernatural requires more mental gymnastics than simply acknowledging its possible existence.
Take Lee Strobel, for instance—he’s a well-known Christian apologist and the author of the popular book “The Case for Christ.” Initially denying Christianity, his thorough investigation into miracles and the veracity of biblical claims ultimately shattered his atheistic views and led him to embrace faith.
In a captivating interview with Glen Beck, Lee presents documented miracles and remarkable stories that challenge even the staunchest atheists.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwsusxtztuu
Evidence of the Soul
“Over the past 40 years, there have been about 900 academic articles published in peer-reviewed medical and scientific journals concerning near-death experiences,” Lee notes. “In these instances, there are typically no brain waves, breathing, or heartbeats.”
“Yet, when individuals return, many state they were fully aware, observing the efforts to revive their bodies,” he adds.
Lee recounts the spine-tingling experience of a Hispanic woman named Maria, who suffered a severe heart attack in the 1970s and was resuscitated in a Seattle hospital. Upon regaining consciousness, she described having an out-of-body experience, claiming she floated above the surgical room during her procedure.
Initially dismissed, Maria shocked skeptics when she detailed a sticker on the ceiling fan—something that was impossible to see from her hospital bed. Hospital staff fetched a ladder and confirmed her account.
Lee also shares a story about a young girl who nearly drowned in a YMCA swimming pool. He recounts, “[The doctors] she basically left her body until she realized what they were doing.” Amazingly, three days later, she regained consciousness, telling the medical team she was “fully aware.” Skeptics soon turned into believers when she relayed what her family was doing at home while she was clinically dead.
She even mentioned what her mother had prepared for dinner—chicken and rice—and described her younger brother playing with his action figures alone in his room.
Documented Miracles
In his recent book, “See the Supernatural,” Lee narrates an inspiring account of a woman blind since birth due to an incurable condition.
After marrying a pastor, one night, he placed his hand on her shoulder, prayed passionately, asking God for her healing. Miraculously, she opened her eyes to perfect vision, which remained intact for the rest of her life.
Lee questions, “How do you explain that?”
He shares another incident involving a woman named Doris, who had a near-death experience. “She saw heaven open, glimpsed a heavenly being and her deceased father. Confusion spread across her face when she inquired, ‘Wait a minute, what’s Vita doing here?'”
Vita was Doris’s younger sister, who had passed away just weeks prior. The family had deliberately kept this information from Doris, fearing it would worsen her fragile condition.
Doris’s experience is one of numerous documented cases where individuals seem to perceive realities they should not know about.
A Radical Transformation
Lee also recounts the story of Evel Knievel, the legendary stunt performer known for his notorious motorcycle jumps in the 1960s and 1970s, who had a powerful encounter with God near the end of his life.
Describing Knievel as once reckless and indulgent, Lee notes that just months before his death, Knievel was on a beach in Florida when he claimed God spoke to him saying, “Robert… I’ve saved you more than you know. Now you need to come to me through my son Jesus.”
Astonished by this spiritual encounter, Knievel reached out to Frank Gifford, a Christian sportscaster, to learn more about Jesus and Christianity. Gifford recommended Lee’s influential book, prompting Knievel to embrace faith after reading it.
“I experienced a 180-degree change—more profound than anything I’ve ever seen,” Lee shares.
He was eventually baptized at the Crystal Cathedral in California, and during that service, about 700 others also chose to be baptized.
Encounters with the Supernatural
A psychiatrist and professor from New York Medical College, who has spent 25 years studying demonic encounters, shared a chilling story about his first experience with a demon.
One night, he and his wife noticed their two cats acting violently, which startled them both.
The next day, Dr. Gallagher evaluated a woman named Julia, who claimed to be a high priestess in a satanic cult. Looking up at him, she smiled and said, “Did you enjoy your cats last night?” Lee recounts.
Later that day, while on the phone with a Catholic priest regarding Julia, a chilling “voice of the devil” interrupted, commanding, “You must let her go. She belongs to us.”
Dr. Gallagher’s years of research into demonic possession revealed many horrifying cases, including one where “a petite woman easily lifted a 217-pound man and threw him across the room,” and “eight witnesses saw a demon-possessed individual levitate above the bed for 30 hours.”
Yet, stories of angel encounters abound as well. One documented in a dissertation tells of a young girl in a hospital asking her mother if she could see an angel, remarking, “They are so beautiful. Listen to their songs.” The description was so intricate and detailed, far beyond what any child could imagine.
In his analysis, Lee expresses skepticism about whether these experiences stem from a child’s imagination, suggesting that they might be seeing something transcendent.
For more on miraculous occurrences and the supernatural experiences shared by Glen and Lee, check out the interview above.
