Wow, Gimster, three times is a lot. I had the white light/tunnel experience once, but it was a long time ago. I know at a deep level (for me) that eternity is a fog, a cloud, where we all rejoin together. (again, my belief) It's very peaceful.

Of course, there was an article in Time Magazine that said that brain researcher's believe that the tunnel/light thing is just being deprived of oxygen! Go figure! LOL

Celtic, church doctrine's are things like only men can be priests, ministers, etc., the hierarchy of bishops, etc., the literature that is used. Things like that. For example, in the Muslim world, the Koran has (in theory, at least) the words that Mohammed wrote based on what he heard from God. There is another book containing the hadiths which describe what Mohammed said and did during his life. The hadiths give rise to a lot of the doctrine of Islam, including the covering of women and much of the excess of the Taliban.

For me, the absolute following of doctrine and words written in a certain culture and time that cause many of the problems we see between religions. For example, the Bible says we should stone women for adultry. Do we want to do that? I don't think so, but there is a certain sect in the world that believes that we must follow what the Bible says literally -- every word. They are for the stoning of women adulterers.

Fortunately, Jesus came along and suggested that those without sin throw the first stone and no one did. The message there, as well as one of my favorite sayings that you can't see the log in your own eye for looking at the speck in someone else's, reminds me to mind my business and work on myself before forcing my beliefs and doctrine on someone else.

As always, my beliefs -- take what you like and leave the rest.