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Don Piper once was skeptical of near-death experiences. He didnt believe people could taste the fruit of heaven and come back. That is until he faced his own near-death experience back in 1989, he says. 

I would have counted myself among them, frankly, he now says of skeptics.Piper was involved in a horrific car crash more than three decades ago and was declared dead by paramedics on the scene. For the next 90 minutes, he says, he visited heaven, talked to deceased loved ones, and even saw angels. It wasnt until a man on the scene of the crash prayed for Piper that he was revived.

Pipers story is one of several near-death experiences that are retold in the new Angel Studios film After Death (PG-13), which opens in theaters Oct. 27. Its the first theatrical movie for Angel Studios since its summer blockbuster movie Sound of Freedom shocked Hollywood. 

This movie is the get-people-into-heaven movie, Piper told Christian Headlines about his goals for the film. At the very least, it’s a conversation starter. But at the very most, it’s somebody’s first step into the glory of God.

Piper is the author of numerous books, including his bestseller 90 Minutes In Heaven, which itself was made into a film of the same name. At the time of the crash, he was driving from a pastors conference back to his church. It was a rainy, cold day, he said. 

I was crossing a rural, narrow bridge, and the tractor-trailer truck crossed the center line and hit me head-on [in a] horrific collision, Piper said. Two other vehicles besides the truck and myself were involved. So it was just a horrific accident. Miraculously, everyone else was okay. I was not. I was killed instantly. And was treated by four paramedics and the state trooper who worked the accident. And in spite of their best efforts to resuscitate me, they were unsuccessful. I was pronounced by those paramedics dead on the scene — body covered up with a waterproof tarp. And they were waiting for a medical examiner to come in and do an investigation so they could take me away. 

At the exact moment of the car crash, Piper said, he went to heaven. 

I was standing at the gates of heaven, at least one of them — there are 12 according to the Revelation — and I was at one. And [I was] surrounded by people I had known and loved in life who had preceded me in death. And we were having a spectacular reunion. They looked great. If you want to look great, heaven is where you want to be. And they looked great. Back on the bridge, I looked terrible.

Piper remembers heaven vividly, he said.

The music is beyond any music we’ve ever heard — not just the quality of the music, but the quantity, for instance. I heard thousands of songs at the same time in heaven. But they were symbiotic. They didn’t clash with each other. Quite the contrary, they complemented each other. And you could distinguish each one of them with your heavenly ears.

In heaven, he said, There are colors there that we have never seen here.

There’s [also] a gate made of pearl, but it’s so dazzling because of the light reflecting off of it that it looks living, he said. And I’m not sure that it is living in our sense. But it certainly looks that way. The people that I saw were so perfect in every way and timeless in the sense that they were not old, and they were not particularly young but fully recognizable as themselves. I knew them. They knew me. They were perfect in every way — no scars, no blemishes.

Above Piper in heaven, he said, there were angels. 

I don’t even know how many [but] they were different sizes and shapes and different numbers of wings. There were angels without wings.

The accident took place around 11:45 a.m. At 1:30 p.m., an attendee of the conference who had encountered the crash stopped and prayed for Piper.  

At 1:30, he’s singing the great old hymn, What a Friend We Have in Jesus, and I start singing it with him. And I was back unaware of what had happened to me, didn’t know anything about the accident.

All total, he was in the hospital for 13 months and had 34 operations. He was in rehab for three years. 

Earth, he told Christian Headlines, cannot compare to heaven. 

I obviously have had a meaningful life for the past 34, 35 years being here, he said of Earth. But honestly, I would rather be there. These people that are in the movie, they would rather be there, too.

After Death is rated PG-13 for thematic material, including violent descriptions, some bloody images, and drug references. 

Photo Courtesy: Angel Studios / used with permission.

Video Courtesy: Angel Studios via YouTube

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

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The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Salem Web Network and Salem Media Group.

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Environment

Trump nominates a Tesla critic to lead NHTSA

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Trump nominates a Tesla critic to lead NHTSA

President Trump has nominated Jonathan Morrison to lead the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Morrison has previously criticized and tussled with Tesla in his previous role at NHTSA.

Morrison is now Trump’s nominee to head the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is in charge of regulating the auto industry in the US.

The attorney was the agency’s Chief Counsel during Trump’s first term, and he had a few disputes with Tesla during that time.

In September 2018, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its Tesla Model 3 crash test results, and the EV got five-star safety ratings in every category.

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Tesla interpreted the data from the test and claimed that Model 3 achieved “the lowest probability of injury of any vehicle ever tested by NHTSA“.

Morrison sent Tesla a cease-and-desist letter over the claim, arguing that it was misleading.

The lawyers also subpoenaed Tesla to get data about a specific crash in 2019.

Next week, Morrison is expected to have his confirmation hearing in the Senate and could take up his role shortly after.

The nomination is significant in the context of the current feud between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and President Trump.

Musk has been criticizing Trump and his allies over their recently passed budget and tax bill, which is expected to significantly increase the federal government’s debt and eliminate virtually all subsidies to electric vehicles and renewable energy, potentially harming Tesla.

Trump has warned Musk that he could go directly after his companies and NHTSA would be the top vehicle for that when it comes to Tesla.

The agency had already launched several investigations into Tesla over the years, with the largest one examining Tesla’s Full Self-Driving program and several fatal crashes related to the ADAS system.

Electrek’s Take

Most NHTSA probes into Tesla have resulted in slaps on the wrist at best, but this FSD probe involves several fatal crashes, and even though it started under the Biden administration, it could potentially ramp up under Trump, especially amid his feud with Musk.

On the one hand, it’s disheartening to see the US reach this point, where feuds between billionaires and elected officials are settled through regulatory agencies. Still, at the same time, Musk did buy the election for Trump, so he created this situation in the first place, and there are serious concerns about how safe FSD is.

At the very least, I would hope that NHTSA will start to force Tesla to release all its FSD crash and disengagement data.

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Environment

A 25 mph ambulance? The GEM microcar is now an emergency responder

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A 25 mph ambulance? The GEM microcar is now an emergency responder

You might remember the GEM as a quirky little electric microcar that’s been cruising through campuses, resorts, and planned communities for years. But now, it’s taking on a more serious job – saving lives. Waev Inc., the maker behind the long-running GEM electric vehicle line, has just unveiled the GEM Ambulance, a purpose-built, all-electric, street-legal low-speed vehicle (LSV) designed specifically for emergency medical services.

While it might not replace a full-size ambulance on high-speed highways, this new electric responder is tailor-made for the dense environments where conventional ambulances often struggle: college campuses, sporting events, entertainment venues, airports, and more. With a top speed of 25 mph, it’s built for maneuverability, safety, and zero-emission performance in pedestrian-heavy areas.

“The GEM Ambulance fills a critical gap in medical response – delivering the ideal balance of agility and safety EMS teams need in crowded settings,” said Byron Dudley, Vice President at Waev Inc.

The new GEM Ambulance is built on the same proven electric platform that has powered GEM vehicles for over 25 years. It’s a highly refined LSV that combines practical engineering with professional-grade EMS functionality. In partnership with emergency equipment supplier QTAC, Waev integrated a skid-mounted EMS system that includes secure patient transport, attendant seating, optional oxygen and IV mounts, and rugged PolyTough™ construction designed to handle demanding conditions.

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Unlike golf carts or UTV-based setups that have been DIYed into emergency vehicles, the GEM Ambulance offers a more stable, comfortable, and professional platform. The EMS skid is positioned between the wheels for better weight distribution, and the vehicle’s low deck height and rear step-up provide easy access for patients and personnel alike.

The GEM Ambulance doesn’t skimp on emergency essentials either. It’s equipped with a 360-degree red emergency lighting system, an SAE Class 1-compliant siren with multiple sound patterns, a public address system, turn signals, LED headlights and taillights, and even a pedestrian noise emitter for quiet zones. A backup camera and full 360° sightlines give drivers added confidence when navigating tight environments.

And since it’s 100% electric, there’s no tailpipe emissions to worry about when operating indoors or in crowded spaces. Maintenance is minimal thanks to GEM’s maintenance-free batteries, regenerative braking, and corrosion-resistant aluminum frame. There’s even a seven-year warranty on the lithium-ion battery option.

The biggest surprise might be the price. According to Waev, the GEM Ambulance can cost up to 80% less than a traditional ambulance and 50% less than electric trucks or UTV-based alternatives. Plus, with operating costs of just $0.03 per mile, it promises long-term savings with no fuel, no fluids, and no downtime from engine servicing.

With applications ranging from college campuses and amusement parks to military installations and warehouse sites, the GEM Ambulance could be a game-changer for localized EMS response. It’s available now through GEM’s nationwide dealer network and can also be purchased through government contracts like Sourcewell, Texas BuyBoard, and GSA procurement channels.

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Technology

Microsoft Outlook hit with hours-long outage

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Microsoft Outlook hit with hours-long outage

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Microsoft‘s Outlook email service malfunctioned for several hours Wednesday and Thursday, prompting some people to post on social media about the inability to reach their virtual mailboxes.

The issue began at 6:20 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, according to a dashboard the software company maintains. It affected Outlook.com as well as Outlook mobile apps and desktop programs.

At 12:21 ET the Microsoft 365 Status account posted that it was rolling out a fix.

“Our configuration changes have effectively resolved impact in targeted infrastructure. We’re now deploying the changes worldwide to resolve impact for all users,” Microsoft said in an X post on Thursday afternoon.

The company’s status page said “most impacted users will experience relief within the next two hours,” and that it was continuing to monitor the service.

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On social media, some people reported that Outlook was functioning properly after hours of users posting about problems.

Some posts included screenshots of Outlook that said “something went wrong.” 

With hundreds of millions of active users, Outlook is important, although Apple and Google‘s email clients are more popular, according to data from analytics company Litmus

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