Ewa Wiśnierska was a Polish paraglider, a member of the German national paragliding team, who won the Paragliding World Cup on several occasions. In 2007, she survived extreme cold, lightning and lack of oxygen during an terrifying ascent to more than 10,000 metres (over 32,000 feet) inside a strong thunderstorm. All the experts said she should have died and that survival was impossible. There is a video here, with actual footage, choronicling her experience.

Ewa reports that prior to her dance with death, she did not believe in God. She herself admits that during her dreadful experience she prayed that if God exists, he would save her. And that is precisely what God astonishingly did. All the experts were unamimous in proclaiming that what happened was both miraculous and unprecedented. Ewa should have died. She was unconscious for 40 minutes and endured oxygen deprivation and temperatures as low as minus 50 degrees dressed in lightweight clothing. And what, pray tell, was Ewa’s post-experience reaction? She proclaimed that she still does not believe in God. After the incident, Wisnierska said, “I don’t know who to thank. I thanked the angels, but I don’t believe in God (see here).”

It’s interesting that when confronted with death, she prayed to God if he exists and asked him to save her. However, after surviving, she doesn’t believe in God but thanks the angels. She is one theologically confused woman. Psalm 14:1 states, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”

There are five theological lessons that we can deduce from what happened to Ewa:

1. Paul addresses the fact that everyone has the knowledge of God, but many choose to willfully suppress it (Romans 1:18-19). Ewa indeed exhibits this. Her suppressed knowledge surfaces during an extreme event.
2. Praying to a God whom you don’t believe exists is nonsense. Ewa’s reaction in the storm betrays her. Even atheists tend to recognize instinctively that God exists when death approachs. Ewa’s prayer in the thunderstorm is evidence that she indeed has knowledge that God exists, a knowledge that she willfully supresses.
3. After the experience, Ewa is “thankful.” But thankful to whom? Apparently she is thankful to the “angels” but not God to whom she prayed in the midst of her ordeal. Being thankful implies there is someone to thank. When atheists proclaim they are thankful, to whom are they thankful?
4. Scripture affirms the common grace of God (Matthew 5:45). Unfortunately, many people are cavalier towards God’s blessings and grace. Ewa seems to fall into this category.
5. Hebrews 2:1-3 warns us to pay attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away and neglect our great salvation. This truth emphasizes the importance of recognizing and appreciating God’s blessings rather than taking them for granted.

As I wrote here, no amount of evidence will convince some people. One day, Ewa will stand before the God who answered her prayer and saved her. Jesus said in Luke 16:31, “they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” To the one whom much has been given, much is required (Luke 12:48). 1 Thessalonians 5:18 exhorts us to “Give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus,” reminding us to appreciate God’s blessings and not take them for granted. Being cavalier towards God’s blessing and grace is not a good position to be in after death.