Home
Entertainment
'Game of Thrones' Actress Shares How God Sent Her Back to Earth Following Near-Death-Experience

'Game of Thrones' Actress Shares How God Sent Her Back to Earth Following Near-Death-Experience

By Leah Marieann Klett 26 Dec, 2017 10:02 EST

"Avengers" star Dame Diana Rigg has shared how God "sent her back" to earth following a near death experience when her heart stopped after surgery.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, the 79-year-old actress revealed she was resuscitated by doctors when her heart stopped several months ago during a cardiac ablation, an operation to restore a normal heart rhythm.

"I had a heart operation two months ago; it was called a cardiac ablation," she recalled. "When I came round, the nurse said, 'You might find a bit of a burn mark on your chest.' That's where they jump-started me."

She continued," My heart had stopped ticking during the procedure, so I was up there and The Good Lord must have said, 'send the old bag down again, I'm not having her yet.'"

Assuring fans that she is "fine now," the actress, a devout Christian, said that the surgery made her "seriously ill" and prompted her to stop smoking.

"I got seriously ill; nothing but that would have made me stop," she said.

The Bafta, Emmy and Tony award winner, who played Olenna Tyrell in hit HBO show Game Of Thrones and now stars as Duchess of Buccleuch in ITV's Victoria, also said she believes her faith impacts her acting ability.

"I'm a practicing Christian, so maybe that's why I understand evil so well," she told the outlet. "It's a starting point, isn't it? I'm good at evil. Some actresses exude innate sweetness and goodness - I don't."

Rigg added, "I've got a darker side that I can call upon; and I understand the damage that some people do, wanting power and control over others, which is truly frightening."

Her faith also influences her charity work; ahead of the holiday season, she participated in readings at a Macmillan Christmas carol concert to raise funds for cancer research.

"I've been working with Macmillan for four years; I love carol concerts, and why wouldn't you support Macmillan? They're so wonderfully supportive to people suffering this terrible disease and they're in constant need of funds. Carol concerts are a wonderful way of fundraising," she said.

"There's so much need everywhere, the Macmillan event is the perfect way to give back," the actress added. "Just plug in to your beliefs and faith at this time of year - people tend only to do it at Christmas and Easter don't they? I'm not criticizing them, I'm much the same, and I love Christmas. It's a wonderfully communal thing, all of you bellowing out Come All Ye Faithful."

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

In order an effort to promote traditional Chinese culture, the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong, in collaboration with Macao YMCA, Guangzhou Suigang'ao Teenagers Institute, and the Teacher Chang Foundation of Taiwan, has conducted a survey on teens measuring their cultural awareness. They found that Hong Kong youths generally identify with and support the values of traditional Chinese culture.
Global Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day, ‘trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time’.
Yesterday, October 31, was Reformation Day, and Lutherans around the world held various events in commemoration. In Singapore, the Lutheran Church advocated for Christian communion, while the German Lutheran Church encouraged believers to face the challenge of “trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time.”
Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues
American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.
2.1M Korean Christians estimated at joint worship service to affirm family, oppose gay marriage, pray for nation
In the afternoon of Reformation Sunday, Oct. 27, some 2.1 million Christians gathered for a joint worship service from 2pm to 5pm in Seoul, Korea to “unite for repentance, revival, and restoration of holiness in our society.” According to organizers, an estimated 1.1 million joined onsite despite the bad weather with another 1 million joining online. The unprecedented joint worship service brought together Korean churches across denominations as they affirmed traditional marriage and family and
Willow Creek Community Church invites believers to write prayer cards for the next president
This past Sunday, Willow Creek Community Church based in Illinois invited believers to “pray for the next president” during the service. The church not only expressed its concern for the upcoming election but also emphasized the role believers should play in the process and the importance of offering prayers for the nation's leaders.

'Game of Thrones' Actress Shares How God Sent Her Back to Earth Following Near-Death-Experience

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

Global Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day, ‘trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time’.

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues

2.1M Korean Christians estimated at joint worship service to affirm family, oppose gay marriage, pray for nation

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues
American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.