Posted on 06/04/2011 11:00:11 AM PDT by marshmallow
Heaven Is for Real
A Little Boy's Astounding Story
of His Trip to Heaven and Back
By Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent
Thomas Nelson, 163 pages, $17
WHILE on a family road trip in 2003, a small-town Nebraska boy just shy of four years old survived a brush with death made all the more maddening by how preventable it was.
A simple case of appendicitis took a malevolent turn when medical miscalls, parental errors in judgment and the vagaries of winter travel conditions lead to Colton Burpo suffering a rupture and rampant infection.
Heaven Is for Real, by Colton's father, Todd, a Baptist preacher, with the help of Sarah Palin's ghostwriter Lynn Vincent, could easily have been devoted to examining how such a near tragedy occurred.
But instead, Colton, once restored to health, energy and normal precociousness, offers up a far more irresistible storyline.
In conversation, Colton starts to drop the names of some remarkable religious figures, saying that he had met them in heaven during the moments he was nearest to taking his last breath.
Todd, a pastor at a Nebraska Wesleyan church, wonders about his son's otherworldly comments that pop up in the midst of otherwise normal little-boy chatter.
Being careful not to seed and feed Colton's account, Todd coolly inquires, "Remember when we were in the car and you talked about sitting on Jesus's lap ... well, did anything else happen?"
Immediately rising to the open-ended bait, Colton goes on to describe meeting Jesus's cousin, John the Baptist, and petting Jesus's multicoloured horse. Todd, knowing that Colton could not possibly have had prior knowledge of the experiences and people he describes, interprets the situation as a calling.
"We'd been given a gift and our job now was to unwrap it, slowly, carefully, and see what was....
(Excerpt) Read more at winnipegfreepress.com ...
Here is one for you.
I had a wonderful cousin who had a vision of the Virgin Mary. Folks around her knew what was happening because they could hear my cousin talking to this whatever. Within a few minutes, she committed suicide. She opened the car door and jumped off a bridge which they were driving on.
This is an open forum. We are all allowed to get on here and comment. Some of us think this book is a stupid hoax and freepers should be intelligent enough to see through it. It’s our opinion and we are expressing it. If you don’t like it, you can always go to Pravda (if it exists anymore) where there is only one point of view.
I also think that people who buy into this book are indulging in superstition - not religion.
P.S.
She was a medical doctor in her internship.
Dear God! In NYC - where I live - the ones who usually do this kind of thing are diabolists or into Voodoo, not Christians!
Like George Bush the Elder, I’m not into the vision thing.
“If you did not have any interest in the subject, don’t click the link.”
I rarely do. I do find, though, folks like you don’t solve problems. You create more problems.
Very good book. You know, he said everyone in heaven is in their younger state...no old people there. Makes sense to me.
We may be reaching the end of the discussion.
Call on me anytime you want for backup.
Sadly, in googling around, I find that the only people willing to call this story a hoax are either very gay or left wing sites and two very staunch Christian sites. The gay anti-hoaxers are - as usual - stupidly puerile in their discussion and the left somewhat more intelligent. The best are the two Christian sites that sternly warn folks about dabbling in superstition and - dare I say it - heresy.
I wonder why the right is not dealing with this. I think it’s just not on their radar screen. As usual, they’re missing the bus.
I will! I am now reaching back into a past life for a suggestion as to what to make for dinner. Talk to you.
I know what you are saying.
They are too busy sitting on their fat arses whining as usual...
Come live in Panama. It’s a paradise.
I sit here angry at my country from my computer 1050 miles from Miami...closest point to the U.S. from Panama. Then I have to remind myself I don’t live in the U.S.
book sounds good...I’m going to check it out.
Dieu bénissent
There was no problem until you came looking to make one. You came to a thread with an obvious religious bent, and started posting about “FR is full of religious nuts”.
How about these books?
Unplanned by Abby Johnson
Theophilos by Michael O’Brien
My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picolt
The Seal by Father Tim Mockaitis
A Biblical Walk Through the Mass by Edward Sri
The Christmas Shoes by Donna VanLiere
To Hell and Back by Maurice S. Rawlings
Four Witnesses by Rod Bennett
Led By Faith by Immaculee Ilibagiza
Light of the World interview with Pope Benedict XVI
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven by Kevin & Alex Malarky
I haven’t read the books you listed,something to think about.
There is another one I’d like to read by Father Morris...
Ahh so many books...
I like to get them on cd as well, that way I can listen to them in the car...
Did you read this book?
Did any of you read it that are trashing this pastor?
Seeing isn’t believing.
Believing is seeing.
What exactly is a “religious nut”?
If you do not wish to see RF posts, do NOT use the "everything" option on the browse. Instead, browse by "News/Activism." When you log back in, the browse will reset to "everything" - so be sure to set it back to "News/Activism."
Click on my profile page for guidelines to posting on the Religion Forum.
I think I agree with your post. Miracles have a limited outreach and seem to be for specific people. Plus, not everyone who witnesses a miracle will accept it as a miracle. In the end, it comes down to faith.
I don’t know if I completely believe this story of the boy’s “trip”, but I do KNOW that there is a Heaven and a Hell.
I have not read this book. However I have read “Closer to the light” (learning from the near-death experiences of children) and “Transformed by the light” both by Melvin Morse, M.D. and Paul Perry. I was convinced.
He took a very scientific approach to the subject. Both are very good reads.
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