This experience is standard ADC stuff, but I share it because I just heard it from a parishioner last week.
Jim's mother died, and while he was mourning, the jeweled music box in the living room unexpectedly began to play on its own.  This had never happened before and it was very meaningful to Jim, who was still grieving over his son's suicide.  The music box had been given to Jim as a Christmas present from his Mom; so the synchronicity was interpreted as a  reassuring message from his recently deceased Mom. 

Might it not be the case that the reading or study 'primes the pump' to perception?

If Colton had an NDE like Dannison, his father might've had a problem with it (considering his religious background).

Therefore, even if Colton was open to having an experience that was beyond what his father would expect/accept, the beings who were with him might've been smart enough to "not" provide him with such an experience.

If Colton had a Dannision like experience, some Christians would consider the part of the Bible that says a demon can imitate a being of light and conclude that Colton was fooled by a Demon.

If they instead considered Jesus' statement regarding knowing them by their fruits, they might figure that any being who radiates perfect unconditional love has good fruits and isn't a demon, even it enables a person to have an NDE that doesn't precisely match up with the Bible.

In a way I found it troubling that an NDE that is more fundamentalist than many others gets so much attention. To an extent where a movie was made.

But perhaps this is what some fundamentalists need in order to become free from a fear-based belief system. They first need to be introduced to NDEs by an experience that matches up with their pre-conceptions. Perhaps such acceptance might help them open up to considering what other NDEs say. Of course this can be difficult if one is overly influenced by a fear-based belief system.

I don't mind so much that Colton spoke of seeing a dragon like devil because I believe unfriendly beings exist. But it bugs me that he was concerned about whether a man died without accepting Jesus first.

Some people believe this way because they are afraid not to because if they don't they will supposedly be sent to hell for all eternity.

Certainly things are set up in a more wise, loving and sensible way. But how will people find such a way if fear prevents them from doing so?

I once had a dream where I was in a classroom with a number of people. We were trying to figure out how to make this World a better place. I said "perhaps we should invite some Christian fundamentalist leaders to this meeting." Suddenly Jesus was there and he angrilly said, "Impossible!"

The sense I got from this is that fundamentalists aren't going to help this World become a better place with their way of thinking. Considering how long many of them have been around, this seems true.

I don't know, but I doubt that Jesus appreciates it when fundamentalists speak of him in the way they do.  His life wasn't about a fear-based belief system. I figure that Jesus can tell the difference between a heart that radiates love and a heart that radiates fear.

I don't believe it is possible to completely love something if to some degree you fear it.

Albert

Interesting posts on this thread!

Don, much of what you're saying in your last post makes a lot of sense.  I do think the experiences of not only NDErs, but also OOBErs have much to do with the individual's personal beliefs and expectations.  There's also another aspect to the books that are written and that is they are not necessarily the author's words entirely, but are edited, even modified to suit the publisher's thought based on the anticipated sales. 

My daughter's an editor and she's often told me how some books are practically rewritten to suit the publisher.  Just last weekend she told me how most of what an author wrote in a book doesn't even make sense, so she had to do a complete rewrite of the book including the table of contents.  A new age book publisher will likely slant any discourse in the direction of new age thought, as would a Christian book publisher.  They write for their known audiences.  This makes me wonder how much control a publisher has over, not only an author's books, but also what they talk about at their speaking engagements, workshops, movies, etc.  And how much a book may be altered from the author's actual experience when something like that is done.  Not that a book would be overly embellished to the point of exaggeration, but who knows how much of the content was polished in ways that differ from the author's own description.  This also makes me wonder about ES works and how much differs through translation as well.

Kathy

Quote:


Correct.  I wasn't speaking of Nanci specifically, but I'd include her as a possibility because at least according to my kid, who's worked in this field for nearly 20 years now, if a new author wants a book deal, the publisher's terms are the way it will be, unless of course the author is well known and established, then some negociation would be possible.  I suppose it could depend on the publisher as well, but aren't they all in it to sell books?

K