Boy Claims To Have Been To Heaven

[LeftEyeNine]

What ?

The parents of 11-year-old Colton Burpo, the boy who inspired the book “Heaven Is for Real,” explain how they know that their son experienced heaven after a near-death experience.

Okay, being a Muslim myself, I'm neither trying to be an to believers nor would advocate anything to non-believers but, uh, why should I buy into to a so-called experience which has a bestseller merchandise going on ?

[rory_20_uk]

I'm pretty sure I came close to Haeven in Medical school. Damn, she was good. Between sewating and seratonin / dopamine endorphine release it might not have been spiritual.

[HoreTore]

It's nonsense.

Just delusions caused by his brain.

[Shibumi]

Cute.

I am sure there are gullible people enough to earn quite some cash from that.

[Rhyfelwyr]

What a ridiculous claim to make, I cannot believe anyone would even think of buying his book. Anyone can see from a plain reading of the scripture that nobody ascends to Heaven until after Christ returns to establish his millenial kingdom.

[Fragony]

Hey he wouldn't be the first who went insane and recieved a message from heaven, and people still buy it even today

And what Horetore said

[HoreTore]

Hey he wouldn't be the first who went insane and recieved a message from heaven, and people still buy it even today

And what Horetore said

Considering how often we agree, Frags, perhaps we should form a political party?

[Fragony]

Considering how often we agree, Frags, perhaps we should form a political party?

The MEA, moderate extremists alliance

[HoreTore]

The MEA, moderate extremists alliance

Sweet!

I say we do it, and run for the european parliament! Then we can waste Louis' tax dollars all day long on hookers and blow!

[Scienter]

I think I'm too cynical. But, the first thing that popped into my head is that the parents made it all up and coached their son to say those things.

[HoreTore]

It is quite fascinating though.

Seeing people who claim to spread the ultimate truth lie through their teeth.

Because that's what this is, a simple lie. A lie told with the intent of changing other peples beliefs. There's a lot of this going on in christian circles, and this is juet one case among many. I've had a flier in my mail by a guy claiming stigmata, another outragous lie. Then there's that story of how a group of scientists supposedly "measured the spirit leaving a dying man", with an electrical surge at the moment of death and the body's weight being reduced by some grams. Plain old horse manure. Dead people resurrected in Africa, diseases cured at halleluja conventions. They deserve nothing more than ridicule.

The amount of people who buy into these lies, however... 1,5 million copies sold? That's sad.

[Hosakawa Tito]

Maybe Professor Persinger and his work with the God Helmet is on to something. I watched the below clip the other night, very interesting.

[Ronin]

there's a sucker born every minute second (figures have been adjusted for inflation) and they buy books!
especially if they can get it recommended by Oprah or some crap like that....Ca-Ching!

[Louis VI the Fat]

Lies, lies...I don't think it is lies, or a conscious effort by the parents. People really do believe that stuff, they get carried away, eventually others realise there is a lot of money to made from it.

Reminds me a bit of Bernadette of Lourdes, still a multibillion business afer more than a century. But they do believe it, nearly all of them involved really do believe it. Until eventually you get to the point where you wonder if maybe it not just simply fulfills sincere human needs. In this boys' case, for the mother to deal with the loss of her unborn child, and everything else. At Lourdes, it gioves some meaning and hope to the sick and crippled. What else do you tell these people, what else must they believe? I'd believe it too if I were them.

Even those people on television who talk with deceased relatoves of members of the audience...yes, it is all fake. But is it a lie? They don't even have to lie. The audience will want to believe them, will believe them. The ritual is not about deceit, but about fulfilling a spiritual need, however crudely done.

The line between outright charlatans and true believers is thin indeed. As is the line between people of simple faith (or simple people of faith?), and direct spiritual revelation.

[Samurai Waki]

... it's called getting laid.

[miotas]

If you already believe God exists, then why don't you believe that Jesus would comfort a sick child?

[Banquo's Ghost]

If you already believe God exists, then why don't you believe that Jesus would comfort a sick child?

Of course one could believe that. The sticky question then follows: why that child and not the millions who truly suffer?

This is when religion ties itself up in knots with invariably repulsive attempts at justifying the decisions of an interventionist God. I prefer to agree with Ivan Karamazov (paraphrased): "I cannot believe in a God who would permit the suffering of a single child".

[HoreTore]

Concious or not, this is an outright lie nonetheless. Do they believe it themselves? I don't think so personally, I believe they are fully aware of their scam now, although it might have started out differently.

But still, it is a lie. And it's not just the parents who are lying. There are all sorts of people involved in the lie; regular people who spread the story, the publisher, etc etc. The parents might believe it, but the other people knows its a lie. They spread the story anyway, because it might turn people to christ. And who cares if you lie to achieve your goals, right? Sickening.

And the funny thing is, these exact same people are the ones who cry over a passage in the Quran that apparently permits lying to unbelievers. The hypocrisy just reached the Himalayas....

[Beirut]

What ?



Okay, being a Muslim myself, I'm neither trying to be an to believers nor would advocate anything to non-believers but, uh, why should I buy into to a so-called experience which has a bestseller merchandise going on ?

Do they sell clothing, too?

"Colton went to Heaven and all I got was this lousy t-shirt."

[miotas]

Of course one could believe that. The sticky question then follows: why that child and not the millions who truly suffer?

My question was aimed at those who believe the stuff in the bible, yet baulk at something like this. I mean come on! Has any christian denying this even read the kind of stuff in the bible? This kid's story is nothing.

[Strike For The South]

This Jesus fellow needs to be found

[Cute Wolf]

maybe it's just a delusional things, maybe it was real, maybe it was extreme streak of lucky guess, and maybe it was just a faked experience, we as observers would never know the truth

but everybody in heaven have wings immediately reveal that was merely a dream, that was western-cultural things of angels... sweet dreams for a child who suffers so much.

[Askthepizzaguy]

I've been inside a black hole. Buy my book, and I'll tell you what it's like in there.

[Cute Wolf]

I've been inside a black hole. Buy my book, and I'll tell you what it's like in there.

at least, I bet Black hole is much more nicer than the poorest section of one of the most poor and overdense city in the world. I've lost my way for 3 days in the slum area of Jakarta without any money or communication device, should I start to write a book?

[Hax]

... it's called getting laid.

Nice. What's the term again? I believe it's

"/thread".

[Ice]

nm...

[Jolt]

This Jesus fellow needs to be found

He's managing Benfica.

[Sarmatian]

He's managing Benfica.

If he sells Coentrao, he's an impostor.

[Moros]

What insane parents give their child salvia divinorum?

[Subotan]

This has had absolutely no impact on my non-belief in God. Judging from what this kid has said of it, Heaven sounds boring and lame. Now, if he'd seen Hell on the hand...