Return from Tomorrow

_I had heard of Dr. Ritchie and read exerts from this book for years before I finally got around to reading it myself. I am glad that I did, for it is a joy to read. My edition has an introduction by pioneering NDE researcher Dr. Raymond A. Moody, where he describes Ritchie's experience as one of the three or four most interesting and well-documented cases out of the thousands that he has studied. In fact, he reveals that it was this experience that first attracted his attention to the phenomenon as a young philosophy student. _This is a classic account of the near death experience. It happened, and was later published, long before such experiences were publicized in the popular media. All the key elements are here: out-of-the-body travel, the being of light, the life review, spirits of different evolutionary development finding their own "level" with like spirits, the city of light, his disappointment after returning, etc. The "real world" verifications are especially striking, such as Ritchie recognizing that he was in Vicksburg, Mississippi during his out of body experience. _Yes, the author has a strong Christian perspective, but it is of the best, most open-minded sort. He mentions finding the spirit of Christ in people of all races and religions. I couldn't help note that from the account it is the author that states that the being that he encountered was Jesus - not the being itself. It was obviously a manifestation of the Christ in its most pure, classical nature. However, it is clear to me that such a manifestation of living light from the Source could have also been labeled Apollo or Phanes, depending upon the experiencer's background. In any case, any cultural colorations and additions are in the latter part of the account and can be easily recognized. _As for credibility, the author was an Eagle Scout, college graduate, combat veteran, medical doctor, and psychiatrist. He had no overwhelmingly strong dogmatic convictions before the experience- or apparently afterwards. This is about as credible as you are ever going to find.

All religious faiths try to limit God's love. (Especially us Christians) We might as well say: `For God so Loved the Christians that He gave-" God loves the world! This is probably the most dramatic story of God's love ever told outside the Crucifixion. (And this is also a True story of the supernatural.) I'm not talking about the fuzzy I'm sitting on a warm spot super natural. This is a story of angels, heaven, Christ, and even hell (Don't expect the American-Christian hell.) I think in this story the greatest place Christ's light is shown was in the depths of hell as he reached out even beyond the grave to save not only the souls of those in hell; but the soul of this writer before this writer was actually, literally brought back to life. Beautiful, beautiful story made me cry! And I'm a teenage male!! (It's not easy to make me cry!)

I am very grateful that I came across this book and this author's story. It gives me great joy to hear of someone who has also encountered Jesus and has gone through the emotional, spiritual and mental journey that this experience made us travel. I wouldn't give up the experience even though it did cause much anxiety to my family and myself. I experienced a near death experience in May of 1974 at the age of 32. Like the author, I was a little fearful to share this experience because nobody that I knew had ever shared this type of experience. In 1975 our family was fortunate to be able to buy a Christian Book Shop and this is where I was able to come across some literature on my experience. Of course the great mystical saints like St. Theresa of Avila: God Alone Suffices, The Collected Works of Saint John of the Crosswrote many books on their mystical experiences with Jesus. Discovering Dr. Raymond Moody's book "Life After Life: The Investigation of a Phenomenon--Survival of Bodily Death" was the greatest comfort for me at that time. In reading Return from Tomorrow, what is the most helpful is that with all the turmoil the author experienced he realized that love is the greatest of the gifts and it seems the message is the same in many cases, including my own experience. It is a "tall" order, it sounds so simple and the message is simple but the "ego" gets in the way and at times our self-centeredness comes forward. To let go and let God. At times we are our own worst enemies when it comes to the acceptance of being loved and in return loving others. Like the author, I started reading the bible with a different perspective. Before this "re-born" experience, I read with only an intellectual, study mind attitude, now I read the bible with my heart open wide.

I've read this book three times. Probably one of the most influentual and spiritually motivating books I've read. In response, to "Christians Beware", don't let these types of mind Controllers keep you from pondering the splendor and reality of our existence. They would have you running scared from anything that didn't reinforce their narrow agenda. On the contrary, Christians may take great comfort in this book. Dr Ritchie humbly offers his story to the world. "Return From Tomorrow" is an account that may provide hope and peace for those pondering the nature of our existance. If there is an after life, and I believe there is, it must be every bit as real, purposeful, and substantive as our current existance. "Return From Tomorrow" is simply fascinating and beautiful.