Do you believe "Heaven is for Real" is based on a true story?

1. 0

   Stevennix2001posted 9 years ago

   Okay, I know i'll get a lot of flak for this, but do you think that the new movie, "Heaven is for Real" is based on a true story?  Take in mind, the movie promotions suggest that it is, but i want to hear from you.  Do you think it's based on a true story?  Why or why not?  Please discuss.

   replyreport
   1. 71

      Titen-Sxullposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Whether the child actually had an NDE I don't know, its certainly possible as NDEs often conform to cultural norms. Kid has a pastor for a Dad and sees Heaven, meanwhile Muslims have their own experiences that conform to their own culture and beliefs.
      
      Now the Father than taking that and exploiting it and being on Fox News and parading his kid out into the public square to make a quick buck, that's pretty sickening.

      replyreport
   2. 59

      AnastasiaMcGowanposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      My grandmother actually brought this story to my attention, the little boy who experienced this was on TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network) and they interviewed him and asked him questions about what he experienced and I believe at the time he was on TBN he and his father were promoting the book "Heaven is For real" so yes this is based on a true story. I believe that the boy saw what he saw whether or not it proves heaven is real, it is real to him and that is all that matters.

      replyreport
      1. 71

         Titen-Sxullposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         It matters immensely whether or not its actually real.
         
         How can you possibly say it only matters that the experience was "real for him"? If I have an experience which suggests that we all turn into Llamas in the afterlife it kinda matters whether its true or not, since it has implications for every human being on the planet if it turns out to be true.

         replyreport
         1. 59

            AnastasiaMcGowanposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            I'm saying that It doesn't matter if we believe this boy and his claim, because even if we don't believe him that is not going to change his mind because he believes what he saw and he believes that it was Heaven thus making it real for him

            replyreport
            1. 83

               psycheskinnerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

               Or possibly he is saying what he felt his parents wanted him too like a little Clever Hans.

               replyreport
               1. 59

                  AnastasiaMcGowanposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                  that could be true too.

                  replyreport
               2. 0

                  Beth37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

                  Why did he have cleaver hands?

                  replyreport
                  1. 83

                     psycheskinnerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                     A famous example of how one being can "know" things they should not be able to
                     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clever_Hans

                     replyreport
   3. 65

      Harmelposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I read the book, and I do believe it is true. What that little boy remembered could not be made up. I have not seen the movie yet. Books always seem to tell a lot more of the story.

      replyreport
   4. 0

      Lybrahposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I think it is possible...I believe it.  I am not sure the father is trying to make a quick buck, perhaps he is simply trying to spread the message that Heaven is real to the masses.

      replyreport
      1. 0

         Beth37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

         +1

         replyreport
2. 88

   Zelkiiroposted 9 years ago

   Based on a true scam, maybe. A lot of those "near-death experience" stories are full of crap, and considering people of different religions claim to have them, it's worldwide multicultural crap.
   
   I don't care if you think you saw God or Vishnu, your brain is very good at making its own psychotropic drugs, and when you're dying, it tends to make a lot of them (See: "Life flashing before my eyes" trope).

   replyreport
3. 0

   calculus-geometryposted 9 years ago

   Are you asking whether the boy actually saw heaven, or whether the father fabricated the visions reported to him by his son? Children have beautiful imaginations, so I don't doubt he really did dream or imagine his version of heaven.
   
   And growing up in an extremely religious household, he was definitely primed to meditate on heaven and the afterlife a lot of the time.   It's merely the product of his environment, nothing miraculous or holy.

   replyreport
   1. 0

      Stevennix2001posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Both

      replyreport
      1. 0

         calculus-geometryposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         I don't think the father had to embellish anything.  Four-year-olds tell awesome stories.

         replyreport
4. 0

   Beth37posted 9 years ago

   I read the book... looking forward to the movie. Obviously I believe.

   replyreport
5. 83

   psycheskinnerposted 9 years ago

   Of course it is based on a true story in that those things happened to he kid, and those things were said by the kid.  Whether those things represent a true experience that was not delusional--I suspect not but it is up to the viewer/reader to decide for themself.

   replyreport
6. 66

   Asa2141posted 9 years ago

   I'm  a  Christian,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  I  am  going  to  heaven  when  I  die  because  I  have  asked  Jesus  to  save  me.
   
   Heaven  IS  for  Real,  but  I  have  some  doubts  that  this  little  boy  went  there.
   
   1st,  I  have  read  several  accounts  of  people  "going  to  heaven  and  back".  And  there  is  a  problem  with  all  of  them:  THEY  ARE  ALL  DIFFERENT.
   
   2nd:  Paul  in  2.  Corinthians  12  talks  about  being  caught  up  to  heaven,  but  I  was  not  permitted  to  talk  about  it.  It  does  not  seem  reasonable  IN MY OPINION  that  God  would  keep  Paul  from  talking  about  the  awesome  things  he  saw,  and  yet  this  little  boy  can  give  us  a  full  account  of  what  he  saw.  Fishy,  TO  ME.
   
   3rd:  All  of  this  is  based  on  this  boy  "knowing  things  he  could  not  have  known  at  that  age".  But,  we  all  know  how  impressionable  all  little  kids  are,  and  I  know  that  for  me,  I  had  an  imagination  that  was  running  full  gear  at  that  age.
   
   4th:  The  is  all  based  that  we  trust  this  father  and  mother's  story  that  they  really  had  this  conversation  with  him  -  that  he  knew,  without  them  ever  telling  him,  that  he  had  a  sister  that  died  in  the  womb,  for  example.  To  believe  all  of  this:  you  are  simply  trusting  the  parents  story.  Nothing  wrong  with  that.  What  I  don't  like  the  whole  thing  because  there  is  no  way  to  prove  or  disprove  any  of  the  story.
   
   If  people  have  become  saved  by  Christ  on  account  of  this  story  or  had  their  faith  strengthened,  than  halleleujah!  But  FOR  ME  PERSONALLY  I  don't  want  to  be  a  sucker  for  something  that  I  feel  has  a  good  chance  of  being  delusional.  A  lot  of  fake  Christiantiy  is  floating  around  out  there...

   replyreport
   1. 0

      Beth37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Rev 21 speaks extensively about what John saw in a vision of Heaven, while shipwrecked, I believe, on the isle of Patmos.
      http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?se … elation+21
      
      The things the boy knew were not just things about his little sister, but if you doubt the parents, then there is really no point in further discussion as that pretty much ends it there.

      replyreport
7. 66

   Asa2141posted 9 years ago

   Like  I  say,  we  are  all  trusting  what  these  people  are  saying  with  no  way  to  prove  or  disprove  it.
   
   I  don't  want  to  say  the  parents  are  lying  when  God  may  have  used  this  little  boy  to  advance  His  Kingdom  and  answer  the  prayer  of  the  father.  That  would  be  embarassing  to  face  when  I  stand  before  God  someday.  But  this  all  doesn't  add  up  to  me  at  this  point  in  time.

   replyreport
8. 61

   Brittany Alexis Wposted 9 years ago

   Yes, it is probably extremely exaggerated. But this is coming from a skeptical and logical point of view.

   replyreport