Ordered to Return: My Life After Dying

Rating:
Summary: Changed My Life¿s Focus
Review: As a relative of Dr. Ritchie, I have been very fortunate to hear him personally discuss his near death experience. Reading Dr. Ritchie's books ("Return From Tomorrow" and "Ordered to Return: My Life After Dying") are a wonderful substitute for those who are unable to hear him personally relate his experience. It is an interesting dedication note that hearing Dr. Ritchie's NDE, was the seed for Dr. Raymond Moody's book, "Life After Life". Dr. Ritchie's book includes his encounter with Christ, a review of his own life and its meaning, and a visit to various spiritual realms. This book helped me to understand that life is more than merely a physical existence; it is also a spiritual journey. Dr. Ritchie's experience made Christ real and personal. It helped me to change the focus of my life by better understanding the purpose of my life.

Rating:
Summary: what if ones experiences contradict biblical truth?
Review: I am sorry to say that i was greatly disapointed in this book especially after having read most of the reviews on this site. Dr.Richie tells a dramatic tale that contradicts the bible. To most Christian readers the following visions of the heavens Richie describes should set off some red lights. There are people that have died that still walk the earth not knowing they are dead and are stuck in patterns of behaviors they had on earth such as drug addictions. There is also a level of heaven where people work in laboratories to help better the universe(richie also states we are the universe)these people are hard at work researching to make things better. Its hard to understand this one when biblically it is stated that to be absent from the body is to be present with the LORD? Oh yes, Richie saves this last level of heaven for only very special beings it is the heaven we all know and long for. I was expecting much more from this book or atleast something that agrees with scripture. This book CONTRADICTS scripture not interpretations of scripture but orthodox truths. Richie even believes in REINCARNATION how this fits with JESUS" death and resurrection is not even thought of. As with "embraced by the light" biblical truths are thrown to the way side to introduce an all incompassing god that judges no one. Christ's death on the cross is not even mentioned and its purpose and necessity to be born again actually flys in the face of Richies christianity. He goes so far as to negate Jesus' great commission as we are not to judge other religions for all religions are a path to the father. There are some interesting perspectives and reports of healings in a more traditional Christian fashion and i am sure Richie as a physcian has done very good works but as a theologian he is ...and I am very sorry to say this. It saddens me that i first heard of Dr.Richie on an evangelical christian tv show on life after death. ....GOD bless

Rating:
Summary: Interesting
Review: I've read both of Dr. George G. Ritchie's books. His first one Return From Tomorrow, co-authored with Elizabeth Sherrill, was powerful, enthralling, positive and full of hope. I was so inspired by chapter four, when he was visited by Christ, that I completed the book in one sitting. It was with the expectation of furthering this experience that I purchased his second book, Ordered to Return.

It soon became evident, this book was not written by Sherill. The first half of the book repeated parts of his first book, giving his life after death experience. This was followed by his interpretation of that experience as he lived the rest of his life. This was interesting, but possible to put down and return to. Through a sentence here and there, his disappointments with persons and religions, that in his opinion failed to lead followers toward a loving God, began to show.

His chapter on addictions, "The Healing of an Alcoholic," was very inspiring. It described how he encouraged one alcoholic, to find God and be delivered when she didn't want either. He credited this to divine intervention.

In section three, "Searching for the Truth that Can free us to Live," he revealed his belief in reincarnation. In several places Dr. Ritchie expresses his belief in the forgiveness of all sin through Jesus' Crucifixion, but of what value is reincarnation, or to whom, was not addressed. Chapters 13-15 were depressing with rambling, disconnected thoughts, expressing his rage with organized religions and the bible, for the destruction (judgement, guilt, shame, etc.) they had caused to the patients he had been treating. This may have been good therapy for him, but a poor read for us. Since his point had been made earlier, to expand further was to belabor this point. All the good work done in the previous chapters was undone here. The reader finds himself being drawn back to antiquity to review the sins of religion, thus negating the Father's promise in the old testament not to visit the sins of the fathers on the children.

The kind gentleness that the forgiving Jesus extended to him in his life-after-death experience was not carried over by him to the sins mentioned above. This upset me a good bit. What he wrote was true but lopsided, void of the good and healing done by these same groups and writings. The effect was that I wanted to remove them and not read the book again. He wrote that his publisher asked him to rewrite these chapters when they were first submitted. One can only imagine the anger expressed in them, if the rewrites were an improvement. When Elizabeth Sherrill did the writing in the first book, Return From Tomorrow, the thoughts expressed were clear and penetrating. I highly recommend it as well as the other books she has co-authored.

If you are weak in faith or confused about God, this book will probably leave you feeling it's useless looking to any religion or to the Bible to find God or truth, which I don't think was Dr. Ritchie's intention. Dr. Ritchie does state he is a member of a church and he quotes scripture, causing confusion in a cross-purpose of ideas.

Rating:
Summary: My Fav. NDE Books -I've Been There Too
Review: One day in 1995 I died, and had a NDE. Ever since then, I've been reading everything I can on the subject. According to most stories I've read, I had an unusual one, not going down a tunnel, but experiencing many interesting phenomena all the same. It seems to me that there are some NDE books and magazine articles that are just hype, and published just to give recognition. I have found, through my many years and multitudes of books on the subject, that there is an underlining truth and spirit that pervades the true experiences. So, I have compiled a list of my best reads for NDE books - ones that I consider genuine and adding validating light to the personal NDE experience. I have left out compilations, these are personal narratives. I hope you enjoy them too.
Embraced by the Light ------by Betty J. Eadie
Psychic Gifts ---------by Tiffany Snow
Saved by the Light --------by Dannion Brinkley
4 Days in Eternity ---------by Wayne F.A. Marentette
After the Light -------------by Kimberly Clark Sharp

Rating:
Summary: My Fav. NDE Books ¿ I¿ve Been There Too
Review: One day in 1995 I died, and had a NDE. Ever since then, I've been reading everything I can on the subject. According to most stories I've read, I had an unusual one, not going down a tunnel, but experiencing many interesting phenomena all the same. It seems to me that there are some NDE books and magazine articles that are just hype, and published just to give recognition. I have found, through my many years and multitudes of books on the subject, that there is an underlining truth and spirit that pervades the true experiences. So, I have compiled a list of my best reads for NDE books - ones that I consider genuine and adding validating light to the personal NDE experience. I have left out compilations, these are personal narratives. I hope you enjoy them too.
Embraced by the Light ------by Betty J. Eadie
Psychic Gifts ---------by Tiffany Snow
Saved by the Light --------by Dannion Brinkley
4 Days in Eternity ---------by Wayne F.A. Marentette
After the Light -------------by Kimberly Clark Sharp

Rating:
Summary: Must Reading!
Review: This book presents Dr. Richie's experience and what he has learned from it after a lifetime of living what he saw at age 20. His insight into today's problems and the cure is as accurate and simply put as any I've ever read. I strongly recommend you read his first book ("Return from Tomorrow") which describes his initial experience in detail before reading this one as it will give you better background information and have a deeper meaning for you. This is the book that confirms what I have felt in my heart for years. If you are searching for simple truths and answers, this is the book for you. It's sensible, matter-of-fact, down-to-Earth, and not some off-the-wall description of an after-death experience that's difficult, if not impossible to believe!

Rating:
Summary: An Amazing Story, Life Changing
Review: This is not a conventional book in many ways and yet the experience of Dr. Ritchie is ordinary to begin with and then what happens to him is truly amazing. Yes, some people who are conservative or traditional may balk at some of the doctor's experiences, however the Bible itself is full of amazing and other world experiences at times. Are we so jaded and so sure as a world now that we aren't worthy of those amazing and other world experiences that we cannot accept them, even if they can transform lives for only the better? I hope not and this book is a transforming experience if only the reader now matter what his or her background will open their heart and mind.