[.ca] Beyond Death's Door (ISBN 0553229702)

Good subject matter, badly written:
Even though I am an evangelical Christian, I hesitate to refer this book to anybody, not because the subject matter is false, but because it's badly written. It has only a few stories about life after death (less that half the book), is very disjointed, and lacks order. I found "The Final Frontier" and "Beyond The Final Frontier" by Richard Kent et al to be much better laid out. They each contained 20+ experiences, with little to no fluff. If this book had been laid out like that, with just Dr. Rawlings' experiences and some transitional material between chapters, it would have been much better. "Beyond Death's Door" should be rewritten so that it's better organized.

ahh..no:
I saw this book from a fundamentalist website, and I can say that automatically shot down its credibility. Even though there have been cases of people seeing a glimpse of life after death, and they all report the same thing, which is no coincidence.

Rawlings' book shed "light " on my own N.D.E.:
I had what we now refer to as a near-death experience after falling ill in 1972. I was 12 years old. I told my parents about it, and they tried to calm me and told me that it was "just a dream." The experience did not exactly fit into the concepts of death that I held at the time...that God was an old man with a white beard and angels with bird-like wings. No, there was a tunnel, being of light, and door-like portal, that I, incidently, decided not to go through. I repressed the memory to a certain extent for many years but always realized deep inside that it was a very important event! In 1984, while attending college, I stumbled on "Beyond Death's Door" in a used bookstore. It was a wonderful revelation because for the first time I realized that other people had undergone an experience similar to my own; I wasn't alone! Bottom line, there truly is a "spiritual" level of existence beyond this "physical" world. I was given a choice to "come back." Dr. Rawlings' book is excellent, but so are many others by such authors as Dr. Raymond Moody, Jr; and Dr. Melvin Morse. For believers, and especially skeptics, please note that all three of these authors are medical doctors, men steeped in the traditions of "rational" inquiry and the "scientific method." But I know, some of you think they must be quacks. Yea, and they've held down life-and-death positions in hospital emergency rooms! Everyone reading this will eventually know that spiritual existence after physical death is a reality. For nonbelievers, I'm confident that, one day, you will be glad that you were "wrong."

Doing it for the $$:
I would like to make the point that this book is based on fear, and that also there is no proof of these people actually being in a place called Hell. Were you there when these so called experiences happened? Anyone can lie-- but for the sake of not arguing let's say that it is true.. these people's souls were going to HELL.. is that something that should be focused on as a means to going towards the "Light?" Should that be the reason you believe in God and Heaven? Come on now, let's be real here.. One should have faith and a positive outlook instead of living in fear that you are going to hell. How has this book changed your Life? Honestly-- so you can go and preach to other atheists and other religions that they are wrong? This isn't science it's just another way for you to put money into this man's pocket. I think it's sad that people need to buy books like this to reinterate what they think is the truth.

A Miracle...:
I remember going through a period in my life many years ago when I had developed a very serious interest in the New Age movement. At the time, I had been dabbling with out of body experiences, the Tarot, Numerology and Astrology, among others. I had all but become convinced that life after death had more to do with traveling the astral plane than going to Heaven or Hell. I was brought up as a Christian, although at that juncture in my life I had lost my way. I was about 23 at the time and suffering from chronic depression. I had tried many anti-depressants to no avail. I decided, based on the experiences of those whose books I had been reading at the time, that suicide would most likely be the best solution, and life after death would be a much happier journey than the one I was currently experiencing. After attempting suicide (unsuccessfully) shortly thereafter, I ran across this book at a local, used bookstore, and the name of the book caught my interest. After reading it, I decided then and there I would never try suicide again. I decided that even in the worst of times, it was better to try and suffer through it with God's help than what I believe would have lead to my suffering in Hell. This book honestly saved my life, and I can't recommend it enough to those who can, in any capacity, relate with my story.