Rating: 
Summary: I guess I was expecting more
Review: After the Light is a wonderful book, but so many people just focus on their own lessons they learned, which makes for an interesting story, but I am always looking for more - how does this apply to me? Do I have to have an NDE myself? I liked Tiffany Snow's book better, just one chapter about her great NDE, but the rest of it shows how anyone can open up, if they learn how. I'm not saying After the Light is a bad book, really, but I guess I was just expecting more.
Rating: 
Summary: This is a truly enlightning book!
Review: Both my husband and I read Saved by the Light by Danion Brinkley, and we want to share with everyone who ever reads our review that this book is a milestone in the spiritual growth of humankind! It reaveals the purpose of everyone's life's mission, - to Love and help everyone on Earth. Whaterver anyone's previous life experiences were, they are probably a combination of mistakes and victories, happiness and grief, joys and tears - we all gain only from loving and caring for each other. It was great to learn that everyone who is born on our Mother Earth is a Mighty Spiritual Being who by one's own willpower can make a positive change not only in one's own life, but also in the lives of people on Earth. We are here on Earth with a great Mission of Love, and our every action, every word, every thought resonate their meaning and put it to practice. After having read Saved by the Light both of us found the strength to cope with the challenges of our lives, and we came to the realisation of what our missions on Earth are. Thank you very much Danion for the fantastic experience that we had when reading your book!
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent book, but careful: Some themes seem UnBiblical.
Review: Dannion Brinkley writes an extremely compelling book on the NDE (near death experience). This is the fellow who got struck by lightening and was clinically dead for 28 minutes before being revived, met by a "Spirit Being" both times he died. His interactions with Dr. Raymond Moody, who studies NDE's, make for excellent reading. He also comments on accounts of others who've died & come back to talk about it. (Dannion can speak with authority on this subject, having experienced it first-hand!)
One of the most interesting things are the predictions given in the book, the "Boxes of Knowledge." Since it was written in 1994, many of them couldn't be verified as accurate. I mean, how do we know he really had these visions back in 1975. Maybe he conveniently remembered certain things after they happened and pretended to predict them.
In any case, this isn't the major thrust of the book, but I'll briefly touch on it: He mentioned (in his book, which, let me emphasize again, was written in 1994) that he sees people flooding over the boarders from South America by 2000 due to civil wars, socialism, and a breakdown of the Mexican economy. These problems and the resulting flood of Hispanic immigrants, both legal and illegal aliens, have all happened to some extent as predicted (immigration being a major political issue nowadays). However, his prediction that Egypt would collapse as a democracy by 1997 seems to not have happened. This nation is considered to be a moderate Arab nation to this day. No one likes a false prophet, so it's a good thing he mentions that the "Beings of Light" (angels) told him that these predictions weren't definite, that "The flow of human events can be changed."
Dannion, however, does good: He claims the main point of these predictions was that we must make a change. True!
The many accounts of his ability to read other peoples' minds, however, MUST NOT be taken lightly, for there is NO rebuttal that I could find on the Internet of his allegations, and I did search deeply. Thus, neither his predictions nor his books should be discounted offhand: He seems like an authentic psychic, a gift he says he gained from his NDE.
In a later book, "At Peace in the Light," Brinkley says his mission is to go to hospices and help with the dying process to let these people know that what they're about to face isn't scary. He tells them his story, assuring them they'll have a life review, asking them to do good so they won't feel regret.
However, his main point in this book is to simply tell people what happened to him, and to share his vision for making these healing "centers" (aided by education in electronics and math in classes during his visions). The purpose of the centers is to let people attain their higher self, help people forgive others, and do good, for he claims that in the life review where your life flashes before your eyes, you get to feel the pain or pleasure you've caused others, and even the pain and suffering or pleasure that results from THEIR actions, downstream, so to speak.
This is the authentic, redeeming quality of the book; he brilliantly captures the law of sowing and reaping. (Plus all those angels and visions don't hurt either!)
Brinkley mentions religion & God in passing, citing, in particular, experiences of people in the Bible that may have been near NDE's. His theme of doing good for others because we're all connected and his message of people taking responsibility or being "in control of their lives through God" (page 60) is certainly in line with mainstream Judeo-Christian philosophy. However, there are nagging omissions that are as wide as a canyon!
On page 202, for example, he says there exist many paths to righteousness, instead of Jesus as the only way. Yet, he doesn't address Jesus' role. He makes absolutely NO mention of Hell, even though it's clearly a topic about which Jesus spoke numerous times. Is there a hell? He doesn't say.
Lastly, his plans for the stress reduction "centers" worries me: On page 60, he mentions one of these rooms has a bed with "musical components" to help a person relax deeply enough to leave his body. This is strictly forbidden by the Bible. See e.g., Ex. 22:18 & Lev. 19:26. My review is only of this particular book, but it must be taken in context with recent actions by Mr. Brinkley: More recently, he's featured on programs in which he assists people in contacting dead relatives. Being a "necromancer," one who talks with the dead to predict the future or doing sorcery or magic, is also Biblically forbidden: Deut. 18:11. Could the "Beings of Light" be fallen angels, demons masquerading as God`s Holy Angels? "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." II Cor. 11:14-15
Bottom line? I have pressing concerns about possible departure from or omission of certain truths that Judeo-Christian readers, such as myself, may hold true. For this reason I can't give it five stars, but I still HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT, for there is much good in this, if the reader will read with a critical eye. Many of the things Dannion mentions are certainly true and supported by the Bible; and, he is a touching and authentic person, who admits his lack of full knowledge, his love for people, and his actions that demonstrate that love, a fine example for our beleaguered world today. GOD BLESS YOU, Dannion Brinkley!
Gordon Wayne Watts, Lakeland, FLORIDA
Rating: 
Summary: Don't accept anything at face value
Review: I have not read this book. I understand, however, that the author claims to have been a Marine Corps sniper in Vietnam sent to assassinate enemy leaders. This claim is exposed in the book Stolen Valor by Burkett and Whitely as unsupported by military personnel records. According to Burkett, Brinkley's records show that he was a USMC truck driver who never left the states and contain no evidence that he received any of the training that would have resulted in an assignment as a sniper or in covert operations.
Rating:
Summary: Don't accept anything at face value
Review: I have not read this book. I understand, however, that the author claims to have been a Marine Corps sniper in Vietnam sent to assassinate enemy leaders. This claim is exposed in the book Stolen Valor by Burkett and Whitely as unsupported by military personnel records. According to Burkett, Brinkley's records show that he was a USMC truck driver who never left the states and contain no evidence that he received any of the training that would have resulted in an assignment as a sniper or in covert operations.
Rating:
Summary: Extremely Detailed & Interesting Account of a NDE
Review: I just finished reading this book, and I must say that it was extremely interesting. The author, Dannion Brinkley, gets struck by lightning while talking on the telephone and is clinically dead for 28 minutes! His account of what follows his "death" is absolutely amazing. It is the most detailed near death experience account that I have read, and even Dr. Raymond Moody, a Ph.D & M.D. and authority on the subject, says the same.This book is very insightful if you are interested in studying accounts of near death experiences (NDEs). Brinkley's vivid retelling of what he witnessed is astounding -- detailed "interactions" with "beings of light" (as detailed as I've read, anyway), a visit to a crystal city of light, revelations he received about the future that really occurred (Gulf War, fall of USSR...), and much more...He even tells of "psychic powers" he had upon his return, which are very interesting. I'm not into psychics and all, but this stuff he can do is supposedly documented and "verifiable". Nevertheless, what he claims is very interesting and he seems to be truthful. All in all, a very interesting, detailed, and compelling account of a NDE. Brinkley's relationship with Dr. Moody lends a great deal of credence to a fantastic, almost unbelieveable story. Definitely worth reading, but for those of you who have not read about NDEs prior to stumbling upon this book, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND READING DR. RAYMOND MOODY'S STUDIES FIRST, which are very scientific and objective studies of NDEs (esp. "Life After Life" and "Reflections on Life After Life", etc). This book makes a good case study after you have read Moody's works...
Rating:
Summary: Simple.
Review: Prophecies are always a touchy issue. The future is never written in stone as it is written in his book. I don't get the impression that he gives these prophecies in order to reveal to us the future, but to give a possibility of events. Really to drive home a point that with the fear of death and loss of faith in God and in our spiritual selves, we will befall a great tragedy on our own selves. Wether you agree with that point or not is up to you.
That's not why I gave his book five stars. I gave his book five stars because I like the author. I believe a few prophecies to be way too far-fetched to ever happen. I have seen more of Dannion on his video, his other book, and watched his lectures. His entire message is that there is no such thing as death. His entire purpose is to assist the dying spiritually. I don't make claims to his character. I make no claims to the truthfulness of his. I give this book five stars because neither it nor the author are very hard for me to understand. He doesn't present new doctrines. Just what he experienced. Maybe he'll turn out to be a fraud, but I still like this book and the author. That is assuming that any of these metaphysical authors are for real to begin with.
Kudos!
Rating:
Summary: A significant factual support basis exists
Review: The Message: Humans are connected with all humans in the human family. Humans are the heroes. Each positive or negative action affects the human experience chain. Man can control their lives through God. Spiritual capitalism produces peace. People must change their thought process before their fear destroys themselves. Humans are might spiritual beings. Love means treating others the way one wants to be treated. People must rely on their spiritual self.
South East Asia: Inflation and distrust of the government created a spiritual void and this spiritual void caused an increased loss of the love of God. Prisoners Missing in Action consigned to lives as prisoner slaves in a jungle prison.
America: Huge war debt and reconstruction costs caused America to fall into enormous debt. People assembled in long lines waiting for basic survival commodities of food and clothing: communist Russia's fall, long bread lines; the great depression in the future. Spiritual depravity resulted in riots, kids shooting kids, increased stealing, and kids firing weapons from their windows of their cars. Vast numbers of criminals were child adolescents and a pathetic attitude relationship existed between them and their parents. The family unit was being destroyed and replaced by gangster entities.
Middle East: This region of the world represents a boiling point of strife. Religion and economic factor played a role in the strife and a constant need for outside money fueled the hatred and anger. The existence of the Kingdom of Jordon ceased to exist. A strong Arab and Israeli police force emerged which was 1) they were cruel and unyielding 2) they wore blue and silver uniforms 3) they kept a close eye on their people (spying on their citizens) 4) they represented a strong government force but are weak in moral reference. Israel remained isolated from the rest of the world and were preparing for a war with Russia; the Chinese formed business deals forming an Arab Consortium for oil commodities; an incident in Jerusalem trigger a world military crisis; and Israel policy makers reacted with hatred towards the Palestinians and forgot God. Oil was used as a weapon; Saudi began cutting oil exports of the U.S to cause economic instability in the U.S economy and milk the world; and the oil prices of world went up. Saudi secretly made alliances with Syria and China; generated a flow of money from Saudi to North Korea in a hope to destabilize Asia. Syria remained a threat to the world as a producer of chemical and biological weapons.
Chernobyl: In 1986, the Kiev nuclear plant exploded. The ancient name equivalent was woodworm. A 2nd explosion in the Northern Sea so badly polluted the ocean that no ships could travel there; the water was pale red covered with dead or dying fish; the world was frightened at what had happened; and Russia, Norway, Sweden, and Finland were most effected by the pollution.
Soviet Union: The people lost faith in their government and communism fell. Shortly after the ruble collapsed and bags of Russian money had purchasing power to buy small amounts of commodities. The Russian Mafia developed a strangle hold in Moscow. "As Russia goes, so does the world. Russia is the basis for everything that will happen to the economy and free world"
Environment Destruction was the issue of the century as the world radiated with energy consumption; a urgent call emerged to cleanup the environment (Uruguay and Paraguay); and a speaker emerged from Russia.
China: Increased in anger with Russia; border disputes flared on Russian and China borders; China amassed a huge army and invaded into Russian Territory cutting the country in two; and China took over the oil fields in Siberia.
Economic Collaspe: The Europeanization of the world government and economy occurred with the formation of the "New World Order"; money moved from the banks; bankruptcy of the U.S economy struck suddenly as a result of two earthquakes causing massive damage and forced unbearable costs to rebuild the destroyed cities; oil prices rose; in 1990 Desert Storm caused warfare in the desert with armies racing toward each other in the desert; modern cities crumbled under the weight of warfare. 1993, Iran and Iraq used Submarines with nuclear weapons employed a strategic goal of stopping oil from the middle-east to the western world.
Virus: Biological engineers from the Middle East created a biological weapon that could be used in the manufacturing of computer chips; this increased the use of computer chips in all facets of human life; the Iranian inventor became one of the richest men in the world; he begins to think of himself as deity; new chip designed were capable of being inserted under the skin contain all personal information, such as, work history, medical information, and disease info; the chips were programmable to shorten life for people with chronic disease; and if one did not accept the chip they were considered an outcast and forfeited access too any governmental support programs like welfare and medical care.
Iraq War: 1994-1996 were critical years for determining if war would outbreak. Women in black veils marched through the streets of Europe. The fear was unnecessary. Fear of annihilation was so great that citizens gave up their freedom for safety. Civil wars in Central and South America continued; millions of refugees streamed across U.S borders; nothing stopped the immigrants; the hardest hit areas were Texas and Rio Grand. Starvation was severe caused from Agricultural stoppages, parched desert, farmers giving up, and shifting in rainstorms to other parts of the world. The result was people starving.
Rating:
Summary: Fast, Easy Read...Good Story At Least
Review: This book has been out for several years and many of the author's statements have been publicly questioned. But, what do you expect from a book that dives into "near death experiences?" Nothing can be proven. However, it does make for an interesting read and the author at least has learned something in his life about inherent goodness. The author also speaks of things like 'crystal cathedrals', over one hundred revelations and higher beings with energy fields. It makes for fantastic fodder and pauses one to think seriously. I found some of the claims to be outrageous, but still, the reader will become consumed, if only for the symphathetic outreachings of the writer. Brinkley also speaks of his new found power and how he only uses it for 'good' things. Well, this is all wonderful and good, and I really want to believe all he has to say. However, even with the help of a co-writer (Perry), the writing is sophmoric and trite. Certainly, a topic this ethereal and spiritual needs a heavier handed editor. You may feel 'good' after reading it, or just bored, but for a few bucks, it's worth it.
Rating:
Summary: Transforming Experience
Review: This book highlights the transformation that occurs at true NDEs, and the psychic phenomena that often accompanies experiencers is shown clearly here. I think this book together with Psychic Gifts Tools to Connect by Dr. Snow (another NDE experiencer) make some of the best reading on transformation from NDEs that I have ever read. Both also highlight how the choices we make here in our lives ripple on through to our death experience, and how we can connect to our higher selves and each other, and fine tune powerful spiritual abilities, right here on earth. We all have much to gain from reading these accounts.
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