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Out-of-Body Travel
Dr. Orville Boyd Jenkins
A review of the book by George G. Ritchie and Elizabeth Sherrill
Return from Tomorrow (Grand Rapids:  Fleming H. Revell, 1978, reprint 2006.  124p.)

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This is another of the many stories we are now seeing relating near-death experiences.  This book was published in 1978, but has been reprinted no doubt to take advantage of the current rise in interest in this type of experience.  The writer describes his experience during 9 minutes of "death" in an army hospital.

Meeting Jesus
Ritchie tells the story of meeting Jesus during this time, and how that changed his life when he returned to his body and to a continuing life in this world.  During his out-of-body time, he experienced himself flying across the United States, from the West Texas training base where he had become deathly ill, eastward over the country.  He dropped down into a town to ask directions.

He could see people but they could not hear him, and could walk right through him.  He saw signs and later on a cross-country trip with other army buddies, he found himself recognizing one city they were driving through.

Landing in Vicksburg
He followed familiar landmarks and found himself in the place where he had stopped to ask directions in a café.  He discovered the actual place was Vicksburg, Mississippi, and the cafe and street exactly as he has experienced the place in his out-of-body travel.  This was a challenging aspect of this experience, as many reported experiences lack such realism and objective confirmation.

This was the most intriguing of the books I have read about out-of-body or near-death experiences.  This type of experience seems to be more a common experience than thought a few years ago.  Paranormal experiences were not in focus until recently in modern western culture, which has been materialistic and skeptical of spiritual phenomena.  This author provides a careful and reflective account of his experience.  Some others make extensive or outlandish claims for new insights about the objective reality of the universe.

Refocus
In recent years more awareness has arisen of these near-death experiences, and growing attention has been given to them.  Out-of-body experiences seem to be actually quite common, not associated only with near-death experiences.  I myself have had such experiences, in my younger life.

This category of experience constitute a great, fascinating mystery.  Interest has risen especially in the near-death experiences, which often involve out-of-body travel, often to some other dimension or "channel" to another dimension.  Now that people have become more willing to share and audiences are more eager to hear such reports, it appears this type of thing happens more often than western culture has generally acknowledged.

Paranormal Science
In recent years even formerly materialistic science has given attention to this type of experience.  Paranormal investigators and various scientists have gathered a catalogue of information and experiences and some scientific data on these experiences.

Findings in this field have contributed to concepts of Mind and Consciousness, reflections on religious concepts and concepts of energy, bio-electrical and bio-mechanical forces.

See my related reviews on near-death experiences:
[review] Death, Demons and a Second Chance
[review] Near-Death Confirms Life Beliefs?

See related article on this site:
[TXT] God, Heaven and Human Knowledge

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OBJ

Read and first notes written 11 December 2006
Expanded and posted as an article on Thoughts and Resources 23 October 2007
Last edited 17 November 2008
Posted on Amazon 2 March 2009

Copyright © 2007 Orville Boyd Jenkins
Permission granted for free download and transmission for personal or educational use.  Other rights reserved.

Email:  orville@jenkins.nu
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