Review of The Intense Reality of Eternity
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- Latest Review: The Intense Reality of Eternity by John Carpenter
Review of The Intense Reality of Eternity
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Intense Reality of Eternity" by John Carpenter.]
Life is dotted with inexplicable experiences that we try to explain with our various philosophies. Some of these occurrences are so mind-boggling that even our set of beliefs fall short of giving us a wholesome idea of what is really happening, why it is happening, and how it is even taking place. One of those things concerns what happens after we die. Whether it is because of near-death experiences, divine visions, or so-called ghostly apparitions and actions, sometimes people wonder what happens after death. John S. Carpenter, MSW, LCSW, finds himself intrigued by that very notion of the afterlife. The Intense Reality of Eternity explores the possibilities that await.
It is made up of various accounts from different people who had one experience or another that Carpenter claims gave them a glimpse into the afterlife. He then takes all of these stories and groups them to create an idea of the journey for the perceived possible destinations: heaven, hell, and purgatory. He explains each destination well enough so that even those who do not have an idea of what each destination is, can get an idea of what it is about. He also sometimes reinforces the shared stories with his commentary to ensure that certain distinctions or concepts are clarified. Because no-one has experienced everything, putting the different pieces from the tales of his sources together allows the writer to paint a fuller picture from death to one's destination.
If you find yourself wondering about what happens after this life, or have had or know someone who has had divine visions or a near-death experience and seek answers concerning how that can be interpreted, you might find some answers in this book. The curious ones who simply want to learn about the experiences that other people have had and the arguments surrounding those experiences might gain some insight from giving this a read. I must give a trigger warning to those who are uncomfortable with death or still have open wounds from traumatic losses such as miscarriages. As much as this can be a book of hope and intrigue for some, it might be a real trigger for others. My advice is that you gauge where you are before taking it on.
Except for some errors, the book is flawless. Although I would have put the destinations in a different order, that's a personal preference and not an error that the author made. Whether or not you believe what is shared in the book, you might still be able to appreciate the effort Carpenter put into gathering evidence to substantiate his point. He made use of accounts from people with differing beliefs and who come from different parts of the world. He also shared various forms of what he considered proof of what he is saying: specialists that admitted that they could not offer other explanations and items that have been approved by the relevant authorities or affirmed by witnesses. He put in the work and I commend him for that.
Carpenter adopts such simplistic and straightforward writing that it becomes quite captivating. Whether he is giving descriptions of various phenomena, terminology, beliefs, or reciting the stories that he has come across, the bare style of his writing allows the reader to enjoy the essence of what he is trying to put across instead of blurring it with all kinds of smokes and mirrors. I truly appreciated that. The stories and philosophies enveloped in the book are intriguing enough and I am impressed by the author's recognition that adding flowers to them would only insult the strength of their simplicity.
I enjoyed the book. Some parts freaked me out a little bit as it seemed like I had quickly dived into a horror movie. Other parts made me happy for those who experienced that. I think that these polar reactions point to how well the author painted the picture he was trying to portray, and that warrants applause. In the end, I realised that I enjoyed every part as each one helped me reflect. For those who are into this kind of content, it will be an ocean worth diving into. There were many great aspects to the book and the only fault I can point to is several minor errors. Because of those errors, the book gets 3 out of 4 stars. I still highly recommend that you give it a read if it appeals to you because there might be something worth your time in it.
******
The Intense Reality of Eternity
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Life is dotted with inexplicable experiences that we try to explain with our various philosophies. Some of these occurrences are so mind-boggling that even our set of beliefs fall short of giving us a wholesome idea of what is really happening, why it is happening, and how it is even taking place. One of those things concerns what happens after we die. Whether it is because of near-death experiences, divine visions, or so-called ghostly apparitions and actions, sometimes people wonder what happens after death. John S. Carpenter, MSW, LCSW, finds himself intrigued by that very notion of the afterlife. The Intense Reality of Eternity explores the possibilities that await.
It is made up of various accounts from different people who had one experience or another that Carpenter claims gave them a glimpse into the afterlife. He then takes all of these stories and groups them to create an idea of the journey for the perceived possible destinations: heaven, hell, and purgatory. He explains each destination well enough so that even those who do not have an idea of what each destination is, can get an idea of what it is about. He also sometimes reinforces the shared stories with his commentary to ensure that certain distinctions or concepts are clarified. Because no-one has experienced everything, putting the different pieces from the tales of his sources together allows the writer to paint a fuller picture from death to one's destination.
If you find yourself wondering about what happens after this life, or have had or know someone who has had divine visions or a near-death experience and seek answers concerning how that can be interpreted, you might find some answers in this book. The curious ones who simply want to learn about the experiences that other people have had and the arguments surrounding those experiences might gain some insight from giving this a read. I must give a trigger warning to those who are uncomfortable with death or still have open wounds from traumatic losses such as miscarriages. As much as this can be a book of hope and intrigue for some, it might be a real trigger for others. My advice is that you gauge where you are before taking it on.
Except for some errors, the book is flawless. Although I would have put the destinations in a different order, that's a personal preference and not an error that the author made. Whether or not you believe what is shared in the book, you might still be able to appreciate the effort Carpenter put into gathering evidence to substantiate his point. He made use of accounts from people with differing beliefs and who come from different parts of the world. He also shared various forms of what he considered proof of what he is saying: specialists that admitted that they could not offer other explanations and items that have been approved by the relevant authorities or affirmed by witnesses. He put in the work and I commend him for that.
Carpenter adopts such simplistic and straightforward writing that it becomes quite captivating. Whether he is giving descriptions of various phenomena, terminology, beliefs, or reciting the stories that he has come across, the bare style of his writing allows the reader to enjoy the essence of what he is trying to put across instead of blurring it with all kinds of smokes and mirrors. I truly appreciated that. The stories and philosophies enveloped in the book are intriguing enough and I am impressed by the author's recognition that adding flowers to them would only insult the strength of their simplicity.
I enjoyed the book. Some parts freaked me out a little bit as it seemed like I had quickly dived into a horror movie. Other parts made me happy for those who experienced that. I think that these polar reactions point to how well the author painted the picture he was trying to portray, and that warrants applause. In the end, I realised that I enjoyed every part as each one helped me reflect. For those who are into this kind of content, it will be an ocean worth diving into. There were many great aspects to the book and the only fault I can point to is several minor errors. Because of those errors, the book gets 3 out of 4 stars. I still highly recommend that you give it a read if it appeals to you because there might be something worth your time in it.
******
The Intense Reality of Eternity
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Intense Reality of Eternity by John Carpenter
