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Originally Posted by houston
so... what did you learn?
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Learn? That's an interesting question, since I am very doubtful about many aspects of the story. I'm sure the general story, as written, was fairly accurate -- a ruptured appendix, misdiagnosed at first, surgeries, etc. But if Colton saw heaven, as his father claims, it was almost certainly a dream, and almost certainly not an actual visit by his spirit, and almost certainly not a divinely-given dream.
It's interesting that the dad/author often tells of being careful not to plant ideas in Colton's mind, only asking open questions, etc. (Admitting he goofed once, in that regard.) But I'm skeptical about even that aspect of the story. Some believers are, ahem, less than credible, when it comes to tales of supernatural events. It's possible this man is being honest, and it's also possible he has stretched the truth beyond the breaking point. Colton being only 4 years old at the time, it's easy enough to imagine he has both fuzzy and maleable memories now, several years later -- interview him and he'll very likely either verify everything in the book or simply have no memory of some of it.
There were some "fishy" things, as most of these kinds of stories have. Not that this disproves anything. E.g., in explaining why they waited so long to write a book about this, one reason (among other, more reasonable reasons he listed) was that they (the mom and dad) just couldn't believe that anyone would want to read about (paraphrasing here) little ole "us". Pfft. False humility is worse than blatant pride, if you ask me.
Anyway, what did I learn? If I were to take the book at face value, I suppose it was new to me that the Holy Spirit is kind of blue, and that he sends power down to preachers who need help with their sermons.
