There are a number of books in the genre of what has been called “Heavenly tourism.” They tell about someone who died, went to Heaven, and came back to tell the tale. Now the boy featured in The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven, then 6, now 17, has recanted his story. He says that he now believes in the sufficiency of Scripture over personal visions and that he was just trying to get attention. After the jump, his “open letter.”
From Pulpit & Pen:
“An Open Letter to Lifeway and Other Sellers, Buyers, and Marketers of Heaven Tourism, by the Boy Who Did Not Come Back From Heaven.”
Please forgive the brevity, but because of my limitations I have to keep this short.
I did not die. I did not go to Heaven.
I said I went to heaven because I thought it would get me attention. When I made the claims that I did, I had never read the Bible. People have profited from lies, and continue to. They should read the Bible, which is enough. The Bible is the only source of truth. Anything written by man cannot be infallible.
It is only through repentance of your sins and a belief in Jesus as the Son of God, who died for your sins (even though he committed none of his own) so that you can be forgiven may you learn of Heaven outside of what is written in the Bible…not by reading a work of man. I want the whole world to know that the Bible is sufficient. Those who market these materials must be called to repent and hold the Bible as enough.
In Christ,
Alex Malarkey.”
(This is not referring to the more recent Heaven Is For Real.)
HT: Mary Moerbe
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