Top Book Reviews, Nov 2011 - Into The Light

Into The Light
Dr. John Lerma

To learn more about what books I review, please go to the following post on Top Book Reviews (May 4, 2011). On the 5th of every month, my goal is to post a review of 1 or more books that have had a strong impact on my life.

Book:  Into The Light By Dr. John Lerma (Hospice Experiences)

I can safely say that one of my favorite authors now is Dr John Lerma.  A year ago, I read one of his books, Learning From The Light, and loved it so much.  Another of his books, Into The Light, is one that I just finished.  In fact, I liked it so much that I am actually reading back through it.  I do not tire of reading this book as it is uplifting and insightful but done so without interjecting a belief system.  A rare method of writing and communicating these days is found in this book.

Manipulated Belief System and Into The Light

Into The Light
Dr. John Lerma

In chapter 3 of "Into The Light" by Dr. John Lerma, a story of Leon is shared.  Leon is a fundamentalist Baptist minister who shares just how judgmental he was.  While he was preaching (before he came upon his final days in hospice care), he thought people like Joel Osteen were wrong to be preaching all this feel good, positivity.  He was a hell fire and brimstone type of preacher and thought any other way was of the devil.

In the days and weeks leading up to his death, the life review he went through opened this minister's eyes to things that went against his own belief system.  During his time of preaching, he felt that near death experiences (NDE) were nothing more than hallucinations by satan or the enemy as he called it.  He didn't believe that people could really see angels and once again thought they were being fooled by Satan.  Even when the first angel appeared to him, he thought it was Satan tempting him.  However, as more angels appeared and further things happened, he came to understand that so much of his belief system was wrong.  All this because he had been indoctrinated by his family into a manipulated belief system.