Product Description

Not since Betty Eadie’s Embraced by the Light has a personal account of a Near-Death Experience (NDE) been so utterly different from most others—or nearly as compelling.

In the thirty years since Raymond Moody’s Life After Life appeared, a familiar pattern of NDEs has emerged: suddenly floating over one’s own body, usually in a hospital setting, then a sudden hurtling through a tunnel of light toward a presence of love. Not so in Howard Storm’s case.

Storm, an avowed atheist, was awaiting emergency surgery when he realized that he was at death’s door. Storm found himself out of his own body, looking down on the hospital room scene below. Next, rather than going “toward the light,” he found himself being torturously dragged to excruciating realms of darkness and death, where he was physically assaulted by monstrous beings of evil. His description of his pure terror and torture is unnerving in its utter originality and convincing detail.

Finally, drawn away from death and transported to the realm of heaven, Storm met angelic beings as well as the God of Creation. In this fascinating account, Storm tells of his “life review,” his conversation with God, even answers to age-old questions such as why the Holocaust was allowed to take place. Storm was sent back to his body with a new knowledge of the purpose of life here on earth. This book is his message of hope.

"This is a book you devour from cover to cover, and pass on to others. This is a book you will quote in your daily conversation. Storm was meant to write it and we were meant to read it."

-From the foreward by Anne Rice

As I lay on the ground, my tormentors swarming around me, a voice emerged from my chest. It sounded like my voice, but it wasn’t a thought of mine. I didn’t say it. The voice that sounded like my voice, but wasn’t, said, “Pray to God.” I remember thinking, “Why? What a stupid idea. That doesn’t work. What a cop-out . . .”

That voice said it again, “Pray to God!” It was more definite this time. I wasn’t sure what to do. Praying, for me as a child, had been something I had watched adults doing. It was something fancy and had to be done just so. I tried to remember prayers from my childhood experiences in Sunday school. Prayer was something you memorized. What could I remember from so long ago? Tentatively, I murmured a line, which was a jumble from the Twenty-third Psalm, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the Lord’s Prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and “God Bless America,” and whatever other churchly sounding phrases came to mind.

“Yea, though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. For purple mountain majesty, mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. Deliver us from evil. One nation under God. God Bless America.”

To my amazement, the cruel, merciless beings tearing the life out of me were incited to rage by my ragged prayer. It was as if I were throwing boiling oil on them. They screamed at me, “There is no God! Who do you think you’re talking to? Nobody can hear you! Now we are really going to hurt you.” They spoke in the most obscene language, worse than any blasphemy said on earth. But at the same time, they were backing away.

—From My Descent into Death

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24936 in Books
• Published on: 2005-02-15
• Released on: 2005-02-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 160 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780385513760
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
Although numerous studies and books have explored near-death experiences, the phenomenon has been viewed with caution by many Christian denominations. So it is intriguing to read a first-person report of such an event from the perspective of a pastor in the United Church of Christ. While visiting Paris on a European tour nearly 20 years ago, 38-year-old Storm, then an atheist and art professor at Northern Kentucky University, was stricken with an almost lethal attack of peritonitis. In this necessarily subjective but absorbing chronicle of what is essentially a conversion, the writer describes a descent into Hell, where he confronted his anger and self-centered personality. After praying for the first time, he was rescued by Jesus and brought to heaven for an extensive conversation with Jesus and various angelic beings on topics that include the Holocaust, God's plans for the earth, angelology and, of course, what happens to us when we die. Blending traditional Christian theology with a doctrinal eclecticism more common to New Age philosophy, Storm's book may appeal to readers hungry for reassurance, both about the possibility of eternal life and the meaning of our choices here on earth.
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Review
“This is a book you devour from cover to cover, and pass on to others. This is a book you will quote in your daily conversation. Storm was meant to write it and we were meant to read it.”

—From the Foreword by Anne Rice

Review
“This is a book you devour from cover to cover, and pass on to others. This is a book you will quote in your daily conversation. Storm was meant to write it and we were meant to read it.”

—From the Foreword by Anne Rice

Customer Reviews

Intense Glimpse into the afterlife!
I was surprised at the small size of this book, but what a powerful message for those who will understand it! I started reading it and finished it in just under 3 hours. I was a licensed Baptist Minister in the early stages of my life, but became disillusioned by many of the rituals and views that were imposed by many in the church. Through it all, I kept my belief in God according to what I believed the Bible taught, and not according to what was being taught by man. This book describes my understanding of God and the afterlife as I personally believe it to be. Excellent reading for those who are searching for a glimpse of what is to come, or those who have lost a loved one and look forward to being re-united after life on this world is over.

A Powerful and Hopeful Message for All
Howard Storm's NDE is one of the most uplifting and persuasive NDEs that I have read. There is much there for the confirmed Christian and much for someone of any other faith. Parts of Howard's experience fall right into accepted Christian doctrine and parts don't. Those reviewers that "apply" Christian doctrine to reject Howard's story simply miss the point.So do those who reject Christianity and therefore reject tstories such as Howard's. The message is one of hope and love, not doctrine.

First, Howard Storm was not a "Christian" when he had his NDE. Instead, he was an avowed atheist who became a Christian after his NDE. Howard's NDE begins when he dies and finds himself in an existence with countless other loveless/godless spirits who did nothing but attack and dismember him (and worse). In the depths of his despair, Howard the atheist remembered a song to Jesus from his childhood and began to sing it. Jesus rescued him. Howard learned the hard way that Jesus was his best friend. This I firmly believe for myself as well. Yet if Jesus can save an avowed atheist, and be "best friend" to such a person, then Jesus can also save anyone, including other atheists, Hindus, Catholics, Presbyterians, Moslems, etc. Second, when Howard asks one of the "Angels" with whom he visits "what is the best religion?" he's told that it is "the one the brings you closer to God". This is hardly Christian doctrine. In fact, those defenders of Orthodox Christian doctrine will find much to condemn in Howard Storm's NDE.

Incidentally, I had to chuckle at the irrefutable logic of Jesus when he pointed out to Howard that there really were no atheists because it is impossible to believe in nothing.

One of the main messages set forth in Storm's book about his NDE is that your life matters because of the way in which it affects others. This is a common thread in most NDEs, Christian and otherwise. As you affect others, so do you also affect yourself and God. If you choose to live without concern for others, you've chosen to live without concern for God as well. As it was pointed out to Howard during his NDE, the opposite of the love for God is not hatred of or anger at God, but indifference. The opposite of love for others is indifference as well. It is possible to "reject" God's love by your actions, whether you are an atheist or a Christian.

Howard Storm's book contains a great deal of hope, love, inspiration, as well as some warnings about how you live your life, its effects on others, and the effect your life will have on you in the afterlife. It is these warnings, coupled with Howard's bedrock belief in Jesus as his Lord and Savior that some reviewers find disturbing. Many NDEs are non-threatening because they affirm that God is all loving and will love us no matter what we do. Most NDEs (at least the popular ones) assure us that we will all be saved and in heaven with God when we die (or at least reincarnated to try again) because God is all loving and all good. NDEs that reject this concept (and there are just enough to cause you to pause and think about it) are usually ignored.

I believe God's love will save us all. Howard Storm's NDE reaches the same conclusion, but warns us that God gave us free will and we are free to reject God's love. Storm's NDE points out that in the spirit realm of the afterlife, your spirit cannot lie to itself about whether it accepted or rejected God's love in this life. You will judge yourself truthfully and accurately in the afterlife. And there are consequences. I highly recommend this book.

Howard Storm closes the book with this line: " Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the best friend you will ever have." Amen!

A Modern Day Prophet
This account of Mr. Storm's near death experience is the first I have ever taken the time to read. It is a powerful and reassuring message of God's love for us. Everything he testifies to seeing and believing seems to be so in tune with my sense of God. This next comment will be sure to draw some fire from many, but if his story is the truth, then this book could be considered one of the most important Christian writings since the Gospels since he speaks directly to Jesus. Mr. Storm was sent back for a purpose. Thank you Mr. Storm for your testimony. God is Love!