Is Heaven For Real?

by WAKA Action 8 News

What happens after we die? It’s a big question, and it’s one new movie, “Heaven is for Real,” tries to answer. It’s the story of a boy who says he had a near-death experience.

But how common are those stories-and should we believe them? We spoke to a minister about the stories people told him when they were close to death.

Neil Epler is Congregational Care Minister at Frazer United Methodist Church in Montgomery. He says he’s heard a dozen stories like this-with common elements.
 
“A lot of people describe, of course, a brightness. I’ve never heard anyone say they went into darkness. Sometimes you do hear people say they hear singing while it’s there. I don’t know if it’s from their loved ones or if it’s angel voices or things like that. A lot of people say they see visions from the throne of God, of the smoke and the light that we ready about in the scriptures.”

He remembers one day at a woman’s hospital bed, when something happened that has stuck with him for years.  

“We just spoke to her softly and said, when Jesus comes, just go ahead and take his hand, it’s okay and she just very clearly and plainly said to us, he’s already here,” he said.

The movie “Heaven is for Real” opens in theaters later this month. It’s based on a book its author says is a true story. Montgomery resident Walter Carter says he believes it because he’s had an experience like that.

“It was like I lost my breath and the whole experience, you know, lasted almost three weeks, where I didn’t even feel like I was here,” he said.

Neil Epler says he was skeptical before. However for many, these experiences comfort, and he says it gets people talking about God and what happens after death.

“That knowledge that this is not all there is. That there is something beyond this that to me normally sounds very beautiful and very warm and very loving.”

The movie “Heaven is for Real” opens on April 16th.