The Afterlife in Popular Culture: Heaven, Hell, and the Underworld in the American Imagination gives students a fresh look at how Americans view the afterlife, helping readers understand how it's depicted in popular culture. What happens to us when we die? The book seeks to explore how that question has been answered in American popular culture. It begins with five framing essays that provide historical and intellectual background on ideas about the afterlife in Western culture. These essays are followed by more than 100 entries, each focusing on specific cultural products or authors that feature the afterlife front and center. Entry topics include novels, film, television shows, plays, works of nonfiction, graphic novels, and more, all of which address some aspect of what may await us after our passing. This book is unique in marrying a historical overview of the afterlife with detailed analyses of particular cultural products, such as films and novels. In addition, it covers these topics in nonspecialist language, written with a student audience in mind. The book provides historical context for contemporary depictions of the afterlife addressed in the entries, which deal specifically with work produced in the 20th and 21st centuries. Provides readers with an encyclopedic treatment of the afterlife in American popular culture, without any religious or moral biases Connects depictions of the afterlife with general social trends Contests the idea that Americans fear death by showing the plethora of examples of the afterlife shown in film, television, and more Presents a serious analysis of vampires, zombies, and other fictional archetypes without becoming hyper-academic or humorous

The author is a decorated Korean War veteran and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, having earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He has devoted his career to the insurance industry, serving in administration, marketing, and sales, and is now retired and living on the Blue Ridge Mountains in West Virginia.
"Renaissance II" represents a synthesis of Christianity; the philosophy of Plato; deism, which holds that God allows us to determine our own destiny without his interference (except for our access to grace), a belief held by Founding Fathers Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Franklin, and also by Lincoln; and certain discoveries in quantum physics - all of which tend to suggest a rational explanation of human existence and, to a degree, what the spiritual goal of mankind might be.
The author had not seriously explored Plato's philosophy until it was mentioned by a speaker at a business seminar. Because of the intriguing manner in which his teachings on reincarnation had been presented, the author made an effort to determine what the Bible may have revealed regarding this particular subject. The most startling disclosure he found was an emphatic, unqualified, and unambiguous statement by Jesus that "John the Baptist was the Old Testament prophet Elijah." In addition, there appeared to be many other indications that tended to support reincarnation - Jesus' prolonged discussion with Nicodemus regarding rebirth, for example. On the other hand, there appeared to be only one contrary indication: the statement that "it is appointed for men to die once," and it is primarily this statement on which Christianity's opposition to reincarnation has been established. (Curiously, however, the first humans were not appointed to die, rather they were endowed with immortality.) Another unusual result was to emerge from this scriptural investigation: the author had convinced himself of the essential principles of seventeenth-century deism, a concept of which he had no prior knowledge.
Surprises were to continue, with further research establishing that Christian theology had not been based on the revelations of Jesus, or otherwise on Scripture, but "primarily on the teachings of Plato" - with one significant omission: Plato's central principle, reincarnation, had been ignored. Strangely, however, early Christian history illustrated that a belief in reincarnation had been openly accepted and disseminated by virtually all of the Greek Christian Church Fathers, including the illustrious Origen, by several bishops, and even by some saints - and we must wonder how their canonization processes overlooked their having embraced this pagan belief. In addition, reincarnation was being taught essentially as doctrine in prominent Christian schools located in Athens and Alexandria.
Also of significance is St. Augustine's prediction that Platonism would "unlock the treasures of the faith," and we must wonder why Augustine believed that certain Christian truths remained locked up? In fact, it now appears that reincarnation may have been "locked out" of Christian doctrine - not because of the determinations of religious authorities, but by Roman Emperor Justinian, who held no ecclesiastical powers and who, by historical evaluations, was a personal disgrace by Christian standards. His initial hostile action regarding reincarnation was to close the two schools that had been promoting the belief. Also, it has been established that he opposed a group called "Origenists;" however, at that point the record becomes unclear. The final irony is that religious scholars cannot determine that reincarnation has ever been officially condemned by a Church Council, even though two such councils, having met in 1274 and 1439, apparently had assumed that reincarnation "had previously been condemned "
Coincidentally, about the time that the author had undertaken this researc

Numa Jay Pillion was three when he first learned of death-that we eventually die, and our bodies are put into the ground to be consumed by worms. The idea depressed him to the point that he attempted suicide on two occasions. If life was going to end, he wanted to get it over with. An inner presence caused him to hesitate, however, and he eventually decided to accept life for what it would offer.

At twenty-six, Numa's landlady told him about reincarnation. From that moment on, his spiritual learning never ceased. He studied theosophy, became a member of the Rosicrucian Order, attended Unity Church services, and studied spiritualism, hypnosis, the power of the mind, and the works of Edgar Cayce. He did not restrict himself to any one school of thought. Perhaps his learning was the result of divine guidance; perhaps he was just eager to learn.

Now eighty-one years of age, Numa passes on some of what he has learned in this book. He hopes that in doing so, he'll save people from the pain he suffered when he believed that death was the end of everything. Fear of death is a negative force that holds us back, causing us to live a negative, even hostile existence. Take the fear out of death, and we can begin to live a fuller life.

To those who follow the light within, the Bible states, "By your faith be it unto you." To those with spiritual eyes, the answer is, "When the pupil is ready, the master appears."

Turning the Hourglass: Children's Passage Through Traumas and Past Lives, is a collection of stories written from the child's point of view. It is based on the therapeutic model that Christine has developed which includes Gestalt Therapy with Children and Adolescents and Regression Therapy. Emerging through these true stories of children are poignant words that draw the reader into the child's world. Whether it is childhood trauma of abuse, difficulty with divorce and parenting variations, pre-natal, birth or past-life patterning, the stories unfold with children conquering their problems and developing into the lovely young people that they truly are. Various symptoms and behaviors ranging from issues such as a diagnosis of ADHD to severe anxiety and depression are lifted from the child as these healing stories guide the reader through each journey.

Parents who realize the benefits of alternative therapeutic techniques for their child or are searching for a method that truly works, teachers and therapists will find this book enlightening as they discover a powerful method of working with children. Awareness is raised about children, their plights and their enduring strengths inviting us all to acknowledge those who have such a small voice in our world.

Over 500 books are described. Each entry includes full bibliographic information, a description of the contents, and additionally, in most cases, an excerpt is included that gives the flavor of the book. Pro- and anti-reincarnation sources are featured for this highly controversial subject. An appendix lists organizations that are concerned with reincarnation. This will be of interest to religious scholars and students and anyone interested in this fascinating topic.

"It is important to document the validity of past life regression therapy. Heather Rivera's research has made an important contribution to this field, and I applaud her work."-Brian L. Weiss, M.D., author of Many Lives, Many Masters "Dr. Heather Rivera has written a much needed book for those interested in past life therapy or those practicing it. Her fine book is based on quantified research, rather than strictly case studies. . .The reader will benefit in many ways, perhaps life-changing ways, from this excellent book."? Edith Fiore, Ph.D. (Retired Psychologist) Author of You Have Been Here Before"Dr. Heather Friedman Rivera is one of the most remarkable torch-bearers of our times, bringing light into the dark recesses of our over-soul to which we are all connected into the universal oneness, through her scholarly quantifying research on reincarnation and past-life regression. She makes skeptics see and hear, and places the scientific dots on reincarnation and past life regression in such a convincing, personal and touching way."? Adrian Finkelstein, MD, Former UCLA Psychiatry Professor Researcher/ AuthorDr. Heather Friedman Rivera's abrupt healing following a past life regression began a quest of personal discovery and scientific investigation into past lives. Her experience, as well as reports from over 200 respondents from around the world, validate the spiritual, psychological, and physical healings that can result. She reveals her personal journey and the scientific findings from her past life study.Her research is now: ♣ quantifying the type and degree of healing effects from past life experiences ♣ uncovering the factors that drive and influence these effects ♣ opening the door for more research in this important healing modality ♣ helping bridge gaps between Western medicine and complementary care