I watched the youtube video of Todd Burpo. He does not say that he never visited heaven. In fact, he talks about his memories of that time, and his Christian walk since. Colton never died … the anesthesia gave him the “visions of heaven” I read a few chapters in the book at Barnes and Nobel and just put the book back on the shelf. Heaven is For Real is the real life, honest to goodness, without any doubt, true story, of Pastor Todd Burpo and his son Colton. Todd’s son Colton is forced to have a sudden appendectomy. He doesn’t die on the table, but he does have an anesthesia induced vision of Heaven. Colton believed that while under the knife he went to heaven and saw Jesus. He remembered multiple details, even exactly what Jesus looks like. Drugs can make you feel and think things that aren’t true. After coming out of gall bladder surgery they asked me on the operating table how do I feel … I replied I feel like a zombie!!!! And they were all laughing. I thought what is so funny? You can google this …. Akiane states she admires a woman called Master Ching Hai. Akiane herself states that Ching Hai is “incredible” and “is one with everything.” Akiane says we should soak in “the wisdom of nature” and that she would like to be like Ching Hai. Ching Hai is apparently the head of a New Age based cult with Eastern roots. - Fair Use - Her talent is not in question. She is truly a gifted artist and from a very early age, possibly may have been considered a Savant, except that her intellectual ability appears fairly sound. A virtuoso is not limited to music as Mozart or Beethoven. Her motive is her own and she will speak to the true prince of peace one day regarding this motive. Maybe she is far from God, I pray she finds her way back. Here is an article that'll explain a few things: Kramarik’s painting of Jesus, made famous in Todd Burpo’s book about his son’s Many people have questioned whether Akiane really did the paintings claimed for her, EARLY VISIONS Many articles point to Akiane’s early belief in God and claim that her parents Akiane claims she received visions of heaven and messages from God from an early age: ==Among the some 250 paintings Akiane has In our interview, Akiane described Heaven COMMENT: To claim to be so familiar with Christians are compelled to ask these I have the same problem with Akiane’s claims Also, in the above excerpt, Akiane states THE VIDEO AND MASTER CHING HAI https://higherdensity.wordpress.com/2013/11/11/akiane-kramarik-documentary/ COMMENT: In the video, Akiane shows the painting Also disturbing is her mother’s assertion in the Most significantly, at around 22 minutes, Akiane states she admires a woman called Akiane herself states that Ching Hai is “incredible” and “is one with everything.” Akiane Links on Master Ching Hai: Master Ching Hai considers Akiane an Indigo Child, a New Age view that there are (This is eye-opening): http://www.godsdirectcontact.org/eng/article/chinghai.html http://www.godsdirectcontact.org/ SPIRITUAL STATEMENTS ==Possibilities is a story of a true human potential that can create something extraoridinary COMMENT: We are not all citizens of heaven. Description of the painting “The Path” ==In order to choose the right path, we COMMENT: One cannot tell what is meant there by following “the light.” However, this is much (John 8:12), However, in ==In 2010, Akiane told Seattle “I have my own and my parents have theirs and my brothers have theirs,” she Akiane’s discovery of God seems remarkably personal. “Since nobody told me who God was, To eliminate any confusion, however, Jesus is first in her mind. “He is the “Jesus remains my highest authority, love, and God,” she adds. “I pray every day that http://blog.godreports.com/2012/01/for-child-art-prodigy-akiane-jesus-is-for-real/ COMMENT: Also, she says the family tried Christianity – past tense. Each family member has Furthermore, the above article is from a Christian site and seems to assume Akiane is From Akiane’s blog (via link below): == I define spirituality as a http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com/2011/04/akiane-kramarik-artist-paints-her.html COMMENT: Strong evidence of New Age spirituality comes from this recent interview (2014) of These are some statements from Akiane I find disturbing for obvious reasons: When people get the chance to see other worlds, I hope, they trust their own compass Throughout our history MANY other beings have lived on this earth side-by-side with the Yes, in the future we will find a loophole in our biological system that will allow us http://chakracenter.org/2014/02/28/enchantment-through-art-an-interview-with-akiane-kramarik/ URANTIA? Akiane’s early belief in God The remarks below are on the ==It's nice to be able to share this new image of Jesus with you; we feel that it's one of the best of the newer renderings of the Master. It's also given us a great opportunity to jog our memories about the personality and character of our Father/Brother/Friend - Jesus of Nazareth. Even though no one can presume to know what he really looked like, this image contains many of the elements of On this forum =I am fascinated by the way her vision so closely matches some http://truthbook.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=3974 CONCLUSIONS I do not accept that Akiane received visions and revelations from God. I do not Akiane is still very young and there is time, of course, for her to trust in the true UPDATE, 28 June 2016 COMMENT ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ==Retain the standard of sound FURTHER RESOURCES (Christian and non-Christian) Links that give possible evidence of Akiane’s family’s involvement in Urantia http://circuit1.teamcircuits.com/pipermail/tmtalk/2004-July/004517.html http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message1615921/pg1 This is a Urantia Facebook page, claiming they were given rights to post the “Prince From a customer review of Heaven Is For Real, http://www.amazon.com/ss/customer-reviews/9866202046/ref=?_encoding=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Wikipedia on Urantia, including a comparison between some Urantian views and Christian http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Urantia_Book For example: ==Jesus is considered the This is a http://www.urantia.org/urantia-book Link to book of Urantia on Urantia site: http://www.urantia.org/urantia-book/read-urantia-book-online Christian critiques of Urantia: http://www.equip.org/articles/urantia-the-great-cult-mystery/ Who says that one has to die to have a temporary visit to heaven? Wasn't Paul taken to the third heaven while still alive? If someone (colton burpo) says Jesus is Lord my Savior and acknowledges His death and resurrection, then wouldn't it be right to consider that person a brother or sister in Christ? and if someone's story or painting pushes others towards Jesus, isn't that a good thing?? Can we consider a Monet painting beautiful only if we know that Monet himself walks a straight and perfect walk of a Christian? or can we acknowledge beauty for beauties sake? and I will say this one time further, thank the good Lord that no one was judging my every word when I was 16 years old, but seriously can we not allow a talented girl some grace to grow along with prayer before we throw her under the proverbial judgement bus?? I understand that it is always good to evaluate the fruit of what someone has produced, but when is this most important? When they preach or are sharing a gospel! Are we to pick apart every little detail of someone's life looking for something on which to judge them or catch them making an error? I for one am not worthy of this task, I have big enough beams in my own eyes to concern myself with the specks in someone else's. I think it would probably be more beneficial to pray for them, encourage them and treat them with the love and patience that I hope someone would treat me with. Trust me, I am not calling anyone out or calling anyone foolish for believing these stories. I have probably bought 5-6 heavenly tourism books. I fell for the hype and a desire to learn more about heaven. It was finally Randy Alcorn's book on heaven that set things straight for me. John McArthur's book on heaven, too. I don't always agree with him but that book was solid. We need to use our God given discernment and test the spirits because they are not always from God. It's a war out there, as we are all well aware. Here is an article by a man who coined the term Heaven tourism: https://www.challies.com/articles/heaven-tourism/ Here's a timeline on the growth of heaven tourism: The heaven tourism genre has proven remarkably lucrative to authors and their publishers, tallying well over 20,000,000 books sold over the past decade. 90 Minutes in Heaven is jumping genres and seems primed for box office success, though it may have trouble chasing down 2014’s screen adaptation of Heaven Is For Real which earned over $100,000,000. https://www.challies.com/articles/greetings-from-heaven-a-modern-history-of-heaven-tourism/ Needless to say, that is a lot of money. Heaven tourism is big, big, big business. Randy Alcorn's take on heaven tourism is a little more charitable than my take. (Yes, I do have logs in my eyes. I am a work in progress.) https://www.epm.org/blog/2014/Apr/18/heaven-real-movie Now, look at that Alex Malarkey story. (The boy who went to heaven and back) God Bless that boy for finally speaking the truth. He's lost out on some earthly money but gained a huge treasure in heaven. Look at his confession and admonition: “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.…Those who market these materials must be called to repent and hold the Bible as enough.” * He was six at the time of his NDE. https://dancingpastthedark.com/burpo-malarkey-doctrine-dilemma/ Anyway, if I am wrong and have slandered innocent people then may the Holy Spirit convict me and may our Heavenly Father chasten me. :prayer-hands: Getting down to brass tacks, we are to reject anything that clearly contradicts the Word of God. The Bible is clear on the issue of heaven tourism. No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. (John 3:13) Barnes’ Notes has something to say about that- And no man hath ascended into heavens – No man, therefore, is qualified to speak of heavenly things, John 3:12. To speak of those things requires intimate acquaintance with them – demands that we have seen them; and as no one has ascended into heaven and returned, so no one is qualified to speak of them but He who came down from heaven. This does not mean that no one had Gone to heaven or had been saved, for Enoch and Elijah had been borne there (Genesis 5:24; compare Hebrews 11:5; 2 Kings 2:11); and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and others were there: but it means that no one had ascended and “returned,” so as to be qualified to speak of the things there. Source- Barnes Notes. We remember Paul was carried up to the Third Heaven, but he was firm that it was unlawful to tell specifics. “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.” (2 Corinthians 12:2–4). It is distressing that people are claiming that they have been to heaven and back when the Bible says they have not. It’s worse when they are unlawful and express the things they allege to have seen there. Even worse, when they make money from their tales by writing books, or approve movie scripts of their alleged heavenly trips to and from the Third Heaven. Trading on the name of Jesus and false notions about His heavenly abode to accumulate riches for one’s self is crass. https://the-end-time.org/2021/12/23/no-one-has-gone-to-heaven-visited-heaven-or-traveled-to-heaven/ Acts 7 54 On hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were enraged,q and they gnashed their teeth at him. 55But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56“Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”(emphasis mine) Revelation 4 1 After this I looked and saw a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had previously heard speak to me like a trumpet was saying, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after these things.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne standing in heaven, with someone seated on it. 3The One seated there looked like jasper and carnelian, and a rainbow that gleamed like an emerald encircled the throne. 4Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and on these thrones sat twenty-four elders dressed in white, with golden crowns on their heads. Acts 2 17 ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. (emphasis mine) 1 John 4 1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3and every spirit that does not confess [a]that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. (Italic emphasis mine) 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (emphasis mine) 20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, [d]how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. :rose: Churchgal makes my point: . . . " Can we consider a Monet painting beautiful only if we know that Monet himself walks a straight and perfect walk of a Christian? or can we acknowledge beauty for beauty's sake? and I will say this one time further, thank the good Lord that no one was judging my every word when I was 16 years old, but seriously can we not allow a talented girl some grace to grow along with prayer before we throw her under the proverbial judgement bus?? Acts 2 17 ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on ALL people.' Not easy to deny this happening today, that: the Holy Spirit IS granting Here is just one example: " Mohammed of northern Nigeria did not have just one dream of Jesus Christ—he had seven! Son of a prominent Fulani herdsman, Mohammed had studied the Qur’an in depth at several Muslim schools and was preparing to leave for advanced studies in Saudi Arabia when he experienced the series of dreams that convinced him of the deep love and lordship of Jesus Christ. Although his father tried to kill him in the wake of his conversion, Mohammed survived the various attempts on his life and persevered in his Christian walk, eventually leading his father to faith in Christ." . . https://lausanneworldpulse.com/perspectives-php/595/01-2007 
One more venue to consider, her “vision” or “dream” may not have come from the true prince of peace — remember the great imitator intends to make himself acceptable to the world and it is very interesting to me the timing of this release, prior to 2020. Just my thoughts.
reported trip to heaven, Heaven is For Real,
is recognized worldwide. Although Akiane (b. 1994) became famous at a very young
age for her paintings, Burpo’s book brought her back into the public eye when
young Colton claimed that Akiane’s portrayal of Jesus accurately represented
the Jesus that Burpo reported he saw when he allegedly visited heaven. The 2015
calendar now selling from Akiane’s gallery portrays this Jesus on the cover,
along with the statement: “As Seen in Heaven Is For Real” ( http://www.akiane.com/specials ).
or if her mother, who also paints, was the true artist. Others have critiqued
the quality of the art, dismissing it as clichéd and superficial. However, this
brief essay does not address those two issues, only the spirituality of Akiane
and her purported visions. Since she has, in numerous interviews and on her blog,
talked about God, Jesus, and heaven, and since she had portrayed Jesus and
heaven in her art, it is incumbent on Christians to evaluate her statements and
examine them through the filter of God’s word.
Akiane’s accounts of receiving visions from God at an early age, including vivid
revelations of heaven, and her many paintings of religious figures and
spiritual scenes naturally leads to curiosity about Akiane’s beliefs.
converted to Christianity because of this. Whether they became Christians or
not is something we cannot probably know since there is little information on
them; but Akiane’s remarks in interviews and on her blog (which no longer seems
to be online but which I had spent time reading several years ago), as well as
her Facebook page, have a strong bent toward a New Age and/or possibly universalist
multi-faith spirituality.
completed, many have been influenced by her visions or by some other aspect of
her spiritual life. Some of the most awe-inspiring are those of heaven, which
Akiane says she has seen, through revelations from God.
using words: “Plants, animals, and all beings spoke not through words, but
through color, vibration, and thoughts. Everything was simply effortless. But
my recollections of Heaven and visions are fading and new experiences are being
formed through time. My understanding of Heaven has expanded and deepened since
my first encounter with visions and dreams of Heaven. We co-create our reality
however we like it and need it. To a certain degree, some people can experience
that even here on earth.”==
heaven is an anomaly. If God has already given the revelation of heaven in the
canon of Scripture, why give additional information 2,000 years later that is
not in His word? If Akiane’s visions of heaven are from God, then that puts them on a par with Scripture. Did God
suddenly decide to inspire paintings the way He inspired scripture? There is no
indication He has done so, and it would mean the Bible is insufficient and
incomplete.
questions and “examine all things” (1 Thess. 5:21). God has said, "All
Scripture is inspired by God and
profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in
righteousness; so
that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”(2 Tim. 3:16, 17).
to have seen heaven, and to know so much about it, as I do with the popular
trip-to-heaven books.
that “we co-create our reality however we like it and need it.” This a very New
Age concept, and I also heard her say this in more than one video. It usually
relates to the belief that we can alter reality through our thoughts, will, and
beliefs. In other words, reality is not an absolute. Since she does not explain
what she means by this, I am unsure of her specific understanding of this
phrase. But in context with other
statements, I think it’s a good possibility that she has the New Age view.
Below is a link to what seems to be a compilation of videos in which Akiane speaks of
her visions and paintings. The website is on a New Age network of sites. I have
found it to be the most convincing evidence of Akiane’s New Age beliefs, aside
from entries on her blog which I read a few years ago.
she did of Jesus in the Garden of Gesthamane, and states that this is where
Jesus asked his Father to forgive people. This is at odds with the Bible’s
account. Jesus did ask, on the cross, for people who had brought him to the
cross to be forgiven (Luke 23:34, forgiveness for that specific act; it was not
a general forgiveness for all sins). If Akiane is receiving visions from God, then
why is she wrong about such a major event and remark in the Bible?
video that Akiane often could not divulge what she was receiving from God and
that some revelations were about the future.
Master Ching Hai, and the narrator states Akiane had “felt an affinity with”
this woman. In fact, this video is being shown by the group that follows and
reveres Ching Hai.
says we should soak in “the wisdom of nature” and that she would like to be like
Ching Hai. Ching Hai is apparently the head of a New Age based cult with
Eastern roots.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ching_Hai
children being born with abilities beyond the normal human, especially psychic
type powers:
From Akiane’s website, here is a description of one of her prints:
[sic] in the midst of the impossible. We are truly citizens of heaven who wear
out all our limitations.==
Believers in Christ are described as being “seated in the heavenlies” in
Ephesians 2:6 and as having “citizenship in heaven” in Phil.
3:20, due only to faith in Christ and reliance on his work on the cross and
bodily resurrection.
do not have to figure out the wrong one ~ we just need to follow the light.==
more of a New Age statement than a Christian one. Although Jesus is the
“Light of the world”
Christians are told to “walk as children of light”
(Eph. 5:8) and to “walk in the light” (I John 1:7 not to “follow the light”).
this 2012 article, Akiane does sound Christian toward the end:
station KCTS that her spiritual epiphanies caused her parents to start seeking
answers. “We went through almost everything,” Akiane said. “We went through
being Christian, being a Catholic, we studied Buddhism. At this point every one
of my siblings have their own path toward a spiritual enlightenment.”
continued. “I’m the same person as when I was four-years-old. I haven’t changed.”
I found God myself. He’s been there for me through the years. I don’t
belong to any denomination or religion. I belong to God.”
only way to God — the only way to heaven and joy,” she states. “My personal
views on Jesus have only matured and deepened since age 4. As I grow I
see how vast and unlimited His love is.”
people will one day follow Jesus, His teachings and feel His love.”==
Akiane does say Jesus is “the only way to God.” But this is just not enough
information. One can’t tell from this what her concept of Jesus is or what she
means by this. I have not come across anything she’s said that has to do with
man being sinful and needing a Savior. Moreover, making Jesus her “highest
authority, love and God” are words that could be used by many New Agers,
inter-spiritualists, or even some cultists.
their own “path.” Most crucially, Akiane does not call herself a Christian
here, where it would be optimal, and I have not run across her calling herself
Christian elsewhere.
talking about the Christian Jesus.
search for love, beauty, happiness and wisdom. Spirituality is a journey that
we never finish. It has nothing to do with our levels of development,
achievement, awareness or intention.”
Searching for love, beauty, etc. is not the journey of one who is in Christ
because in Christ, one has already found the ultimate love, beauty, happiness,
and wisdom.
Akiane on a New Age website, which indicates Akiane’s views slant more New Age.
to navigate through true reality…
human race. There is definitely a purpose for so many trillions of beings to
co-exist...
to change our molecular programming
In addition to the above,
there is some evidence of Urantia beliefs in the home Akiane grew up in. I read
on a few sites that when Akiane was young, her mother was involved with the
Urantia group. This is essentially a New Age cult but it can at times sound
Christian. Yet the mother claims she was atheist, and videos repeat this over
and over, with nothing stated about the Urantia connection.
and her alleged visions from God have led many to believe she is Christian. But
if her mother was involved with Urantia, the belief in God and the visions
would not be unusual, and would explain Akiane’s many New Age leaning
statements and the New Age tenor of her. I think some of Akiane’s remarks
posted above this section from the New Age link may be related to Urantia
beliefs. The link to Urantia is not clear or strongly supported, but it is a
possibility and in my view, would explain the source of an influence on Akiane’s
spiritual views.
Facebook page of a Urantia follower and are about Akiane’s painting of Jesus:
character that we think of when we think of Jesus.==
for followers of Urantia, one states:
of the descriptions in the Urantia Book.==
Isaiah 53 tells us that there was nothing about Jesus’ appearance that was special
that he should be noticed, and there is no physical description of Jesus in the
Bible. So why would God suddenly in the 21st century decide to
reveal how Jesus looks to this girl?
believe God is giving private information beyond his word to one special
person, especially when that person is not proclaiming the need for faith in
Jesus.
Jesus (assuming she lives the normal lifetime). But as of now, based on what I’ve
read and heard from Akiane, I would say she is involved in some type of New Age
(possibly influenced by Urantia) and/or Inter-Spiritual beliefs.
From the most recent website for Akiane:
Quote==.....she often uses an unidentified golden dust substance that once 'materialized' in front of her eyes==
From http://www.akiane.com/about
This claim only adds to my skepticism about Akiane's spiritual beliefs being Christian.
words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ
Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells
in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.
2 Tim. 1:13, 14==
teachings:
of Peace” Jesus by Akiane. The comments are enlightenting:
which discusses Akiane:
teachings:
human incarnation of "Michael of Nebadon," one of more than 700,000
"Paradise Sons" of God, or "Creator Sons." Jesus is not
considered the second person of the Trinity as he is in Christianity. The book
refers to the Eternal Son as the second person of the Trinity” (from
Wikipedia).==
link to the Urantia site, so be careful:
visions or dreams of Jesus Christ to Muslims, . . . . . It is hard to admit these dreams and visions are glorifying satan when these souls saved by Jesus are willing to die for their faith in Christ our Lord . ~ ~. .
