My take is the boy had something happen and the account was greatly embellished by the parents who saw a book and money in the future. Though not this much money
People want to believe. Want to believe.
You would be 100% WRONG.
I totally agree with you. Even if the parents did not do it for the money and their few minutes of fame, and thought it would help others believe, they have not read Luke 16 lately, which is very sad since the father supposedly is a minister of the gospel. It is the power of the gospel that saves, not the power of some "experience" and faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Luke 16:19 "There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.'
25 But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.'
27 And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' 29But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.'
30 And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'
31 He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'"
People will NOT come to true faith from reading the account of the book according to Christ. They come through hearing the gospel and being convicted of their sin. I wonder if sin is even mentioned in the book, or repentance?
And the reverse is true as well.
The obverse is also true. People refuse to believe.
It is not the early bird that gets the worm. It is the bird that knows a worm when it sees one.
Jesus is Lord.
I pray this family has not exploited a genuine experience. I pray too that many are graced by Messiah to see the worm that we all are and the mercies extended to us through this Messiah.
wow, what a negative view point!