Look, I wasn't there and didn't experience what t&r is reporting back.
Therefore, I think that I don't know and, as such, I can't agree with your conclusions and opinions. I just don't have enough info, but am willing to go out into the field, so to speak, and look for it.
As background, I am aware of others who have stories similar to t&r's. These stories tickled my ears and curiosity and what a gratifying search those stories have begun!
From what I remember, I think he had a near death experience and is also one of those who came back with a story to tell, as well as being one of those who came back with a gift.
I have read quite a few of these stories told by people from around the world, from different cultures and faiths, male and female, young, old and in between and, with only a very few exceptions, each and all tell an almost identical story.
I've also read many, many accounts of Mary, who, though new to me, is virtually identical in all of them, in personality, the types of things she says and how she phrases them, etc. In each and every encounter I've read about, including the personal messages she's written and those she's contributed to in TLIG, she's seems consistently the same to me and kinda like what I imagine the Mother of God might be like.
I've read of good and bad spirits and gotten close enough on plenty of occasions, rarely if ever intentionally, to have verified the bad to my own satisfaction. Same for the good. It's all real. What convinced me might not convince you, but I say it's all real.
Something else? In addition to stories like that of Elisha's servant that I referenced earlier, and the examples given in the short column I posted a link to, the Bible is chock full of the supernatural and clues as to what it might mean when They say that we humans are "created in Our image".
Not to tweak you, but I kinda like what Osteen says when holding up his Bible at the beginning of his message/show/sermon: "This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do."
Yep. Can't argue there, even if I don't/can't fully understand what that means or even get close to an understanding.
Earlier I've quoted passages, and hope I got them right, that support the benevolent gifts of Grace that will be bestowed upon His wayward creation when the time is right and, boy howdy, do these times feel wrong enough to be that kind of right. Agreed?
Please know that I appreciate your advice and concerns, I just don't share your perception and therefore can't share your conclusions and opinions. Fair enough?
Maybe I'll come around to your point of view, maybe you'll come around to mine or maybe we'll meet somewhere in between or most likely we won't know until our physical bodies die.
Then we'll know for certain! Until then...it's fun to speculate about as we seek to understand the Truth that has been given to us, as well as where we are in the story we were born into.
But, I do know for a FACT that the seeker MUST keep his/her ego in check and his or her heart open or s/he will fall into that trap I spoke of.
Like I should have said about keeping your heart open and the Holy Spirit showing the way: If you don't, it won't. It won't show it, but you don't know it....but you THINK you do!
Then it's "Hey? How about a little Protestant/Catholic feud, dude?" Oh yeah, it's on! And it's right back to fighting about Jesus, Mary and who Daddy loves best.
And that right there, my friend, is one of those sneaky little demons you never even suspect having its way with you.
Thanks for your thoughtful reply. Bless you.