Ordered to Return: My Life After Dying by George G. Ritchie (1-Apr-1998) Paperback

by George G. Ritchie

In December 1943, 20-year-old Army private George Ritchie died of pneumonia. Nine minutes later, he came back profoundly changed. What happened to him while his dead body lay under a sheet would change his life, and that of his family, friends, and patients. His bestselling book about his experiences, Return from Tomorrow, has sold more than 250,000 copies.

In this book George Ritchie briefly retells the story of that strange experience and then tells what happened later, including the real miracles that he has seen in his years of practice as a physician and psychiatrist. Included here are powerful stories of physical and emotional healing that were informed by those nine minutes on “the other side.”

Genres: Spirituality, Religion, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book details Dr. George Ritchie’s life centering around a near-death experience, and his mission on Earth thereafter. My faith dictates that Dr. Ritchie may very well have seen the Risen Christ and was transported to astral realms to see the souls of the blessed, stranded and damned. However, logically I don’t know if I believe he was dead for a short time, or that his visions were entirely internal without the Hand of God.

Regardless, this book was an interesting read. While the writing style was average, I felt that the content made up for it. Ritchie’s message is simple: love. Who are we to judge how other religions follow God, how other people live their lives, and who they choose to love? We should not follow the Old Testament God, one of revenge and brutality. But instead, listen to the New Testament whose Gospel is of love.

On the topic of Reincarnation, a doctrine I find plausible, I learned that it was believed by early Christians until Pope Theophilus crusaded against Origen and soon after, the idea fell into disrepute. Dr. Ritchie also made astute observations on the over-involvement and direction of parents and the lack of correction that our “correctional facilities” made. He criticized the Holy Roman Catholic Church for its abuses of power (crusades, child molestation, nepotism, corruption, etc.) for millennia.

Ritchie also advocates for integrating and improving the various departments of our lives: Intellectual, Moral, Financial, Physical and Social. Each important in becoming a whole individual. A whole Christian.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am enthralled with all life-after-death stories. In this book, the author briefly recounts his near-death experience (which is described more fully in a previous book), but focuses the book on how the experience affected the direction of his life. His depiction of the after life is fascinating. The end of the book seemed to ramble a bit, with unconnected thoughts that were at times a little preachy and a little Freudian. That's why I give the book three stars. The beginning of the book is much better than the latter half. I plan to read his previous book to get a more detailed description of his near-death experience.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some lessons resonated with me, some didn't.

The last chapter held the most resonant words for me. Ritchie explains a belief in Jesus the Christ that matches my own. There are many quotes there that make sense to me.

"When He speaks to us, what He says may be hard to follow, because He is also life, which teaches us not just to live but to learn things that will cause us to mature and grow spiritually. He is always loving but sometimes it is a hard, disciplinary love. If we follow His orders there will come peace, joy, hope, and happiness. If what is coming into our minds is negative and pessimistic, then we can be sure it is not from Him."

"Across the ages, as He did in the Garden of Eden, God still calls out to man, 'Where are you, Adam?' Man with the help of the dogmas of western Christianity has lost his way because western Christianity... stressed fallen man, with Jesus dying for our sins on the cross. The churches have not explained our potential as his, with our God-given creative power, and how necessary it is for us to be under the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God when we use this power. "

"We have all forgotten that we are sons and daughters of the most high God; that our spiritual side, the soul of man, needs to return and have total fellowship with the Father."

"We must come to know the living and resurrected Christ within us, and depend on passing Hus love to one another and to God because our human love isn't enough. When we recognize this truth, then, like the prodigal son Jesus told about, we will have 'come to ourselves'; that is, we will come alive and will decide to go home, for we will know that being a servant in our Father's household is better than being dead spiritually and living the way we have been living. Then, with the Christ, Holy Spirit, and outle Father-all of us joined together- we shall be helping to create a universe and no longer a diverse."

"He showed us how to die to self and how to rise from the dead and ascend into our higher self, life."

"His commission wasn't just to teach and show us how to reach the highest realm, heaven, but rather how to create heaven on earth."

[Peter Lancellotti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like my own memoir, blending science with metaphysics is always difficult. George Ritchie did a much better job at the science as he seemed more practiced and practical in later years whereas my own experience with science was clinical for less than five years. I've never died and come back to life. I enjoyed the exploration of reincarnation with a psychiatric bent in a manner, which Carl Jung also explored in "Memories, Dreams, and Reflections." This book, though anecdotal than a story was an exciting read because what happens in a matter of 9 minutes becomes spiritually transforming for the Ritchie. Having had a resident psychic growing up (my mother) and having her own views on reincarnation aren't as impactful as Ritchie's are since they affected him personally. I give it 4 stars because he seems to be surprised at many of his "occult" discoveries as if his experiences could have gone some other way as his own life and work progresses.

[Tim Habert · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads giveaway.

[McKenzie Ballo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent read, picked it up from the thrift store on a whim. I went back and forth on how much I agreed with him but all things could considered it’s fairly woke for a book published in the 90s.

[Megan Pieri]

I started this book with the idea of it being more about the afterlife rather than his experience with it during war. Since I did not finish it, I think I stopped when I reached chapter 6, I do not feel that I should be rating it.

[Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick, but deep read. I received this book through the Goodreads First Reads drawing, but I only sign up to win books that genuinely interest me. This was first published in 1991 with a republication in 1998 it looks like, so some of the statistics quoted here are outdated, but nevertheless get the point across that he was trying to emphasize. I have not read this author's previous book. In this book he delves into his death experience only enough to help provide credibility to the substance of what he discusses.
Overall I thought this was inspirational. I was quite pleased to read about his views on homosexuality, organized religion, racism, and the teaching of our children (the South Pacific quote was fitting). Despite and perhaps because of his experience he seems to be a man who took what he was shown and adopted it genuinely into his own life. He doesn't push his view on others, he doesn't judge others, he just seems to live and love... all the while continuing to learn and teach.
This was a short book and I wish there had been more depth to some sections, but overall I am quite pleased at having won this and read it cover to cover. I'm not beyond thinking there may have been a reason this book landed in my hands. This is one I will keep and likely refer back to from time to time.

[Sheila Pritchard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was particularly interested in this author's passionate desire when he returned from his 'after death' experience, to do everything he could to spread the news of the all embracing, inclusive love of God as seen in Jesus. I could feel his passion leaping off the page when he was so sad at the way so many churches (and people in general) have such a skewed view of God. Writing in the 1990's he delved into areas of spiritual healing, mind-body-spirit integration etc well before these became normal conversation.

[Claudia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love reading experiences people hade had in heaven after dying and coming back to life. This book and how this man interpreted what he saw seemed a little off to me but he definitley had some valuable experiences that I enjoyed reading about.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed his experience. I didn't need as much of his interpretation. I'm glad he shared his experience though.

[Roberta Grimes · Rating 5 out of 5]

George G. Richie, Jr., had what may be the most elaborately detailed near-death experience ever, and his brief book is a classic in this field. Moody calls it “the best such book in print.”

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good