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You Don't Die - You Just Change Channels
When Gretchen Swartwout died suddenly in 2006, Her husband of 54 years, Chuck, was not quite ready to call it quits. He combined his deep Christian faith with his decades of experience as an engineer and creative problem solver to produce this "common sense" analytical exploration of the idea of heaven and a life a er death. From interpreting scripture to testing the work of "mediums," this book explores the afterlife in a way it's never been done before.
132 pages, Paperback
Published January 19, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 25, 2016
You start to ask when did it happen? When did growing up mean throwing belief out the window cause science said so. When did it happen? When things started to change for the better or worse? Then who? Who would it be to come into your life to make you see things differently? Then who? Who would it be that even being away from for a few hours without them seems a life time? Then who? Who was the one that when it happened you lost yourself, lost a piece of yourself. Now let’s change the channel….TO, You Don’t Die-You Just Change Channels! By Chuck Swartwout.
You Don’t Die-You Just Change Channels by Chuck Swartwout takes a “common sense” approach to explaining why there is more to life than death and the existence of the almighty, capital HIM. The author takes a more conversational approach to his book, making the reader feel as if they are discussing the topics within with the author himself. Without being bogged down with complicated word use and technical garble it’s a breath of fresh air. Your introduced to the author in the beginning, with explanation for each and every decision that went into the book, from the book cover, to the inspiration for a non-fiction novel, it’s approach and more. The intention is not to sell his beliefs or push them on the reader but to share another point view backing it up with examples dotted out through history. A book that may be religious or not, you can believe in it or choose not to, either way you can still enjoy the subject matter. Why? because no matter what you are never told what to think, how to feel, you are told just what he has learned and how there is so much more out there to learn still about the living, the dead, the afterlife.
You will find the book is more a matter of opinion, reflections, and how others see the after life such as different religion and ethnicity, and cultures. One of the examples comes from the author’s granddaughter who is in the Peace Corp. No matter your point of view on the subject you cannot help but contemplate and form your own theories, if it’s for or against. No matter what you feel about the author’s “credentials” for the topic, you cannot deny he has solid and valid points such as communication which is a multivariate understanding.
As well, like most people, the author chose to write about what he believes and what he knows about. Motivated to finally publish his work after a loss, it was also the authors way of coping, grieving, and honoring memories of his beloved wife. Those who have lost someone, anyone, close or somewhere in between, you find along the way being able to relate to his views, and along the way finding yourself finding comfort between the pages.
He once also employed similar methods, Houdini went to look for answers to the after life after the loss of someone he deeply cared about, his mother. He went and looked to those who claimed they were able to speak to those who hung in between the veil, to find a truth amongst the frauds. Seeking answers to where one might go after death, if there was a sense of existence, and if there was a life after death. For Houdini, he may have never found the answers he sought out for, but after reading You Don’t Die-You Just Change Channels by Chuck Swartwout shows just cause science is yet to prove does not mean the possibility doesn't exist.
You Don’t Die-You Just Change Channels by Chuck Swartwout takes a “common sense” approach to explaining why there is more to life than death and the existence of the almighty, capital HIM. The author takes a more conversational approach to his book, making the reader feel as if they are discussing the topics within with the author himself. Without being bogged down with complicated word use and technical garble it’s a breath of fresh air. Your introduced to the author in the beginning, with explanation for each and every decision that went into the book, from the book cover, to the inspiration for a non-fiction novel, it’s approach and more. The intention is not to sell his beliefs or push them on the reader but to share another point view backing it up with examples dotted out through history. A book that may be religious or not, you can believe in it or choose not to, either way you can still enjoy the subject matter. Why? because no matter what you are never told what to think, how to feel, you are told just what he has learned and how there is so much more out there to learn still about the living, the dead, the afterlife.
You will find the book is more a matter of opinion, reflections, and how others see the after life such as different religion and ethnicity, and cultures. One of the examples comes from the author’s granddaughter who is in the Peace Corp. No matter your point of view on the subject you cannot help but contemplate and form your own theories, if it’s for or against. No matter what you feel about the author’s “credentials” for the topic, you cannot deny he has solid and valid points such as communication which is a multivariate understanding.
As well, like most people, the author chose to write about what he believes and what he knows about. Motivated to finally publish his work after a loss, it was also the authors way of coping, grieving, and honoring memories of his beloved wife. Those who have lost someone, anyone, close or somewhere in between, you find along the way being able to relate to his views, and along the way finding yourself finding comfort between the pages.
He once also employed similar methods, Houdini went to look for answers to the after life after the loss of someone he deeply cared about, his mother. He went and looked to those who claimed they were able to speak to those who hung in between the veil, to find a truth amongst the frauds. Seeking answers to where one might go after death, if there was a sense of existence, and if there was a life after death. For Houdini, he may have never found the answers he sought out for, but after reading You Don’t Die-You Just Change Channels by Chuck Swartwout shows just cause science is yet to prove does not mean the possibility doesn't exist.
February 10, 2016
At the beginning of Chuck Swartwout’s intriguing and engaging spiritual exploration, “You Don’t Die – You Just Change Channels,” the author confesses to being a dreamer. He says anyone who ever accomplished anything has been a “dreamer.” The book is a journey through time investigating the possibility of a “spirit world,” a place where our minds go when we die; a world of endless possibilities, connection and communication. Chuck Swartwout’s literary debut at age 94 is a “common sense” look at the big questions that are, unfortunately, currently unanswerable. But it’s also a passionate and inspiring call to action for more research into the most central questions about what happens to us when we die.
Swartwout (the second w is silent) worked as an electrical engineer and producer of advertising and educational films starring such big names as Jimmy Stewart and Dick Van Dyke. His name is already in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest running television commercial. Not bad for a young-at-heart, self-professed “dreamer.” But when his beautiful wife, Gretchen, whom he was married to for 54 years, died suddenly in 2006, it caused him “to completely re-evaluate my life and where I stand with God and His wonderful creation that is our universe.”
Trusting an analytical, common sense approach to answering his biggest questions, he began a full-scale investigation what he sees as this world and “the spirit world.” He soon concluded, as those who lived hundreds of years ago did, there is much we simply cannot know for sure. The Arizona native came to believe that God can communicate and keep track of every human who has ever lived with a kind of unlimited knowledge that can best be compared to today’s World Wide Web and its wealth of information. He compares our Creator to a “vast cosmic Internet,” with an infinitely large hard drive. Swartwout says from the moment of conception until death, our soul is in constant contact with God. He says many call this communication “prayer.”
Seeking to make contact with his deceased wife, Swartwout investigated so-called “mediums” who claim to be in closer touch with the “spirit world.” But he was disappointed with most and only found one woman who seemed legitimate. He warns readers to check the Web for lists of reputable mediums before shelling out money for their services. But he does believe that mental telepathy is real. He simply says it’s impossible for us to understand it.
He believes that humans can find more answers if they join together in an ambitious international effort to bring science and religion together to seek out a better connection with the “spirit world.” Swartwout says his own investigations have caused him to believe communication between this world and the “spirit world” takes place instantaneously. The author says far too much money is being wasted on space exploration, which will tell us nothing about the spirit world.
One chapter includes a moving letter from his granddaughter Roxanne, working with the Peace Corp. in Peru. In the letter, Roxanne concludes that all people have the same basic, intrinsic desires, as well as differences. One of the Appendices to Swartwout’s amazing book proposes a possible way to eliminate war from this Earth by creating a special "Spirit Lab,” funded by the nearly two thousand billionaires around the world. This Lab would be based at a prestigious university in this country and include carefully selected individuals from all races and religions and he is offering to serve in this effort.
Chuck Swartwout believes some of the greatest advances in our collective knowledge will have to come from this kind of cooperative research between religion and science. Someday, he says, much of the traveling we do will be unnecessary because of new forms of instantaneous communication. In the end, Swartwout says he expects to be able to monitor the progress of advances in knowledge “from my personal vantage point in the spiritual world,” which he says has a 99% chance of existing.
When you consider the alternative, those are odds that we all could live with.
Swartwout (the second w is silent) worked as an electrical engineer and producer of advertising and educational films starring such big names as Jimmy Stewart and Dick Van Dyke. His name is already in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest running television commercial. Not bad for a young-at-heart, self-professed “dreamer.” But when his beautiful wife, Gretchen, whom he was married to for 54 years, died suddenly in 2006, it caused him “to completely re-evaluate my life and where I stand with God and His wonderful creation that is our universe.”
Trusting an analytical, common sense approach to answering his biggest questions, he began a full-scale investigation what he sees as this world and “the spirit world.” He soon concluded, as those who lived hundreds of years ago did, there is much we simply cannot know for sure. The Arizona native came to believe that God can communicate and keep track of every human who has ever lived with a kind of unlimited knowledge that can best be compared to today’s World Wide Web and its wealth of information. He compares our Creator to a “vast cosmic Internet,” with an infinitely large hard drive. Swartwout says from the moment of conception until death, our soul is in constant contact with God. He says many call this communication “prayer.”
Seeking to make contact with his deceased wife, Swartwout investigated so-called “mediums” who claim to be in closer touch with the “spirit world.” But he was disappointed with most and only found one woman who seemed legitimate. He warns readers to check the Web for lists of reputable mediums before shelling out money for their services. But he does believe that mental telepathy is real. He simply says it’s impossible for us to understand it.
He believes that humans can find more answers if they join together in an ambitious international effort to bring science and religion together to seek out a better connection with the “spirit world.” Swartwout says his own investigations have caused him to believe communication between this world and the “spirit world” takes place instantaneously. The author says far too much money is being wasted on space exploration, which will tell us nothing about the spirit world.
One chapter includes a moving letter from his granddaughter Roxanne, working with the Peace Corp. in Peru. In the letter, Roxanne concludes that all people have the same basic, intrinsic desires, as well as differences. One of the Appendices to Swartwout’s amazing book proposes a possible way to eliminate war from this Earth by creating a special "Spirit Lab,” funded by the nearly two thousand billionaires around the world. This Lab would be based at a prestigious university in this country and include carefully selected individuals from all races and religions and he is offering to serve in this effort.
Chuck Swartwout believes some of the greatest advances in our collective knowledge will have to come from this kind of cooperative research between religion and science. Someday, he says, much of the traveling we do will be unnecessary because of new forms of instantaneous communication. In the end, Swartwout says he expects to be able to monitor the progress of advances in knowledge “from my personal vantage point in the spiritual world,” which he says has a 99% chance of existing.
When you consider the alternative, those are odds that we all could live with.
February 18, 2016
A Common Sense Approach to an Eternal Question
Chuck Swartwout is a 94 year old wise man who brings to the question, ‘Is there a heaven, an Afterlife?’, one of the most credible analyses of that age-old query. He is a trained electrical engineer (with degrees from Case Institute of Technology and MIT) involved for the better part of his active career in feedback control systems, followed by work for Motorola’s Solid-State Systems Divisions’ “integrated circuits’, and finally Swartwout Production. ‘A creative design engineer has a great advantage in that he knows from practical experience if his concepts are correct.’ And so begins the unfolding of Chuck’s probing analysis as to whether there is a heaven – a life after death – a topic he has never questioned because of his profound Christian faith, but one that confronted him even more strongly with the passing of his wife of 54 years. With that background Chuck pens this little treasure of a book to explore the mysteries of life – and most especially the Afterlife.
One aspect of Chuck’s approach to bringing his well-considered examination of the creation of the world and the our place in the universe and the question of the Afterlife is his very frank and honest presentation of the approaches to learning about the Afterlife – the Strictly Scientific Approach, the Biblical Approach, the Anecdotal Approach (near death experiences and after death communication), and the Analytical Approach. It is this last approach that Chuck embraces and calls this the Common Sense Approach. He frankly states his belief that there is only one Supreme Being, God, or Intelligent Designer, that God is alive today, the we can place no limitations on what God can do, and that there is a communication link in the Spirit World that exists between individual human beings and God, that no human being can be completely objective when it comes to considering his relationship to God, that it would be impossible to create humankind without the existence of a Supreme Being or “Designer’, and that human beings are God’s ultimate creation on this earth, and that they could not be created through a purely random process of evolution.
Chuck’s Christian audience will have no questions about these stances, but it is the ‘scientists’ that will need to read further. Chuck’s fascinating theory is his presenting (in this world of Internet and social media!) God as an infinitely large storehouse of information – a Cosmic Internet. For those who find this controversial, Chuck states, ‘One problem is that all of the information we receive today comes to us at the speed of light, and when you relate this speed to the size of our universe, that speed is incredibly slow. It can take billions of years for us to receive any information form the far reaches of our universe.’ And from this line of thinking Chuck believes that the spirit world is another huge realm of communication that we may somehow be able someday in some way to channel this realm of communication.
It is this kind of common senses approach to the controversial subject of Afterlife that make this one of the more accessible and reliable books yet written about the Very Big Questions. But to grow into Chuck Swartwout’s Common Sense guide, the journey should be a personal one. This little book is a wonderful challenge to think in different ways. It s a gift from a learned gentle man with whom an evening stroll beneath the stars would be a great and illuminating experience and pleasure. Highly Recommended.
Chuck Swartwout is a 94 year old wise man who brings to the question, ‘Is there a heaven, an Afterlife?’, one of the most credible analyses of that age-old query. He is a trained electrical engineer (with degrees from Case Institute of Technology and MIT) involved for the better part of his active career in feedback control systems, followed by work for Motorola’s Solid-State Systems Divisions’ “integrated circuits’, and finally Swartwout Production. ‘A creative design engineer has a great advantage in that he knows from practical experience if his concepts are correct.’ And so begins the unfolding of Chuck’s probing analysis as to whether there is a heaven – a life after death – a topic he has never questioned because of his profound Christian faith, but one that confronted him even more strongly with the passing of his wife of 54 years. With that background Chuck pens this little treasure of a book to explore the mysteries of life – and most especially the Afterlife.
One aspect of Chuck’s approach to bringing his well-considered examination of the creation of the world and the our place in the universe and the question of the Afterlife is his very frank and honest presentation of the approaches to learning about the Afterlife – the Strictly Scientific Approach, the Biblical Approach, the Anecdotal Approach (near death experiences and after death communication), and the Analytical Approach. It is this last approach that Chuck embraces and calls this the Common Sense Approach. He frankly states his belief that there is only one Supreme Being, God, or Intelligent Designer, that God is alive today, the we can place no limitations on what God can do, and that there is a communication link in the Spirit World that exists between individual human beings and God, that no human being can be completely objective when it comes to considering his relationship to God, that it would be impossible to create humankind without the existence of a Supreme Being or “Designer’, and that human beings are God’s ultimate creation on this earth, and that they could not be created through a purely random process of evolution.
Chuck’s Christian audience will have no questions about these stances, but it is the ‘scientists’ that will need to read further. Chuck’s fascinating theory is his presenting (in this world of Internet and social media!) God as an infinitely large storehouse of information – a Cosmic Internet. For those who find this controversial, Chuck states, ‘One problem is that all of the information we receive today comes to us at the speed of light, and when you relate this speed to the size of our universe, that speed is incredibly slow. It can take billions of years for us to receive any information form the far reaches of our universe.’ And from this line of thinking Chuck believes that the spirit world is another huge realm of communication that we may somehow be able someday in some way to channel this realm of communication.
It is this kind of common senses approach to the controversial subject of Afterlife that make this one of the more accessible and reliable books yet written about the Very Big Questions. But to grow into Chuck Swartwout’s Common Sense guide, the journey should be a personal one. This little book is a wonderful challenge to think in different ways. It s a gift from a learned gentle man with whom an evening stroll beneath the stars would be a great and illuminating experience and pleasure. Highly Recommended.
June 16, 2016
***** 5 cranky stars *****
I don't believe that I can do this book justice with my review but I'm sure going to try.
Chuck Swartwout is someone I would love to sit down with a cup of coffee and chat for hours with. In fact this book made me feel more like I was having a conversation than reading a book.
He gives the reader his background, resume and religious beliefs up front so you can see exactly who he is and where his views are coming from.
I've had a lot of loss in my life and am facing my own mortality now, so it took me a while to read this book. Part of me was scared to face loss and another was scared that this author would somehow change my views. I am extremely happy that I read his words. This book made me sit up and pay attention.
There's so much out there that we don't know about the afterlife and spirit world and probably never will. Chuck's common sense approach to this is easy to follow and easy to understand. He's a born storyteller.
I'd love to get into aspects of the book but I believe that I'd do a disservice to the reader. This is a quick and engaging read. To anyone who's experienced loss or has questioned their mortality and the afterlife this is the book for you.
With thanks to Lilac Reviews
http://twistedbookcur.blogspot.ch/201...
April 24, 2019
I have always been fascinated in the idea of an afterlife. To me, it’s not even a question as to whether one exists or not; the questions are about what it looks like, how it exists, and how it interacts with our realm of existence. For Chuck Swartwout, the author of You Don’t Die--You Just Change Channels, these questions are exactly what he wants answered by modern science not just to prove the afterlife but to make our world better.
This quick and fascinating read about the possibility of an afterlife takes readers through what the author calls a “common sense” approach to the subject. A little bit of science and a little bit of faith, Swartwout explains why there must be an afterlife; more than that, he shows how there must be a way in which our realm can speak with individuals in the afterlife, or what Swartwout calls the “Spirit World”. By delving into his own experiences, historical context for spiritual communication, and anecdotal evidence, Swartwout paints a picture of how he has come to this belief and how science can research this subject further and then leaves the conversation open to his readers.
With a conversational tone and a short page number, this book is definitely a quick read. I was personally able to read it in about two sittings. The author does not use scientific concepts or mathematical formulas which are too difficult for the reader to understand, sticking instead to simple language and stories to which readers of all education levels can relate. The personable approach, in which he discusses his own experiences with the subject, make the work quite engaging and fun to read as well.
However, I did have a couple minor issues with the book. The first is that the section on the author’s background takes too long. Given the limited number of pages, dedicating so much just to establishing why the author is credible seems to be a waste to me. This point feeds into my second complaint: I wanted more. I felt that a lot of what I had read, aside from the author’s personal experiences, was something I had read before. Of course, this could be because I have explored this concept more than the average reader. Regardless, I would have liked to see more of what he thinks science can do to explore this topic and how it could be useful to us—a topic which explores in the Appendix but which deserves more attention in the book proper so that readers do not miss it.
Overall, this book is a great, thought-provoking read that is sure to be a conversation starter. In fact, that is what the author wants; he wants readers to start thinking about the idea of the Spirit World and how we can explore it from a scientific angle. He encourages readers to visit his website to discuss the matter with him further, a level of engagement which is not normally expected with any book, even nonfiction, theoretical books like this one. While some readers, such as myself, might find his ideas to be nothing new, others will be glad to see the mixture of science, Christianity, and multiple other religions from all over the world in discussing a topic which is, undeniably, universal.
This quick and fascinating read about the possibility of an afterlife takes readers through what the author calls a “common sense” approach to the subject. A little bit of science and a little bit of faith, Swartwout explains why there must be an afterlife; more than that, he shows how there must be a way in which our realm can speak with individuals in the afterlife, or what Swartwout calls the “Spirit World”. By delving into his own experiences, historical context for spiritual communication, and anecdotal evidence, Swartwout paints a picture of how he has come to this belief and how science can research this subject further and then leaves the conversation open to his readers.
With a conversational tone and a short page number, this book is definitely a quick read. I was personally able to read it in about two sittings. The author does not use scientific concepts or mathematical formulas which are too difficult for the reader to understand, sticking instead to simple language and stories to which readers of all education levels can relate. The personable approach, in which he discusses his own experiences with the subject, make the work quite engaging and fun to read as well.
However, I did have a couple minor issues with the book. The first is that the section on the author’s background takes too long. Given the limited number of pages, dedicating so much just to establishing why the author is credible seems to be a waste to me. This point feeds into my second complaint: I wanted more. I felt that a lot of what I had read, aside from the author’s personal experiences, was something I had read before. Of course, this could be because I have explored this concept more than the average reader. Regardless, I would have liked to see more of what he thinks science can do to explore this topic and how it could be useful to us—a topic which explores in the Appendix but which deserves more attention in the book proper so that readers do not miss it.
Overall, this book is a great, thought-provoking read that is sure to be a conversation starter. In fact, that is what the author wants; he wants readers to start thinking about the idea of the Spirit World and how we can explore it from a scientific angle. He encourages readers to visit his website to discuss the matter with him further, a level of engagement which is not normally expected with any book, even nonfiction, theoretical books like this one. While some readers, such as myself, might find his ideas to be nothing new, others will be glad to see the mixture of science, Christianity, and multiple other religions from all over the world in discussing a topic which is, undeniably, universal.
August 28, 2023
Musing
This is one persons thoughts and ideas about an afterlife. He shares what he has read on the subject, a couple of experiences with a medium, and his ideas about religion.
This is one persons thoughts and ideas about an afterlife. He shares what he has read on the subject, a couple of experiences with a medium, and his ideas about religion.
July 17, 2019
I somewhat enjoyed reading this book, and I know this is silly, but that's because I was anticipating that Mr. Swartwout was going to eventually arrive at something truly insightful, inspiring, or profound. It never happened. This book is essentially one person's ramblings regarding various thoughts that have crossed their mind. Mr. Swartwout writes about "belief", and about "knowing", but doesn't actually build a truly "common sense" case for either, only his "opinions", and he is clearly biased towards believing in the supernatural - I am not. He spends a lot of time going over his background as an engineer, as a film producer, and as someone who has dabbled in the occult, all while claiming to be a Christian (which I don't doubt at all). He mentions many things that I'm sure most of us have pondered, but none of this helps one arrive at a "common sense" understanding of an afterlife, and why one should believe in it, which I believe was his goal.
I like his writing, and I've known a few older people whom he minded me of so much that I could practically hear their voices as I read the book. If there is anything "common sense" about what Mr. Swartwout writes about, it's that millions, and possibly billions, of humans throughout human existence have thought about, and in many cases, believed to be the next phase of existence after physical earthly death. I have my own thoughts.
I think it's important that he acknowledges that there are two broad camps regarding religion: One group that interprets the (their) Bible literally, and other groups that don't. While not a "religious" person, I've observed that those who don't take a fundamentalist, literal translation of the Bible also do not necessarily see conflict between spirituality and science. Mr. Swartwout laments that there should be more collaboration between religion and science, but that's because he himself comes from a more fundamentalist Christian background, which tends to see everything as simple black and white. The fact of the matter is that older Christians religions, including the Catholic Church, are leaders in the various scientific fields, including the search for the origins of life, and even extraterrestrial life. So whereas literal fundamentalist Christians effectively believe that everything is known and understood in simple black and white, other Christian religions who are not literal fundamentalist, include as a basic tenet of their faith that mysteries must exist (i.e., not all things can be known - consider that even Jesus said that only the Father knows when the end will come). Funny thing, theoretical physicist also subscribe to the idea that mysteries must exist, because it's impossible to know certain things - that is the nature of our vast universe).
My point is that Mr. Swartwout has a fairly narrow foundation from which to pursue the answers to his deepest questions. I am not faulting him personally in any way, just adding to the discussion, and hopefully providing additional inspiration to pursue other avenues. I'm a little disappointed that he is only pondering the easiest, most obvious, avenues. If you derive your "common sense" from the most common set of beliefs, then you will likely miss the deeper paths towards arriving at the point of "knowing", as opposed to merely "believing".
As a former engineer myself, I like the characterization of continuing to exist after physical death, but on a different "channel". It makes sense, which is why he thought of the transition of death this way. He provides examples so that non-technical people can understand (air, electromagnetic, etc), including more esoteric concepts of how known physics might fail to address all possibilities (e.g., particle entanglement as a way to communicate beyond the speed of light).
Mr. Swartwout invites his readers to join him in further discussion about the various topics which he writes about, humbly asking for their insights. I can see myself involved in some lively and hopefully interesting discussions about these things. I'm glad I read this book!
I like his writing, and I've known a few older people whom he minded me of so much that I could practically hear their voices as I read the book. If there is anything "common sense" about what Mr. Swartwout writes about, it's that millions, and possibly billions, of humans throughout human existence have thought about, and in many cases, believed to be the next phase of existence after physical earthly death. I have my own thoughts.
I think it's important that he acknowledges that there are two broad camps regarding religion: One group that interprets the (their) Bible literally, and other groups that don't. While not a "religious" person, I've observed that those who don't take a fundamentalist, literal translation of the Bible also do not necessarily see conflict between spirituality and science. Mr. Swartwout laments that there should be more collaboration between religion and science, but that's because he himself comes from a more fundamentalist Christian background, which tends to see everything as simple black and white. The fact of the matter is that older Christians religions, including the Catholic Church, are leaders in the various scientific fields, including the search for the origins of life, and even extraterrestrial life. So whereas literal fundamentalist Christians effectively believe that everything is known and understood in simple black and white, other Christian religions who are not literal fundamentalist, include as a basic tenet of their faith that mysteries must exist (i.e., not all things can be known - consider that even Jesus said that only the Father knows when the end will come). Funny thing, theoretical physicist also subscribe to the idea that mysteries must exist, because it's impossible to know certain things - that is the nature of our vast universe).
My point is that Mr. Swartwout has a fairly narrow foundation from which to pursue the answers to his deepest questions. I am not faulting him personally in any way, just adding to the discussion, and hopefully providing additional inspiration to pursue other avenues. I'm a little disappointed that he is only pondering the easiest, most obvious, avenues. If you derive your "common sense" from the most common set of beliefs, then you will likely miss the deeper paths towards arriving at the point of "knowing", as opposed to merely "believing".
As a former engineer myself, I like the characterization of continuing to exist after physical death, but on a different "channel". It makes sense, which is why he thought of the transition of death this way. He provides examples so that non-technical people can understand (air, electromagnetic, etc), including more esoteric concepts of how known physics might fail to address all possibilities (e.g., particle entanglement as a way to communicate beyond the speed of light).
Mr. Swartwout invites his readers to join him in further discussion about the various topics which he writes about, humbly asking for their insights. I can see myself involved in some lively and hopefully interesting discussions about these things. I'm glad I read this book!
February 20, 2016
I just loved this book, it is written in such a friendly chatty manner that it draws you in straight away. When I read in the introduction this 94 years young author saying “When I tell you that I am 94 years old, you may think that I’m either nuts or a dreamer to think that I can accomplish all that at an age where some people don’t want to commit themselves to buying green bananas.” I just knew it was going to be interesting.
Like most people, as a young person, Chuck Swartwout never considered growing old, however, years later after the loss of his much loved wife of 54 years, Gretchen, he found himself re-evaluating his life, questioning if his good luck at various times, was luck and not something else, and this fuelled his fascination in the afterlife. Thus began his quest for knowledge.
He has had an incredibly interesting life and career, and because of this, and his fascination in so many different things, the world we live in, the spirit world, religion, space, and everything in between, he decided to write this book. However, this is no ordinary book, the author doesn’t tell you what to do, how to think, and what is right. No, this is a ‘feedback book’ written to provide you with information, varied and unbiased, on space, the universe, the spirit world, mediums, religion, near death experiences, after death communication, the future, God, and so much more. Chuck Swartwout wants to hear from you when you have read it, he cares what you think. He wants to hear your thoughts on the subjects he has brought up. He personally believes there is an afterlife, but he wants to hear what you think about the subject. Why, because he plans to write at least one more book and wants more information, this man has a real thirst for knowledge, one I have never seen paralleled.
I am interested in near death experiences, after death communication and the spirit world, and my husband has a deep love of science and space, all through this book, I found myself reading passages out to him, I couldn’t help myself.
Chuck Swartwout strongly believes that we must end all wars and that communication is the key. Included in the books is a lovely letter from one of his granddaughters who is in the Peace Corp in Peru, in which she clearly illustrates how the differences portrayed in the various parts of the world, be it everyday tasks, or pleasures, such as dancing, are not different, they are just other way of doing the same thing. Communication is key, whether in this world or the next.
The author believes that this is so important that not only does he want to write more books, he is also looking for billionaire sponsors for a new project he is proposing. This project is about communication with the spirit world, and has the tentative name Spirit Lab. You can read more in Appendix 1.
The front cover picture is a copy of an original watercolour by his beloved wife of 54 years Gretchen, whom he firmly believes he will be reunited with in the future. Reading this book has opened my eyes to many things and taught me so much, I hope his belief that they will be reunited is true and look forward to reading the sequel.
Like most people, as a young person, Chuck Swartwout never considered growing old, however, years later after the loss of his much loved wife of 54 years, Gretchen, he found himself re-evaluating his life, questioning if his good luck at various times, was luck and not something else, and this fuelled his fascination in the afterlife. Thus began his quest for knowledge.
He has had an incredibly interesting life and career, and because of this, and his fascination in so many different things, the world we live in, the spirit world, religion, space, and everything in between, he decided to write this book. However, this is no ordinary book, the author doesn’t tell you what to do, how to think, and what is right. No, this is a ‘feedback book’ written to provide you with information, varied and unbiased, on space, the universe, the spirit world, mediums, religion, near death experiences, after death communication, the future, God, and so much more. Chuck Swartwout wants to hear from you when you have read it, he cares what you think. He wants to hear your thoughts on the subjects he has brought up. He personally believes there is an afterlife, but he wants to hear what you think about the subject. Why, because he plans to write at least one more book and wants more information, this man has a real thirst for knowledge, one I have never seen paralleled.
I am interested in near death experiences, after death communication and the spirit world, and my husband has a deep love of science and space, all through this book, I found myself reading passages out to him, I couldn’t help myself.
Chuck Swartwout strongly believes that we must end all wars and that communication is the key. Included in the books is a lovely letter from one of his granddaughters who is in the Peace Corp in Peru, in which she clearly illustrates how the differences portrayed in the various parts of the world, be it everyday tasks, or pleasures, such as dancing, are not different, they are just other way of doing the same thing. Communication is key, whether in this world or the next.
The author believes that this is so important that not only does he want to write more books, he is also looking for billionaire sponsors for a new project he is proposing. This project is about communication with the spirit world, and has the tentative name Spirit Lab. You can read more in Appendix 1.
The front cover picture is a copy of an original watercolour by his beloved wife of 54 years Gretchen, whom he firmly believes he will be reunited with in the future. Reading this book has opened my eyes to many things and taught me so much, I hope his belief that they will be reunited is true and look forward to reading the sequel.
March 5, 2016
Swartwout, Chuck. “You Don’t Die – You Just Change Channels”, CreateSpace, 2016.
After Life There is Afterlife
Amos Lassen
It took the death of his wife of fifty-four years for Chuck Swartwout to decide there had to be more to life than merely the time spent on earth. It took him a while to take a long look at the afterlife that he believes we will all partake of after death. Hence the title of this book. He gives us a description of a sensible way to prove that the afterlife actually exists. This is a common sense guide to understanding God and eternity. Gretchen Swartwout died in 2006 and it was that death that gave motivation to her husband to bring his professional knowledge and background and his Christian faith together.
Most of us are aware that scientists speak theoretically and in ideas that are based upon “carefully-considered interpretations of observable facts’. As these facts build up, scientists modify the theories or propose new ones. Author Swartwout discusses God, eternity, heaven and the afterlife and he does so in language that is easy to understand and his approach is common sensible instead of the theoretical approaches, theological approaches and doctrinal approaches.
All of us have, at some time, thought about whether there is a heaven and/or an afterlife. Swartwout looks at the various ways that people have attempted to answer that—- the Strictly Scientific Approach, the Biblical Approach, the Anecdotal Approach and the Analytical Approach. Swartwout regards the analytical approach as the one of common sense. He believes that there is a Supreme Being or whatever terminology one wishes to use and shows that there is no objectivity when dealing with God and further states that without this supreme power there would be no human beings. In saying this, he discredits evolution or any other process. Here we see God as “an infinitely large storehouse of information – a Cosmic Internet”. “One problem is that all of the information we receive today comes to us at the speed of light, and when you relate this speed to the size of our universe, that speed is incredibly slow. It can take billions of years for us to receive any information form the far reaches of our universe.” He adds that the spirit world is “another huge realm of communication that we may somehow be able someday in some way to channel this realm of communication”. Here we are challenged to think about what we know about God and the afterlife differently.
Swartwout relies on his experience solving creative problems as well as his later experience as a motion picture producer to reach his conclusions. It is only natural to doubt what he has to say but it is important to remember that just because something is not visible to us does not mean that it does not exist. What we are able to see is only a tenth of the universe— we only have a limited range of the electromagnetic spectrum. I am sure that I believe
Swartwout’s logic but he has caused me to open my mind and think more about his ideas. He invites us to challenge him and even shows us how to do so in his appendix.
After Life There is Afterlife
Amos Lassen
It took the death of his wife of fifty-four years for Chuck Swartwout to decide there had to be more to life than merely the time spent on earth. It took him a while to take a long look at the afterlife that he believes we will all partake of after death. Hence the title of this book. He gives us a description of a sensible way to prove that the afterlife actually exists. This is a common sense guide to understanding God and eternity. Gretchen Swartwout died in 2006 and it was that death that gave motivation to her husband to bring his professional knowledge and background and his Christian faith together.
Most of us are aware that scientists speak theoretically and in ideas that are based upon “carefully-considered interpretations of observable facts’. As these facts build up, scientists modify the theories or propose new ones. Author Swartwout discusses God, eternity, heaven and the afterlife and he does so in language that is easy to understand and his approach is common sensible instead of the theoretical approaches, theological approaches and doctrinal approaches.
All of us have, at some time, thought about whether there is a heaven and/or an afterlife. Swartwout looks at the various ways that people have attempted to answer that—- the Strictly Scientific Approach, the Biblical Approach, the Anecdotal Approach and the Analytical Approach. Swartwout regards the analytical approach as the one of common sense. He believes that there is a Supreme Being or whatever terminology one wishes to use and shows that there is no objectivity when dealing with God and further states that without this supreme power there would be no human beings. In saying this, he discredits evolution or any other process. Here we see God as “an infinitely large storehouse of information – a Cosmic Internet”. “One problem is that all of the information we receive today comes to us at the speed of light, and when you relate this speed to the size of our universe, that speed is incredibly slow. It can take billions of years for us to receive any information form the far reaches of our universe.” He adds that the spirit world is “another huge realm of communication that we may somehow be able someday in some way to channel this realm of communication”. Here we are challenged to think about what we know about God and the afterlife differently.
Swartwout relies on his experience solving creative problems as well as his later experience as a motion picture producer to reach his conclusions. It is only natural to doubt what he has to say but it is important to remember that just because something is not visible to us does not mean that it does not exist. What we are able to see is only a tenth of the universe— we only have a limited range of the electromagnetic spectrum. I am sure that I believe
Swartwout’s logic but he has caused me to open my mind and think more about his ideas. He invites us to challenge him and even shows us how to do so in his appendix.
May 1, 2019
An Engineer’s Analysis of the Afterlife
Full disclosure – I worked on this book as one of the early editors. Nevertheless, I’m interested in the topic, so I purchased it, sat back, and read it as a “civilian.”
Engineers measure things. They examine facts. They find practical applications for physical phenomena. They deal in concrete reality. So, what happens when an MIT-educated engineer trains his critical thinking on the age-old question of the afterlife?
“You Don’t Die – You Just Change Channels! A common-sense guide to God our Creator and Eternity in Heaven” answers that question. Retired electrical engineer Chuck Swartwout focuses a professional lifetime of analytical skill on what happens to us after we die. Profoundly affected by the loss of his wife after his wife of 54 years, the author decided that there must be more to life than what happens here on Earth.
He spent the ensuing years conducting research to find proof that heaven exists, and took in in-depth analytical look at the idea of an afterlife. He conducts thought experiments on some of the weightiest questions of religious philosophy. Swartwout considers communication with the spirit world, and how that sort of communication could be practically applied to interplanetary, or even interstellar, space travel. In an appendix to the book, Swartwout even proposes the creation of a blue-ribbon “Spirit Lab,” bringing together great minds from around the world to further explore the issue.
This charming little book is profoundly entertaining, and a rich source of food for thought. “You Don’t Die, You Just Change Channels” is a thoroughly fun and thought-provoking read.
Full disclosure – I worked on this book as one of the early editors. Nevertheless, I’m interested in the topic, so I purchased it, sat back, and read it as a “civilian.”
Engineers measure things. They examine facts. They find practical applications for physical phenomena. They deal in concrete reality. So, what happens when an MIT-educated engineer trains his critical thinking on the age-old question of the afterlife?
“You Don’t Die – You Just Change Channels! A common-sense guide to God our Creator and Eternity in Heaven” answers that question. Retired electrical engineer Chuck Swartwout focuses a professional lifetime of analytical skill on what happens to us after we die. Profoundly affected by the loss of his wife after his wife of 54 years, the author decided that there must be more to life than what happens here on Earth.
He spent the ensuing years conducting research to find proof that heaven exists, and took in in-depth analytical look at the idea of an afterlife. He conducts thought experiments on some of the weightiest questions of religious philosophy. Swartwout considers communication with the spirit world, and how that sort of communication could be practically applied to interplanetary, or even interstellar, space travel. In an appendix to the book, Swartwout even proposes the creation of a blue-ribbon “Spirit Lab,” bringing together great minds from around the world to further explore the issue.
This charming little book is profoundly entertaining, and a rich source of food for thought. “You Don’t Die, You Just Change Channels” is a thoroughly fun and thought-provoking read.
February 29, 2016
A Refreshing Approach to an Age Old Question – Does the Afterlife Exist?
Drawing on decades of work as a brilliant engineer and creative problem solver, Chuck Swartwout walks us through his personal search for what we all want – one last conversation with a departed loved one.
After his wife of 54 years died suddenly, Swartwout, a strong Christian, believed his wife was in Heaven. But what he wanted more than anything was to talk to her again from this earth. Swartwout used his training as an engineer to piece together a path through which to reconnect with Gretchen. In a non-threatening way that makes this book readable to believers and non-believers alike, he uses scientific, Biblical and common sense approaches to map out a path that leads to the logical conclusion that the afterlife does indeed exist.
In Swartwout’s 94 years on this planet, he has obtained degrees from MIT and Case Institute of Technology, produced the world’s longest-running commercial (for which he holds a place in the Guinness Book of World Records) and worked with celebrities such as Jimmy Stewart and Dick Van Dyke. His book is written in a friendly, conversational tone that leaves you wanting to sit down with him over dinner and find out what else he has to say.
You Don’t Die - You Just Change Channels is one of the most fascinating books I’ve read in awhile, and it made me laugh, cry, and learn all in one sitting. I’d recommend it to anyone questioning an afterlife, wishing to reconnect with a deceased loved one, or just wanting a witty and intelligent read.
Drawing on decades of work as a brilliant engineer and creative problem solver, Chuck Swartwout walks us through his personal search for what we all want – one last conversation with a departed loved one.
After his wife of 54 years died suddenly, Swartwout, a strong Christian, believed his wife was in Heaven. But what he wanted more than anything was to talk to her again from this earth. Swartwout used his training as an engineer to piece together a path through which to reconnect with Gretchen. In a non-threatening way that makes this book readable to believers and non-believers alike, he uses scientific, Biblical and common sense approaches to map out a path that leads to the logical conclusion that the afterlife does indeed exist.
In Swartwout’s 94 years on this planet, he has obtained degrees from MIT and Case Institute of Technology, produced the world’s longest-running commercial (for which he holds a place in the Guinness Book of World Records) and worked with celebrities such as Jimmy Stewart and Dick Van Dyke. His book is written in a friendly, conversational tone that leaves you wanting to sit down with him over dinner and find out what else he has to say.
You Don’t Die - You Just Change Channels is one of the most fascinating books I’ve read in awhile, and it made me laugh, cry, and learn all in one sitting. I’d recommend it to anyone questioning an afterlife, wishing to reconnect with a deceased loved one, or just wanting a witty and intelligent read.
May 3, 2019
Interesting read
This book is about what happens when you die. Is there a Heaven? Also, can you contact loved ones, by a Medium. This author did, after some trial and error.
This book is about what happens when you die. Is there a Heaven? Also, can you contact loved ones, by a Medium. This author did, after some trial and error.
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