Chapter 2 addresses man’s ill-motivated interest in heaven, angels, and the afterlife. Much of this interest flows from gullible superstition, Gnosticism, occultism, or New Age philosophies. The author examines popular claims to near-death experiences, including Todd Burpo’s claims to being a visitor to heaven.

What is heaven and what might it be like? Heaven is often associated with the life hereafter. In chapter 1 of this book, the author attempts to explain why every major religion and every significant culture in human history has had some notion of heaven or “paradise.” Different names are used: nirvana, Elysium, Valhalla, Utopia, Shangri-La, etc.