Sources of Influence

There are many people, resources, books, music and media that have been an influence on Ryan, and the topics he chooses to write about in the books:

Influential Books:

The first book I read on the subject of Near Death Experiences was Life after Life, written by Raymond Moody in 1975. In the book he relates that 1 out of 3 people that have their life resuscitated from a point close to or beyond mortal death relate conscious experiences while in that state. What initially impressed me the most was that Moody just relates the stories and the phenomenon, but doesn't try to use these experiences to prove the existence of the soul. He stays very objective. The most powerful, and first NDE story he encountered was that of private George Ritchie. His story had Moody go on to investigate more than 150 other NDE cases in his book.

Ritchie's NDE story begins as he stands up from his bed in an army hospital ward after having a 103 degree temperature for a long period. He walks into the hallway and notices a medic pushing a cart doesn't notice him, and somehow keeps coming toward him and through him without hitting him. He travels across the country to a destination where he would become an army doctor, stops at one point and realizes he is suspended in the air.

He stops and sees people entering a café, and tries to touch the shoulder of a man walking in. His hand falls right through it, as if there was nothing there. He soon realizes that he has lost the solid part of himself, “the solidness that other people saw and responded to”. He gets himself back to the ward and searches room by room to find the one where his body must still be. And when he finally identifies himself, and his body by a ring on his hand, he notices incredible light start encompassing the room..

He recounts: "I stared in astonishment as the brightness increased coming from nowhere, and seeming to shine everywhere at once. All the light bulbs in the ward couldn’t give off that much light. All the bulbs in the world couldn’t.” He has the thought “I’m glad I don’t have physical eyes at this moment.. This light would destroy the retina in a second.” “No I corrected myself, not the light. He. He would be too bright too look at. For now I saw it was not light but a Man who had entered the room.. The instant I perceived Him, a command formed itself in my mind. “Stand up! The words came inside me, yet they had an authority my mere thoughts never had. I got to my feet, and as I did came the stupendous certainty: “You are in the presence of the Son of God.”

Reading this passage has made me cry every time I have read those final words, as I can feel powerfully that this story is different, and this story is true. As they are personal accounts, there may be odd NDEs where people teach or relate things that are different than scriptural understanding. And there must of course be caution in exploring NDE material. But Ritchie’s story and experiences with Christ that begin from this point only give information that is helpful and confirming of religious and scriptural understanding. Alongside the Books I have written and shared here, I feel great purpose in supporting and standing behind Ritchie’s story.

Ritchie's book, Return from Tomorrow has been my favorite book for over 20 years. Alongside scriptures, it has helped me feel more reverence and closeness to Jesus Christ when I first read it in my second year at college, and it does every time I read it. I have seen it help myself and others with faith challenges, and for me, it so powerfully taught the lesson of the things that are truly important in this life that after reading it I wanted to take a giant committed step to living a more loving and spiritual life, and decided to serve a religious and spiritual mission. I have shared the book with my daughter, my wife, and many other people. For me, part of supporting evidence and testimonies of God, as part of our Publishing company mission, is supporting this book.

Return from Tomorrow:
Private George Ritchie's account- where he experienced death and returned with detailed accounts of the afterlife, including a trip through areas of the spirit world, encounters with spiritual beings and a transformative meeting with Jesus Christ.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Return+from+tomorr&crid=1TEG1S5M9PX4N&sprefix=return+from+tomorr%2Caps%2C209&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals- Immanuel Kant

This book and Kant's Critique of Pure Reason were very influential to Ryan's analytical style and approach. They also help support foundational concepts such as the limits of reason for addressing the ultimate causes of creation and the universe.

Religious and Spiritual Influence- From Ryan:

Something about me is that I belong to a Christian church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints- that believes that existence can be an eternal progression in a positive direction. I have often noticed in living my life, that after having made a mistake that I’ve learned from, and possibly grown from, things feel more perfect and more on track than if I had never made the mistake (and had and all the experiences of learning and growing from it afterward).. that often I am stronger, more resilient, and have more wisdom than if I had never made the mistake (or that God can help make our lives more perfect, after a mistake or imperfection).

In our church, we believe this is true with the Biblical story of Adam and Eve, that their fall, from an innocent state into this dualistic realm (where we entered into experience through sets of contrasting complements- such as hot and cold, wet and dry, health and sickness, pleasure and pain, and joy and misery), allowed the possibility of spiritual progression and growing more like our Heavenly Father. Our church has the belief that all people are children of God, and that our Heavenly Father had a plan for the happiness and progression of souls. Part of that plan was the design of mortality to be a place where we would start as imperfect beings, and grow and progress through making mistakes; and through the atoning sacrifice and grace of Jesus Christ we would have the opportunity to repent and become better, to have the possibility of mercy opened for us. We would have the opportunity to be forgiven for injury we cause to other souls during this life- rather than straight consequences for negative actions we are accountable for- and to grow more and more into the likeness of our Savior and Heavenly Parents.

The scripture often cited that I really like from one of our scriptures- in comparable length and purpose to the Bible, and that we read alongside it- the Book of Mormon- is that “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.” (2 Nephi 2:25)

Some favorite (influential) talks:

1. Jesus Christ and Your New Beginning- Elder Patrick Kearon: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2025/10/31kearon?lang=eng

2. Our Earthly Stewardship- Elder Gérald Caussé: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2022/10/31causse?lang=eng

3. Divine Love in the Father's Plan- President Dallin H. Oaks: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2022/04/51oaks?lang=eng

4. A Higher Joy- Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/04/35uchtdorf?lang=eng

5. We Each Have a Story- Elder Gerrit W. Gong: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2022/04/26gong?lang=eng

6. I Love to See the Temple- President Henry B. Eyring: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/04/17eyring?lang=eng

Influential Media:

1. It's a Wonderful Life

Clip- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnV8Q6a41fI

2. The Ten Commandments-

Clip- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUm6rC0o7Po