PLACEBO
by Howard Pittman
On August 3, 1979, Howard Pittman, a Baptist minister for 35 years, died while on the operating table during surgery and had a neardeath experience. After angels showed him the second and third heavens, he was taken before the very throne of God where he was given a message to share with the world.
The following is an excerpt from his booklet, Placebo, which documents his amazing near-death experience. You can purchase his audio tapes and booklets at the Lake Hamilton Bible Camp store.
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Forward
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Webster's Dictionary defines "placebo" as "a medication prescribed more for the mental relief of a patient than for the actual effect on his disorder, or something tending to soothe."
The doctors tell us that if we know we are being treated with a placebo, it does not work. In our minds we must think that it is a real medication and has the strength or power to heal. If the patientbelieves this, then the treatment has been known to work wonders in many cases that otherwise could not have been treated. Placebo
treatment is, in fact, nothing of substance, but in the mind of the patient it is real. In order for this kind of treatment to work, the doctor must convince the patient of the work of the medication.
My friend, I declare unto you that this is the exact "treatment" that most "mouth-professing" Christians are using today. The doctor administering this "medication" is Satan himself. He gives the "patent" a sugar-coated religion, a shallow experience, and whispers half-truths into his ears. He then tells the "patient" that it is real and that it is all the "patent" needs. The "patent", having been taken in by Satan, believes this and goes on his merry way declaring to all that he has been born again, his salvation is real, and this experience is all that he needs. Doctor Satan will allow his "patient" to continue to go to church and will allow him to take part in any church, that is,
singing, leading in prayer, teaching Sunday School, and even preaching. He will allow the "patient" to make any kind of statement in connection with his "mouth-professing" religion, even to the point of the saving power of Jesus. Yes, he will allow the "patient" to do all and say all with one exception. That exception is that the "patient" will not be allowed to live the life that he confesses with his mouth ...
Chapter 5: Preparation
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In the year 1978, I retired from the New Orleans Police Department and moved my family to a sixty-one acre farm I Mississippi. Around August 7, 1979 I was suddenly stuck with a grave and disastrous illness. The night before the tragedy I went to bed as usual ...On awakening that morning I was slightly nauseated and skipped breakfast. My wife asked me if was not going to eat. I replied that I had to hurry to keep my appointment with some folks who I hoped would support my candidacy for sheriff with campaign contributions. I was unaware that God had also made an appointment for me that day. Let me remind you that the Bible says that it is appointed once unto man to die and, without warning, my appointment came. Like a flash of lightning, the main trunk artery in my body cavity ruptured causing a devastating, sudden, blood loss ...So at midnight they carried me into ICU and at 6:00 a.m. the following morning, my vital life signs failed again. The chief physician came out of ICU and told my wife, "It is something else." They took me into surgery where they worked on me for an additional seven hours ...
[For the sake of brevity, a large amount of Pittman's description of his Emergency Room experience is not reprinted here. Read his book for the full description.]
