Answer: All indications are that distance and time have different meanings in the greater reality, but using our "yardsticks" the greater reality is much larger than anything we consider physical. In this view, EVP is a relatively local phenomena, and the messages are mostly concerned with the relationship between people who have recently transitioned (probably less than 200 years but mostly less than 50 years) . We do get such comments about the other side as "Just like living, only better." When asked what happens to us when we die, we have recorded in the 4Cell EVP Demonstration, "Review our lives."

Most religions include as an article of faith that there is a greater reality (Heaven) and that there is at least on entity in the greater reality that functions as a creator entity. With EVP, we think we can prove that:

• There is a greater reality.

• We are an etheric Self in a symbiotic relationship with a physical body. (Here, "etheric" is all things not physical) This essentially supports the dual nature of a person, as opposed to the argument that consciousness has a biological origin. Therefore, if parapsychology is based on psychology, it cannot support the survival hypothesis. (In fact, I know a number of qualified, openminded parapsychologists, holding a Doctorate in their field, who are working very hard to determine if we do survive, and if we do, how to study the evidence.)

• Self, and the information/intelligence associated with it such as memory and knowledge, is a "living" thing and is local to the point of view of the Self. As such, theories, including superpsi and quantum-holographics, that depend on "nonlocality" of information are not supported by the evidence we see from ITC.

• When the physical body is no longer functional, the attention of Self is free to be fully on another aspect of reality. In fact, the Self is no longer able to function in the physical.

• It is possible to cause etheric to physical influence, but this influence is dependent on a form of energy that bridges the physical to the etheric. We refer to this as "auric" energy or the energy emanated by "living" organisms in the physical.

• We who are in the flesh are the source of energy required to cause etheric to physical influences--always. We are able to do this by virtual of our etheric Self / physical body entanglement. In effect, our physical body enables us to cause etheric to physical influences. Our etheric communicators do not have such a body.

• When we turn our attention to someone else, we link to them mind-to-mind via the etheric aspect of ourselves.

• We are pretty sure that etheric to physical influences are enabled by way of the etheric mind-to-mind relay of information, and then the etheric to physical transformation of that energy into the physical under the guidance of the communicating entity.

• After our transition into the etheric, we experience only an aspect of the greater reality and that experience is colored by our expectations and worldview. We encounter people on the other side who are unaware of other aspect (in some cases, other heavens).

• Transition is a multi-phase process. We remain energetically "near" the physical for a time and then pass through some threshold that is properly described as "going to the light."

• People will sometimes not finish their transition and remain close to the physical. This is referred to as being earthbound" and is considered a malfunction of the process. Some are held by the grief of those left in the physical, some fear to go on because they will be judged and punished. Some just do not want to miss out on earthly pleasures. And yes, some are unaware that they are "dead."

• It is possible to "return" to near the physical from the other side to visit with loved ones still in the physical.

• People who were existing in a badly damaged body might have to experience a "getting well" period, in which they learn that they are not so confined. In the same way, people take on the body they are most comfortable with--probably out of habit--but will come to us in the  form we remember as a form of communication.

• At some point in people's spiritual evolution, they might energetically move out of reach for communication via EVP and sometimes even mediumship.

• Our animals have very similar experience.

• We experience a life review at the time of our transition and before we "go to the light." The review is from the perspective of those with whom we interfaced. That is how we are judged--we judge ourselves--and the only punishment we experience is our regret and subsequent efforts to lean how it would have been better to act. Thus, we are pretty sure that we continue to have experiences that are designed by us to help us understand the operation of Natural Law.

• It is clear that there is an ever present energy that manifests as different aspects of the fundamental energy, and that it behaves according to a uniform set of "rules." We know these rules as Principles of Natural Law, and spiritual maturity is a function of how well we learn to understand these rules and how to behave accordingly. Our understanding, or lack thereof, is the sum total of Karma.

Okay, there is more, but I will stop there. Just about all of the above can be at least pointed to by the way EVP/ITC works and what we record. Now, some of this proves religious tenets but some also point to the need for religions to change the way they advise their congregation. For instance, I teach that we need to be very careful of whose heaven we buy into. This care is taken by knowing what we allow in our worldview. That is why I say, "Believe what you will, but know what you believe."

A good example is that the idea that it is a sin to commit suicide is one of the causes for earthbound people. In our study, suicide is a waist, and really not useful, but it is only a local sin that is not supported in reality. In fact, probably the only sin is to impose your will on others. I suspect that thinking it is okay to force your will on others can really mess with your ability to work with the energy required to have experiences. We all have self-determination, but our worldview determines how well we are able to express our view of reality.

So to sum my answer, what we are learning through EVP does not contradict religion in most areas. If you are able to stand back and separate what in a religion is metaphysics and what is social engineering, we think the metaphysics are usually supported by evidence. Social engineering is that one sin I was talking about.

We do not have information supporting a father God--or disproving one. We do think we can prove Infinite Intelligence as an intelligent energy, but there is probably a reason why people intuitively accept the existence of a Divine "person" who cares about what is going on here. We also think we can argue that there is some form of a hierarchy of entities, although we only see the local tiers. What religions refer to as a father God, is more likely a local creator entity. We personally think that Jesus was an important wayshower, but I am not aware of any real information about his status from EVP.

Hell is apparently a local custom that is used these days to scare people, but probably originated as an attempt to explain an impersonal nature. There is no evil, only improper understanding. As far as I can tell, people try to do the very best they are able to do, and evil is in the eye of those who think people do not live up to their expectation. As such, the best way to avoid experiencing "evil" is to not be attached to the outcome of processes in your life.

Probably the religion that is most in accord with what we are learning is Spiritualism. See http://nsacphenomena.com

Question: Is it possible that these entities are speaking from a "heaven" or "hell" type of place?

Answer: As I said above, we tend to carry familiar things with us. We create our reality here and over there, but imagination is apparently more quickly realized in the etheric, so if we are fearful, we will tend to have fearful experiences wherever we are until we learn to understand the principles involved. We apparently have essentially forever to do this. We do have EVP suggesting that people are in distress, but the evidence argues that their distress is a local, self-imposed experience that seems like hell. This takes us back to religious training and the outcome of social engineering.

Question: Is it logical to say that people who study EVP are generally "agnostic" or do not have a preferred faith?

Answer: EVP is not about religion and we are very careful to keep it that way. As you can see, I have developed a system of thought, but it is more a guide for how I live, rather than a religion or article of faith. We do not ask much about people's religion, but we are also very careful not to let members bring their religious beliefs into the mix in anything more than an "I believe" way. This is at least partially because we are an International organization and many religious views are represented amongst our members.

I think that, for the most part, our members are more inclined to be Spiritualist, than any other religion. Of course, many times, they are something like a Catholic or a Jewish person who is at heart, a Spiritualist. Part of that is that Spiritualism is more a gathering lf like-minded people than it is a religion.

One of the things that is important to keep in mind when looking to "experts" to address these questions is that, as I have previously suggested, some scientists are constrained from believing in survival by their training. In most cases, a person, holding a doctorate in a technical discipline, is studying these things from the perspective of human potential, rather than the possibility that there may be an etheric Self in a greater reality.

It is for these reasons that we now think of our field of study as "etheric studies."

Tom Butler