Dear Genr'l Sir, without having read the book, it can be gleaned from the excerpts and videos that most of young Coltan's exposure to his families faith was of the children-friendly bible stories variety.
Jesus is indeed cartoonic in some, and most of the stories are sweet and simple, with a message that God and Jesus loves YOU.
I know quite a few households that aren't deeply religious, that include a few such books in their child's library. Seems to me a big favorite is the story of Noah and the Ark. Kids love animals, and the whole inventory of the critters coming onboard is usually the biggest highlight of the storybook (Not the tension, not the starvation, not the first fruitless search of the crow and certainly not the seduction afterwards of Noah by his daughters, Ha!) No, those things are taught later at a more advanced age.
In Coltan's case, his father who says he did not teach his son about the Crucifixion, was surprised to hear his son repeatedly refer to Jesus' 'marks'. At first, he (the father) didn't understand what his son meant, so then asked his son, "Where were Jesus' marks?" Now, his boy was not taught the word for 'stigmata', nor do any of the bible story books for kids show Jesus with any (see: example above). Yet, in answer to the question, 4-year-old Coltan touched his palms and feet, and explained that's where he saw marks.
Excerpt (go to page 65)
Now, if
there is such a powerful indoctrination going on in the Burpo household, what with the Father apparently stamping scripture into his oldest son; then the daughter and especially the youngest son, you would expect to be entranced zombie automatons, or spittle-spewing, evangelical prophets, trying to out do their brother.
However, that is not the case, little brother Colby who should have gotten a double dose of dogma daily (if that's what was going on); is the same age today as Coltan was when he had his NDE. Colby isn't having any visions, nor speaks in any tongues. In fact, Dad says he is more interested in Chuck-E-Cheese, that Jeez.
