Religion

If that is how you want to define the experience. But it is still an unknown, because the mind will make up an explanation. It is unclear what an exalted or altered state actually is and although it might be euphoric at the time, it could also be caused by something physiological.

Then organizations go about making up all kinds of philosophies and rules around these experiences, which might be something completely natural.
 
QuickSilver said:
How can you be certain that that is what you experienced? I mean CERTAIN... and not just conjecture?

Another person may have the same experience and come to a different conclusion.
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Of course. I myself could have come to a different conclusion and dismissed the experience using reason and pop psychology.
At times like this the modern, rational person comes to a fork in the road.

The mind points one way but something deeper down inside is calling you to take the other road, as Scott Beck puts it, "the road less travelled". Once this road is taken the mind opens to new and surprising perceptions of reality. Like dark matter and dark energy, there is an unseen presence that pervades the universe. It goes by many different names. God is one appellation, love is another. Both exist within us and about us.

Scientists try to explain both using what we know about brain chemistry. I don't really care about the rational attempts to explain God/faith and love. I have experienced both and am grateful. My life is richer because of the experience.
 
All I can say to this is..........THANK YOU and two BIG :thumbsup1:

Dame Warrigal said:
Of course. I myself could have come to a different conclusion and dismissed the experience using reason and pop psychology.
At times like this the modern, rational person comes to a fork in the road.

The mind points one way but something deeper down inside is calling you to take the other road, as Scott Beck puts it, "the road less travelled". Once this road is taken the mind opens to new and surprising perceptions of reality. Like dark matter and dark energy, there is an unseen presence that pervades the universe. It goes by many different names. God is one appellation, love is another. Both exist within us and about us.

Scientists try to explain both using what we know about brain chemistry. I don't really care about the rational attempts to explain God/faith and love. I have experienced both and am grateful. My life is richer because of the experience.
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I went in to my think tank and studied religion.
I can accept us swinging from trees (tail bone)
When I got to the big bang, I figured someone had to excite a molecule to start the big bang.
Space is absolute zero and a lone atom had to get warmed up to be of any good.
Maybe Buddha did it?
 
Darroll, does any of that matter at all when it comes to making your daily moral decisions ?
Does any of it inform your understanding of the nature of what philosophers call "the good life"?

PS IMO, your understanding of the physics of the big bang is somewhat eccentric but that doesn't matter either.
 
Dame Warrigal said:
Darroll, does any of that matter at all when it comes to making your daily moral decisions ?
Does any of it inform your understanding of the nature of what philosophers call "the good life"?

PS IMO, your understanding of the physics of the big bang is somewhat eccentric but that doesn't matter either.
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None of this affects my decisions.
No I still have a good life.
The big bang doesn't matter either.
The reason I looked into religion was there are so many holes in the Bible.

Garner Ted Armstrong preached the bible had much incorrect translation.
He asked for a review and no-one listened because Garner liked his gals and got into trouble with the church.
I'm not trying to change any ones thinking, this is what I did to answer my own questions.
 
I've never had any time for tele-evangelists.

As a young person I agonised over the impossible questions all the time. That is what young people do.

Now that I am older I don't waste my time on these questions.
For me there is only one question from the Bible that is really important most of the time.
That question*** is "Who is my neighbour?" I'm still working on understanding and living the answer.

***The question is the prelude to the parable of the good Samaritan.
 
The only reason for my post was people that believe in God are dumb. (Or something like that)

One thing I learned about war was a high level person asked a foreign leader why he can't control his people with religion? This question was hushed up.

People will not believe things that they cannot see and I don't blame them.
I stumbled with the question that who created God. Then I realized nothing is impossible.
 
Conventional wisdom says "Time heals all wounds." but wise people say "Time wounds all heels."

We are talking mysteries (hidden to some).

When it comes to, "is there a God?"

I submit to you that "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence."

Same is true in science as the spirit realm. Dig deeper!
 
Darroll, really, LOL!! People believe in all kinds of things, including things they can't see. If it brings them peace and joy, why not be happy for them. If you don't like what someone is preaching then who is twisting your arm to listen;)
 
nwlady said:
... People believe in all kinds of things, including things they can't see ...
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  • I believe I'm going to die someday, but I can't quite see how
  • I believe that people are basically good but I sure as heck don't see that in the news
  • I believe it WAS the dog who farted, but still I can't see it
  • I believe in peanut butter, so I gotta' believe in Peter Pan
 
It takes faith to believe in God.
In my estimation it takes more faith to insist there isn't.
I was an atheist for many years,
it never bothered me then that others believed in god.

I have never understood why it bothers atheists so much these days.
It seems they are intent or trying to convince us believers
we are idiots and dumb so we can get "smart" and join them.
I suspect they fear believers might be right.

If my faith in God is wrong what does it cost me?
If I am right, it gives me much peace and comfort.
 
SifuPhil said:
  • I believe I'm going to die someday, but I can't quite see how
  • I believe that people are basically good but I sure as heck don't see that in the news
  • I believe it WAS the dog who farted, but still I can't see it
  • I believe in peanut butter, so I gotta' believe in Peter Pan
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I believe you are a figment of my imagination but you do keep showing up;) So you're like a multiple figment!
 
~Lenore said:
...
If my faith in God is wrong what does it cost me?
If I am right, it gives me much peace and comfort.
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What does it cost you?

It costs a life spent believing in something false. It costs all those Sundays, all those donations, all those guilt trips. It costs you waiting around for someone else to do what needs to be done. It costs you to overlook reality.

If I do not believe in God yet live an exemplary life, would He not accept me into Heaven?

Yes, I know, I have to accept Jesus as my Savior. But do you mean to tell me that if I am such a good person I make Mother Theresa look like Sandra Bernhard, I still won't get into Heaven because I don't accept Him?

There's something basically wrong with a system like that.
 
SifuPhil said:
  • I believe I'm going to die someday, but I can't quite see how
  • I believe that people are basically good but I sure as heck don't see that in the news
  • I believe it WAS the dog who farted, but still I can't see it
  • I believe in peanut butter, so I gotta' believe in Peter Pan
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I place my faith in Wendy.
 
I'm not a believer but that anyone else is bothers me not at all. I think the thrust of the criticism here is the harm done in the name of religion. All faiths have or have had a hand in that over the eons.
 
Butterfly said:
I'm also Missouri Synod.
I've only heard that designation (Catholic light) a couple of times before -- I think it is apt, though.
quite
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OH.. yes... absolutely.. When I was in 6th grade, all the Catholic kids in my class got to go to the Catholic church for special masses... SOOO... not wanting to miss anything.. and wanting to get out of class for the afternoon.. I went with them.. I was amazed that other than a few little things.. like all the kneeling and the genuflecting, I was able to follow along with the liturgy.. most of the words were the same.. the Priest dressed exactly like my Pastor.. It was all very familiar. Of course there are some dogma differences I could list... hence the word "light" But growing up Missouri Synod.. it hardly seemed "light" at the time. I've got all the guilt that my Catholic friends have... lol!!
 
QuickSilver said:
OH.. yes... absolutely.. When I was in 6th grade, all the Catholic kids in my class got to go to the Catholic church for special masses... SOOO... not wanting to miss anything.. and wanting to get out of class for the afternoon.. I went with them.. I was amazed that other than a few little things.. like all the kneeling and the genuflecting, I was able to follow along with the litergy.. most of the words were the same.. the Priest dressed exactly like my Pastor.. It was all very familar. Of course there are some dogma differences I could list... hence the word "light" But growing up Missouri Synod.. it hardly seemed "light" at the time. I've got all the guilt that my Catholic friends have... lol!!
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I grew up a guilty little catholic girl with a fear of burning forever in hell. I loved all the rituals with the genuflecting, blessing yourself with holy water, rosaries, etc. That turned around when I discovered the tale of fire in hell was just something all the sheepies were told to keep them afraid. Got married, moved out, end of catholicism for me.
 
Ameriscot said:
I grew up a guilty little catholic girl with a fear of burning forever in hell. I loved all the rituals with the genuflecting, blessing yourself with holy water, rosaries, etc. That turned around when I discovered the tale of fire in hell was just something all the sheepies were told to keep them afraid. Got married, moved out, end of catholicism for me.
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I agree... We were fed that "burning in Hell" garbage.. Our Pastor had all of us so afraid of even THINKING differently than what was being taught. I just couldn't wrap my mind around all the dogma and fairytales.. So I had this horrible fear and guilt all the time. I think this is what makes me an Agnostic rather than an Atheist. I don't seem to have the ability to completely shake what was so deeply indoctrinated... yet as a rational adult.. I just can't believe it.
 
QuickSilver said:
I agree... We were fed that "burning in Hell" garbage.. Our Pastor had all of us so afraid of even THINKING differently than what was being taught. I just couldn't wrap my mind around all the dogma and fairytales.. So I had this horrible fear and guilt all the time. I think this is waht makes me an Agnostic rather than an Atheist. I don't seem to have the ability to completely shake what was so deeply indoctrinated... yet as a rational adult.. I just can't believe it.
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It's very hard to shake all that propaganda drummed into us in childhood. And being catholic meant confession and having to keep 'track' of my sins. I'm not atheist, I'm open-minded and have no idea what is true and what isn't. I enjoy Buddhist practices, and I also still feel a bit of a pagan with a connection to nature and mythology. I really have my own belief system that is impossible to label.

I have a feeling though if I was in plane which was about to crash I'd start saying Hail Marys.
 

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