Who knows more about God: a believer or an experiencer?

Question

Experience meaning a real, direct, mind-altering, beyond-belief, beyond-dualism experience of God. If someone has that experience of God and says that God is nothing like the ego-projected god in the bible, the Koran, etc., should we take notice? Or do we reject it, dismiss it, or 'kill the messenger' and change the message like we di with Jesus?

Answer 1

Kill me if you want. I actually know that it doesn't matter in the least, because I had this experience.

Several years ago I had an unusual experience concerning an uncle, a distant relative who lived over a thousand miles away.

While driving my car I suddenly felt the unmistakable presence of this relative that I hardly even knew. He was more like someone I had heard about than someone I knew. It was very strange; it felt as though I was momentarily lifted right out of my physical body. I seemed to be suspended somehow beyond space and time, bathed in a love so intense It felt like I could have just disappear into it at any moment if It would have let me. It only lasted for a few seconds, but it seemed to last forever at the same time. I realize how crazy this must sound. The experience was so strong that at first I was afraid I was loosing my grip on reality. I finally managed to chalk it up to an over active imagination.

Three days later I got a call from my aunt telling me that this uncle we are talking about had gone into a coma and died the day I had the experience. It felt like ice water had been poured down my back when she told me this. I had lost any real ideas of God or faith and had become somewhat of an atheist. Needless to say this experience caused me to rethink some of the conclusions I had come to.

I feel blessed to now understand that even in our darkest confusion something loves us so much that it went out of its way to assist me and bring me back to a state of absolute certainty about Gods love for us.
During the experience it seemed like there was a vast amount of information that I was somehow allowed access to. One thing that I came away from this experience understanding beyond any shadow of a doubt was that any Idea that God is unhappy with us or would judge or allow us to be punished for any reason is simply impossible.

I can’t explain the love I felt with words. They simply don’t make words big enough or complete enough to do this. The only way I can begin to convey this love to you is to say that there was simply nothing else there. Nothing but love. No hint of judgment, no displeasure of any sort. It is as though God sees us as being as perfect as we were the day we were created. It is only in our confused idea of ourselves that we seem to have changed.

I hope this is of some help to you. Good luck. Love and blessings.

Your brother don

Answer 2

I think these can go hand-in-hand. I have recently turned to religion from curiosity. I can tell you that sometimes I feel so much love and appreciation and I think: "Is this real?" "This is too amazing to be a coinicidence" and "The world, the universe are perplexing beyond what I can imagine. If these exist, what else can? My mind, your mind, the HUMAN mind does not have the potential to grasp the concpet of eternity and the universe. In order to believe in God, you need faith. I think that in order to have faith, you need experience.

Experience-->faith--->belief in God

But I guess I disagree in that I believe experience can come from your upbringing, reading, or a specific incident.

Answer 3

It depends, how does that person know it was God? Satan was
one of Gods smartest angels and he can appear in any form in
order to trick you. He is real and he is out there so a lot of people
that talk about having gone though something doesn't necessary
mean it was all experiences relating to god. Satan will do anything
to convince you to go the other way.

Answer 4

understanding God and understanding approximately Him are 2 completely numerous issues. i'm a born lower back believer of many years and a Bible instructor. I grew to alter into born lower back some years in the past and at that element, the Holy Spirit entered into me and from that element onward, I definitely have had the presence of the Lord indwelling me. this is the version between the two. each born lower back believer is conscious the Lord with the aid of His indwelling Holy Spirit and this is how the Lord is conscious His own additionally. God bless!

Answer 5

Dear Billthedud: The experiencer. In an experience you are no longer in "faith." You have moved straight into Certainty. That leaves "faith" behind - where it belongs. We all need to move into Certainty. We need experiences - Jesus wants us to have experiences. Those he raised from the dead and healed - He gave them experiences! Were they certain then? Oh yes!

I have a little story that took place when I began lessons in "A Course in Miracles." This particular moment occurred while I studied the "illusion of physical life." Meaning, our Reality is spirit-mind; not bodies and physical items. As you read this, remember the lesson I am into and what I was being taught at that moment.

I drove home from work and looked for the car of a roommate that would normally have been parked in her "spot." She used this particular space consistently. As I drove down the street to my home, I saw the street was fairly empty of parked cars. I looked at her "spot" and saw there was no car there. I scanned the remainder of the street, but was assured she was not home. I then looked at her "spot" again and was satisfied she had not come home yet.

After I got out of my car, for some reason I felt compelled to turn around and look for her car again. Like I was being urged by something to do so. The car was standing exactly in her "spot," plain as day. I figured - she had pulled up behind me. So I waited for her to get out of the car and join me - we would go into the house together. I could not see clearly through her windshield so I could not see her in the car. I waited. Then I waited more. Then I shifted my weight and waited still more - becoming a bit irritated that she could see me waiting for her, but was not getting out of the car! Finally, I decided to go in without her.

I opened the door, and stepped up into the kitchen and found her standing there in her bathrobe having a cup of coffee. I stared at her with no understanding. "What are you doing here" I accused! She replied, "I've been home for hours - you know what time I get home." Then she said, "Are you allright? You look white as a ghost?" I mumbled something about being in shock, and turned around to run to my bedroom where I quickly went into communion with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They informed me I had just had my first lesson on the illusion of physical things. Many other lessons on this would follow - and did! Since then, my experiences have been in total alignment with "A Course in Miracles."

Don't believe the messenger was killed. He's alive and well in spirit (our Reality) and working hard to teach - from level 1 to conclusion. Amen.

Answer 6

:) the link between believing and knowing is experience. If you accept a new perception and live it, yes you could experience god. Yes, we should take notice, but then again, we want personal happiness so much for others and want them to know but they have to be the ones asking the question.

Answer 7

Believing IS an experience. I feel God every day.

Answer 8

A believer who has complete trust and faith in God.

Answer 9

If you look at this board, it appears that religious people are the ones who know the least about their own religion.

Answer 10

there's no god. we are all alone and we have to keep coming back to formulate the nexis of the international house of pancakes.