religious experiences?

Question

Okay, I believe in God because of the overpowering experiences Ive felt of his presence and work in my life. My question is, don't people of all religions have these experiences too, which is the cause of thier belief? If so, how do any of us know if our God, or religious experience is correct, and if there is no God what are these feelings?

Answer 1

I have had many overpowering experiences in my 60 years of life and I have never attributed any of them to any god, and I will never understand why anyone would. I would be more inclined to think that these things are the result of the human psyche and physiology.

Answer 2

That is why there is no perfect religion, only the religion that is right for the individual. Which is like when people exclaim there is only one person for them your "soulmate". If everyone had a soulmate then how do people fall into love again and re-marry? But thats not the topic of discussion if you feel your religion is right for you then keep it. If you want to explore a little more than go right ahead. Your right with the feelings all peoples of all religions get which is why there is so much confusion of the correct. People just need to get it that some people get some things and others might not. If there is no God or Gods or Goddesses then these feeling were just very nice! Hhaha very remarkable that something "silly" thing like religion could make a person feel so warm and fuzzy. But really I don't know what these feelings are if all religions are false, which they aren't because none of them are true or false, their just neither.

Answer 3

I envy people who've had genuine religious experiences. There were times that I thought I'd had them, but the memories are fuzzy because they were so long ago. If they were indeed a connection to the divine, then I'd give anything to have that connection again.

I read a study not too long ago that found that the areas of the brain that "light up" during a religious experience are the same ones that fire when a person is feeling a deep sense of love and acceptance (from, say, a friend or a family member). I don't know if there's anything to the study, but it was interesting.

I am happy for you that you have this connection.

Answer 4

God does exist and so does the devil. Religious experiences are real. Unfortunately, many people in our society are brainwashed by psychiatric doctors and scientists beliefs/theories. The spiritual leaders are also mislead by the findings of the specialists mentioned. We all need to be very careful not believe in false teachings from anyone. I have had many spiritual experiences. I have supernatural abilities. Sylvia Brown has many supernatural abilities, which include the ability of seeing into the spiritual world. I know she has some of the Gifts she claims she has. However, I just don't believe everything she tell us is true because it is easy for spiritual beings to deceive us to believe things. I have the ability to see when people are possessed... I can see souls of people protruding outside of their bodies, I can see the colors of people's souls in people's eyes. I have seen spirit beings like ghosts (which I believe are demons) and many other things.

Commentary—by Swami Nirmalananda Giri relating to possession - Negative beings (including some human beings) have the ability to enter into a person’s brain (either directly or by beaming energy into the brain) and through stimulation of various nerve centers produce exotic sensations, lights, and hallucinations. Sometime supernatural powers are opened up in them, and their use destroys them eventually…. Meditators need to be especially aware of this very real danger.18

Swami Nirmalananda Giri is the abbot of Atma Jyoti Ashram, a traditional Hindu monastery... I believe that Swami Giri may be telling us the truth relating to possession even though I do not believe all the teachings of Hinduism.

Swami Nirmalananda Giri writes "No thing exists as a merely physical entity. All objects consist of innumerable layers of energies, ranging from the grossest material (atomic) vibrations to the subtlest, almost spiritual, energy. Therefore whatever we eat does not only enter into our physical bodies, but into all levels of our being! That is a very sobering–if not actually frightening–thought. Our minds, our emotions, even our wills, are masses of subtle energies, and whatever we eat or drink enters also into those energy levels and affects them profoundly..... The use of these substances is a form of mental and spiritual suicide–and often physical suicide, too. (The number of suicides committed by those who are pumped full of “tranquillizers” and “anti-depressants” is simply incredible.)"

I believe Swami Giri may also be telling the truth relating to the effects of certain foods (like meat), alcohol beverages and mind altering drugs like anti-depressants on our bodies and souls.

Check out my question "Do you think the birth of the Red Heifers born in the 1990's is proof that the Messiah is coming soon?" There is an important message for everyone.

Answer 5

there's a god if you believe in it, but I don't--- and I still can experience overpowering feelings. I think it's how you feel when you encounter those moments and it triggers something greater when you're in the 'right moment'... say if someone close to you had just died of lung cancer, the next time you hear about lung cancer, you will have different type of reaction towards than before. When someone is imprinted with a religion, they will tend to link those experience/happenings to religion, but in my opinion, it's just experience, if it triggers something greater, that's because of your past experience/recent thoughts.

Answer 6

i'm going to be sincere, I in no way understood why somebody's sexual orientation replaced into something different than a private count. i do no longer comprehend homophobes and that i do no longer see what the hell distinction it makes what somebody does of their very own mattress room with yet another consenting person. Why is it the type of enormous deal and why is it rammed in our faces all of the time? Do you particularly think of what Obama says will make ANY distinction to a 300lb, redneck, beer guzzling retard on a Saturday evening out with the forged 'Ole Boys?

Answer 7

All religions have a form of truth in them...
Jesus' true ministry wewnt into every religion or no religion in the known world..

To practice and do good toward others and things

practice and do truth for good

to do righteousness towards others

and to stand agaist evil of others and self

is the whole of all religions

Answer 8

God has many names and speaks to his people in different ways. Only a lunatic claims they have all the answers and are a danger to them self and others.

Answer 9

And what happens when you don't believe in god, yet still have a moving experience?

Answer 10

"If there is no God what are these feelings?"

Various forms of these questions are the root of scientific inquiry into the mind, including but certainly not limited to psychology and physiology. I think it's a great open-minded question to ask and I only hope you sincerely pursue it as strongly as you pursue your belief in God (whichever one that is).