Please note that this question is coming from a strong Christian and physicist, whose quest for truth has revealed some unexpected twists. Given the power of the mind to create hallucinations and memories according to your beliefs and desires, how do you establish that spiritual confirmation, clarification, or act is not just the mind executing your desires/beliefs with hallucinations or other unreal experiences?
In other words: How do you objectively verify that your faith is not misplaced on unreal products of a powerful mind biased toward your "faith?"
2007-03-18 11:47:37 · 9 answers · asked by Andy 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Please consider the spiritual experience which seems completely real, and may even be negative. Also consider the hallucination which seems completely real to the five senses and allows very important spiritual understandings (which may or may not be correct).
For instance, an angel speaks to you face to face about important things while you are alone. Or you feel the "confirmation" of a certain important thing without any other witnesses.
2007-03-18 13:27:55 · update #1
A spiritual experience will change you in a profound way usually making you better connected with your inner self. A hallucination will appear as a temporary vision in your mind's eye that may be provocative but not as compelling as when the spirit moves you. The only unreal experiences are the ones that never happen so it's up to you to place importance and value on what has occurred within your perception. To determine the level of significance, consider your options and the outcome of each choice and believe what you decide will benefit your reality best. Faith is nothing to be ashamed of and can be used to lift you to a higher level of understanding that is a blessing. Sometimes you just have to choose to believe and let that wise choice have a meaningful impact on your life.
2007-03-18 12:09:11 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hallucinations don't provide quite the same
'earth-shattering' insights that true mystic
revelation provides. I know I may be exaggerating a little when I say 'earth-shattering', but some experiences are like that. Otherwise, look for feelings of unity, transcendence, expansion, connectedness,
understanding, reconciliation...the list goes on, but I'm sure you get the idea.
2007-03-18 12:11:19 · answer #2 · answered by ? 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
1) Corroboration
2) Correlation with other aspects of our experiential apparatus that indicate better and not degraded functioning.
2007-03-18 12:08:20 · answer #3 · answered by neil s 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think hallucination occurs when you re under the influence
of some type of drug.
2007-03-18 11:53:24 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
You don't, because faith automatically excludes objective verification.
2007-03-18 11:57:33 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
as a spiritualist who speaks with spirit , they provide me detailed information that i can have validated and verified
2007-03-18 11:51:40 · answer #6 · answered by Peace 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
the standard is that you will receive conformation from three different sources.
2007-03-18 11:56:02 · answer #7 · answered by Hannah's Grandpa 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You say no to drugs.
2007-03-18 11:53:14 · answer #8 · answered by J D 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
when youre born again you know its real...
2007-03-18 11:52:53 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋