Why do Christians fall for the 'personal experience' of salvation?

Question

When this was a common trick employed by the Eleusian Mystery cults of Greece, a Pagan source, and was later adopted by the Gnostics and then the Christ cults?

Do you really think you are 'feeling' anything more than what you are expecting to feel? More than what you have been told you should expect or should want?

It's power of suggestion, expectation and peer pressure.

Answer 1

So? If I'm happy, living a productive life, and not hurting anyone else, what's the problem? I don't think I'm delusional, but if I am and I'm not harming anyone, then I'm certainly not the first person who's done that.

Whereas a whole lot of you "realists" are the most miserably unhappy folks I have ever had the major misfortune to encounter. You whine and complain about everything -- how rough life is, how hurt and bitter you are because things are just so bleak.

Excuse the modified Pascal's Wager, here, but if you're right and I'm wrong, you'll just have spent a miserable life with nothing to look forward to afterwards. T'ain't my idea of a fun time had by all, McGee.

At least I have the satisfaction of having lived by Christ's teachings and been happy while I was doing it. Seems like a good deal to me.

Answer 2

Well, I am a Christian and ask the same question. I know some have some wild things happen, but, I feel others manifest this because they are lead to believe a norm in the salvation experience. I approached God from a more realistic view. Heck, I hear Christians always seem to say how great their life became after they believed and maybe it did. But, my life became hell. Dang, it seem like every time I have something God takes it away, or, at least allows it to be taken. But, I keep thinking, surly others have had this experience and I never hear of it. Other than people in other Countries where they killed and imprisoned for believing. Heck, I figure what my life became I have every right NOT to believe, but, I still believe, why? Because something deep inside tells me it is real! I can not stop believing, hard to explain as I say it a God thing. I not fully understand this and sure do not expect an unbeliever to understand.

Answer 3

Before I had a relationship with God, I was the meanest, arrogant, uncaring,abusive person. I couldn't care less about those less fortunate, smaller, tahn me (or myself for that matter) But then I found Grace (or should I say i ran into to Grace) and I found to care, love, help, cherish, all who live on this planet, equally. I have become a better person because of it. (and my personal expeirence was unexpected - something that not everybody has exactly the same, yet was powerful enough to change who I was, how I thought, & all the behaviourals as well). To say that I was pressured into it by suggestions or any thing else along those lines would be false, I made a chaoice on my own, without any other influence, & I do that same choice every minute of the day.

Answer 4

Salvation has nothing to do with feeling and has everything to do with belief and acceptance. Accept I'm not perfect. Believe that Christ is. Accept forgiveness for all of the times that I've screwed up. Believe that Christ became a man, and took on my mistakes and punishment, to free me. Accepting a new life where old habits and dead thinking have no power. Believing that Christ rose to a new life, as will I. Accept that I will still never be perfect on this earth, but believe and know that I'm free from evil.

Feeling is never part of the equation. Knowing is more relavant and true than a feeling.

Answer 5

That is your OPINION. It is no more valid than someone else's personal experience.

The Christian Scriptures however have prophecies which have come true, have continuity over the centuries, and spring from a single inspirational source, the Creator of the Universe.

I eat food. Pagans eat food. Satanists eat food. So because we have this in common does not mean that I eat because I'm copying these others.

Answer 6

Well, perhaps it sounds more convincing than LSD or "self-imposed hallucination."


Seriously, I get an emotional high when I listen to music. It's more intense than any religious experience I had as a child. I can describe it as ecstasy. I credit this to my enjoyment of music, not of something that I cannot prove.

Personal experiences aren't evidence for anything that cannot be proved or confirmed. And certainly not of salvation.

Answer 7

Well I believe in God, but as far as this personal experience of salvation goes, I don't think it's a specific moment in one's life, at least it wasn't ever for me. It just affects how you live your life, even though by definition it actually doesn't matter how you lived your life. What difference does it make to you? Why do you even care?

Answer 8

I agree with you, the life more abundantly was referring to prosperity life on earth. Jesus suffered for us, so that we do not have to suffer like HIM, he took our sufferings while he gave us HIS abundant blessings on earth, at the same time the spiritual realm is being reflected how we live on earth. People of non believers expect to see us live with peace, joy and prosperous. If we live pathetically on earth, what is that to reflect our Lord Jesus ? Shalom,

Answer 9

i think its the power of Gullability...but thats just me

gullability and the DESIRE to feel these things. tell yourself a lie too many times an youll soon begin to beleive its real. they want it to be true so bad that theyve convinced themselves it is true

its also called "self brainwashing"

Answer 10

Don't kid yourself. Just because you've not 'felt' God doesn't make Him non-existent. I knew nothing about Him and He met with me powerfully, personally and privately and has been with me now for 22 years.