For non-christians - what do you think Christians are "feeling"?

Question

Every so often I see a Christian insist that they know their god is real because they have personally experienced or "felt" him somehow.

As a non-christian, what is your opinion regarding such a statement?

Do you think it is a complete lie?

Do you think the christians have deluded themselves into thinking they have felt something when there was actually nothing there?

Do you think they felt something else and misidentified it?

Or do you have some other opinion or idea about it?

- Memory
When you say
"He's taken full fledged control of my body tons of times. Sometimes He'd even talk, walk, and force thoughts into my head. "

Do you mean you believe God actually took total physical control of you? Was it like God was controlling your body like a puppet? I don't recall any Christians ever claiming something like that before. I don't recall anything like that in the Bible either.

In fact, the only thing even vaguely like that I ever heard of would be demonic possession.

Answer 1

I think it is generally a self-induced experience which they have because they think they are supposed to have this experience. In other cases, it is just a strong feeling which they have misidentified. Lots of people have similar experiences which they do not attribute to God.

Answer 2

enable me answer this one. one million. Do you think of Atheists are first rate human beings, or purely all immorral trash? To be honest, my opinion of atheists dropped considering coming right here. some are cool, yet I see way too lots hate to place you adult men returned up interior the intense status you have been in earlier. 2. If I ask a question approximately Christianity, is this an attack on Christians for the reason that's coming from a non-Christian, even thou somebody who's a Christian might have asked the comparable question? relies upon on the form you ask it. i've got seen some well mannered questions (ie, a actual prefer to be attentive to the respond) and a few rude questions (ie, the two "trust me in bashing this faith" or "i do no longer decide for to be attentive to the respond different than to make exciting of this faith"). i will gladly answer any question i will while it is declared civilly. 3. Is there a distinction between asking a question approximately Christianity, and making an attack on a Christian or Christians generally? See above 4. once you're saying that we non-Christians are bashing you, what in specific does that propose, what's an occasion of "bashing". you pick for the record? I for one am uninterested in seeing hateful questions that proclaim my faith (or any faith) as a delusion, a crutch for the vulnerable minded, stupid, stupid, out dated, the gadget of idiots, ignorant, hateful, bloody, spewing rubbish, etc. So what, you do in comparison to or trust my faith or the different, yet instruct some appreciate and that i will return the prefer. 5. Do you finally end up asking the question, "If guy got here from monkeys, why are there nonetheless monkeys" or "Why do no longer we see monkeys/apes evolving at present". Curious, do you ever ask that once which study Evolutionist's solutions? I study them. I usually end after seeing the 1st "What a stupid Christian" remark. i'm getting much less ulsers that way.

Answer 3

My own spirituality is based on practical experience. The sort of experience that I find most soberly compelling is more fundamental than, and prior to, language. The words come later.

It is not difficult to find very similar experiential practices, like meditation techniques, in rather differently expressed religious traditions. That they come to be phrased in different cultures' ways of speaking is only to be expected.

So, no, I don't think it's a "complete lie" at all. There can be different degrees of clarity, different depths of experience, but I trust the experiences and practices much more than I do the potentially just dogmatic ideas and phrases.

I've given this subject a lot of very careful study -- two master's degrees in religious studies, a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, and close to thirty years of intensive meditation practice. What seems very clear to me is that the sort of spiritual languages used to describe our deepest experiences need to be looked at as a kind of poetry. The words themselves are "always already too late." Like the contemporary Tibetan Buddhist teacher, Sogyal RInpoche says of such experience:

It's too near.
It's too simple.
It's too profound.
And it's too wonderful

And for persons to so glibly declare that it's all "delusion" or "zombie behavior" ... without exploring the actual nature of the underlying practices and behaviors ... is simultaneously ignorantly uninformed and arrogantly presumptuous. Such individuals really don't know what they're talking about.
.

Answer 4

I think Christians are feeling the same thing I'm feeling, only putting a different name on the cause behind the effect. The feeling of being united with God or nature is called a mystical experience.

It's not a delusion or a lie, just a way of understanding and putting names to things that happen to us. You may want to check out the attached article "MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE OR BRAIN MALFUNCTION?" for a better answer.

Answer 5

I am inclined to respond to this by asking, "Why are you concerned about what Christians are feeling?"
I would think that your time would be better spent on your own spiritual path.
Too much time is wasted trying to get to the bottom of other people's beliefs and experiences when those beliefs and experiences are not our own.
I think your focus is in the wrong direction. Look inside for your own answers. There is where you will find your peace and your joy.

Answer 6

They are deluding themselves.
It is very interesting to notice how the feelings changes according to what religion they believe in,for instance christians seem to be more in touch with Jesus, while muslims with Allah, and Hindus with their version of God/s.
Why don't they get the same type of understanding about God?

Answer 7

Not to trip you out or anything, but not only do i "feel" Him, He's taken full fledged control of my body tons of times. Sometimes He'd even talk, walk, and force thoughts into my head. Call me delusional all you want, but one day you're honestly gonna choke on those words, and you are gonna know God had something to do with it.

Answer 8

Any "relationship", even the one they claim, should have distinct characteristics. This means that the "feelings" they claim should be describable, and thus be verifiable scientifically the way many experiences are tested in the social sciences. Show me what makes this "relationship" distinct, and support that with evidence, and I'll believe it. Hasn't happened, probably won't.

Answer 9

Anything and everything.... or alternatively... the same as anyone else.

The difference is that they were taught as a child that those things were called "god".... Someone pointed to a glowy light... or to someone NOT dying in hospital.... or to a footballer scoring a goal.... or to a drooling dog.... and said "God is there"...
... and they accepted it.

When they "feel god"... they're probably just feeling the effects of solar radiation on their skin or somesuch and don't realise that it is in fact solar radiation and not "god".

Answer 10

No, actually, I can get the same "feeling" through meditation. The difference is, I know it's a chemical reaction in my brain.

There's not a lot of mystery behind it. Prayer and meditation have quite a bit in common. They stimulate the same parts of the brain.