When someone claims to have "walked with God" or been "filled with the Spirit," what do you think is really occurring?
2007-09-27 06:20:53 · 15 answers · asked by Eleventy 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Assuming they believe what they are saying is true...
2007-09-27 06:21:27 · update #1
Does it matter? For instance if someone tells me they were brought to tears by a great cup of coffee having touched their soul, I have no reason to doubt they felt something. But that doesn't change the fact that they had a little too much caffeine.
People interpret and define mundane events in their own personal terms all the time. Major events are even more likely to get 'personally interpreted' I've personally witnessed someone hallucinate a religious experience.
I have no doubt at all that they truly believed a glowing angel plucked them from a flooded river and flew them to shore. However I'm pretty sure it was me and my best friend that drug her through the mud to shore.
2007-09-27 06:24:11 · answer #1 · answered by Demetri w 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
It is their imagination. Though I've never been a part of any religion, I was always brought up to believe in god. There were many moments when I thought I felt god or that god was showing me a path. Then I experienced a time of terrible pain, loneliness and anguish. I reached out for this god that I had thought was always there, in the one time in my life I truly truly needed him/her/it to be real and concrete, and found nothing. After examining myself thoroughly I finally admitted to myself that those little "experiences" were really nothing more than my mind playing a game with an imaginary friend.
2007-09-27 13:27:33 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
I think they are experiencing a type of euphoria caused by the fact that thier religion tells them.. They are the chosen of God and will have everlasting life. They are told how the world started, and how it will end and they have no unknowns anymore as far as they are concerned "God did it". They are told that their religion is the only correct one and so they get a false sense of superiority and feel they are "chosen ones". Now try for a moment to feel that... think about how smug you would feel and how happy, you would think you are better than people who haven't "seen the light" so to speak and that may very well be described as being "filled with the Spirit". You would feel like nothing in this world could hurt you, you have an explanation for everything, you have an all powerful, being on your side. Also you have been told you chose the right way and thus escaped punisment.. I don't know about you but when I escape punishment I feel pretty euphoric...
PS Its like this.. when I was young I had a stuffed Unicorn, I thought she was real and came alive at night.. when I felt sick I would hold her and in my mind she helped me feel better, I could feel her spirit and it gave me such a sense of well-being. If anyone had argued with me that it was just a stuffed animal and that it wasn't alive and didn't really exist I would have argued that I felt her spirit and that when I slept she came alive and I walked with her in my dreams... Of course now I know that all of that was just wishful thinking, a wild hope for something beyond to take care of me and care for me. I still have my Uni, but like most people I grew up and realized I could care for myself, and do I laid to rest my childish wishful thinking and accepted reality.
2007-09-27 13:30:55 · answer #3 · answered by Kelly + Eternal Universal Energy 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I think some people lie and some people really do believe that
however the woman who drowned her children really believed that god told her to do it
and why does god keep telling people completely contradictory things.
For example I know a mormon who told me that the holy spirit talks to him and tells him that his beliefs are exactly right - if that were the case (there really was a holy spirit and it really did talk to people) why are there so many different religions
2007-09-27 14:23:17 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Just like any other religious experience in any other religions. Music, meditation, and frame of mind all produce these sorts of experiences. Go to a rock concert, same feeling just not the same passion. Listen to a symphony, similar thing.
Look at various tribal religious practices, you'll see similar body movements and actions.
2007-09-27 13:30:05 · answer #5 · answered by Pirate AM™ 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Even though you are making fun of us and soliciting sarcastic responses, I will be serious for a change.
It is an overwhelming sense of calm or peace or tranquility in the midst of life's storm trials and tribulatiions; an inner feeling - real and tangible as much as love, joy, happiness or any other emotion - that even though I may not have all the answers, even though I may not understand everything exactly....
....that somehow, some way it's all right. Everything will be OK.
I hope that was helpful to you.
2007-09-27 13:42:01 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
I used to get the warm fuzzes when I thought about God. It was a very strong feeling, compelling even. It isn't hard to see how the believe, or considering the fear of death and need for a sense of purpose, why they would want to.
2007-09-27 13:26:55 · answer #7 · answered by Herodotus 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I was a Christain... so let me tell you...
Its an overwhelming feeling of emotions. Sign yourself up for a motivational speaker's event at a stadium... you'll feel their god. Or go to some kind of rehabilitation meeting... you know, for drugs, alcohol, abuse, etc... Have a good cry, you'll feel their god.
When its brought on by.. say... the preacher's sermon, or a feel-good God song... then its *definitely the Holy Spirit.
2007-09-27 13:28:25 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 3⤋
Endorphins and adrenaline playing a mean prank on the meek minded.
2007-09-27 13:24:20 · answer #9 · answered by Lex Fok B.M.F. 3 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Nihilism.
2007-09-27 13:23:47 · answer #10 · answered by Chuck Biscuits 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋