Religious Experience

[pilchardo]

I'm going for the 72 virgins in heaven
I never understood why Muslims even pray in the streets sometimes, and don't mind getting funny looks.
When you get that feeling, nothing else matters.

True. I don't pray myself, but sometimes I go into a sort of trance. Before this started happening I would have laughed at the idea but now that I've experienced it I know better and I understand now that there's so much more to consciousness than our "everyday" experience. It's like a cross between being hypnotized, stoned, and having an orgasm (I can't believe I'm telling you this but there you go). It's like being fully awake and aware, and at peace with everything. And when it's over and you go back to what we naively call "normal" you realise that "normal" is just a fraction of what there is to perceive. I know that there are dimensions of reality well beyond what we see every day and I know that this life is just a step in a journey. I wish I could experience it all the time but at the same time I'm aware of the need to go through this particular lifetime in a "grounded" state too, if that makes sense. So when people ridicule it (which they do, as you'd expect) I don't find that it bothers me at all because I know what I know and even if I could prove it I would deliberately refrain from doing so because it's an experience to be had, not to be demonstrated.

[LegendarySandwich]

I'm going for the 72 virgins in heaven
I never understood why Muslims even pray in the streets sometimes, and don't mind getting funny looks.
When you get that feeling, nothing else matters.

True. I don't pray myself, but sometimes I go into a sort of trance. Before this started happening I would have laughed at the idea but now that I've experienced it I know better and I understand now that there's so much more to consciousness than our "everyday" experience. It's like a cross between being hypnotized, stoned, and having an orgasm (I can't believe I'm telling you this but there you go). It's like being fully awake and aware, and at peace with everything. And when it's over and you go back to what we naively call "normal" you realise that "normal" is just a fraction of what there is to perceive. I know that there are dimensions of reality well beyond what we see every day and I know that this life is just a step in a journey. I wish I could experience it all the time but at the same time I'm aware of the need to go through this particular lifetime in a "grounded" state too, if that makes sense. So when people ridicule it (which they do, as you'd expect) I don't find that it bothers me at all because I know what I know and even if I could prove it I would deliberately refrain from doing so because it's an experience to be had, not to be demonstrated.

Is there any reason why there can't be a natural explanation for those types of feelings, instead of invoking the supernatural?

I'm not denying that these types of experiences don't exist. I'm just saying that it seems a bit childish, primitive, and downright ludicrous to use these as proof for any type of supernatural entity (not that I'm saying you are, as you're obviously not trying to convert anyone).

[pilchardo]

I'm going for the 72 virgins in heaven
I never understood why Muslims even pray in the streets sometimes, and don't mind getting funny looks.
When you get that feeling, nothing else matters.

True. I don't pray myself, but sometimes I go into a sort of trance. Before this started happening I would have laughed at the idea but now that I've experienced it I know better and I understand now that there's so much more to consciousness than our "everyday" experience. It's like a cross between being hypnotized, stoned, and having an orgasm (I can't believe I'm telling you this but there you go). It's like being fully awake and aware, and at peace with everything. And when it's over and you go back to what we naively call "normal" you realise that "normal" is just a fraction of what there is to perceive. I know that there are dimensions of reality well beyond what we see every day and I know that this life is just a step in a journey. I wish I could experience it all the time but at the same time I'm aware of the need to go through this particular lifetime in a "grounded" state too, if that makes sense. So when people ridicule it (which they do, as you'd expect) I don't find that it bothers me at all because I know what I know and even if I could prove it I would deliberately refrain from doing so because it's an experience to be had, not to be demonstrated.

Is there any reason why there can't be a natural explanation for those types of feelings, instead of invoking the supernatural?

I'm not denying that these types of experiences don't exist. I'm just saying that it seems a bit childish, primitive, and downright ludicrous to use these as proof for any type of supernatural entity (not that I'm saying you are, as you're obviously not trying to convert anyone).

That's the thing, I'm not trying to prove anything nor would I if I could. It simply doesn't matter whether others believe it or not. By the way are you saying that you don't deny that these experiences exist, or don't exist?

[iSok]

I'm going for the 72 virgins in heaven
I never understood why Muslims even pray in the streets sometimes, and don't mind getting funny looks.
When you get that feeling, nothing else matters.

True. I don't pray myself, but sometimes I go into a sort of trance. Before this started happening I would have laughed at the idea but now that I've experienced it I know better and I understand now that there's so much more to consciousness than our "everyday" experience. It's like a cross between being hypnotized, stoned, and having an orgasm (I can't believe I'm telling you this but there you go). It's like being fully awake and aware, and at peace with everything. And when it's over and you go back to what we naively call "normal" you realise that "normal" is just a fraction of what there is to perceive. I know that there are dimensions of reality well beyond what we see every day and I know that this life is just a step in a journey. I wish I could experience it all the time but at the same time I'm aware of the need to go through this particular lifetime in a "grounded" state too, if that makes sense. So when people ridicule it (which they do, as you'd expect) I don't find that it bothers me at all because I know what I know and even if I could prove it I would deliberately refrain from doing so because it's an experience to be had, not to be demonstrated.

Is there any reason why there can't be a natural explanation for those types of feelings, instead of invoking the supernatural?

I'm not denying that these types of experiences don't exist. I'm just saying that it seems a bit childish, primitive, and downright ludicrous to use these as proof for any type of supernatural entity (not that I'm saying you are, as you're obviously not trying to convert anyone).

That's true Pilchardo, I've tried to convert Legendarysandwich. And it will happen, he just doesn't acknowledge it

I think scientists would say, that there are certain chemicals doing that, which causes those feelings.
That those chemicals at particular time are injected into your blood, and cause certain reactionsin your brain.

[LegendarySandwich]

That's the thing, I'm not trying to prove anything nor would I if I could. It simply doesn't matter whether others believe it or not. By the way are you saying that you don't deny that these experiences exist, or don't exist?

Whoops, typo. I meant to say that I don't deny they exist.

What I'm asking is: do you believe your experiences have anything at all to do with something supernatural?

[LegendarySandwich]

That's true Pilchardo, I've tried to convert Legendarysandwich. And it will happen, he just doesn't acknowledge it  I don't think I'm going to become a Muslim anytime soon.

I think scientists would say, that there are certain chemicals doing that, which causes those feelings.
That those chemicals at particular time are injected into your blood, and cause certain reactionsin your brain.

Well, everything in your brain is chemicals and reactions.

[iSok]

I'm curious about the combination of those chemicals.
For example how does the brain create 'hope' or 'ambition'.

[LegendarySandwich]

I'm curious about the combination of those chemicals.
For example how does the brain create 'hope' or 'ambition'.

The same way it does everything else. I'm not a scientist, so I can't explain the specifics, but if you really want to know how, I can try to find an article for you.

[iSok]

I'm curious about the combination of those chemicals.
For example how does the brain create 'hope' or 'ambition'.

The same way it does everything else. I'm not a scientist, so I can't explain the specifics, but if you really want to know how, I can try to find an article for you.

Sure, that would be kind.


However, someone needs to bann me, and my IP.
I have an important exam on friday, I promised myself I would get up at 06:00, while it's 03:00 now.

Don't just bann my account, also bann my IP if that's possible..
This forum is killing me

sleep well.