Can we really commnunicate directly with Christ?

[Hentenza]

Well you are disagreeing with me.

I am but I am disagreeing with your suggestion that my experience can be explained by natural psychology and is not a real religious experience.

No, there aren't. If there are things you feel are right to do, that's because you instinct, built into your genes. There... a reason.

lol You will change your mind once you have raised children.

Life isn't black and white... I didn't say it was. I was talking about a specific issue. Feeling like you 'just know' something doesn't justify belief in it.

Again, it justifies it to me.

Sure... what I said still applies.

Ok, and what I said still applies.

Saying something is real is part of the psychology of belief... pretty much by definition.

I don't buy it. I am a rational person not someone who drives on emotion. My wife hates it actually. She says I need a reason for everything.

Saying something is real isn't part of the psychology of religious experience. You can feel something, and question what it was.

Sure. I questioned my experience. I came to the conclusion that it was real.

 

[bhsmte]

Nah, I have pretty thick skin.



I don't doubt it.





Oh, no. My reason is quite rational but it is not a reason to which I have a clear answer, yet.

I'm confused, if you state your reason is a rational one, which to me means reasoning that others could relate to, why would that be something you also didn't have an answer to? That seems contradictory to me.

 

[Hentenza]

You're an Admin, I'd better not.

I don't really want to be mean either.

I don't want you to be mean either.

So you do have a justifiable reason?

Sure but I've already explained to you that is not a reason to which I have a clear answer for yet.

Even if you say you are unsure, I'd have less problems with that.

Sorry, I can't say that I'm unsure since I am quite sure.

 

[bhsmte]

I am but I am disagreeing with your suggestion that my experience can be explained by natural psychology and is not a real religious experience.





lol You will change your mind once you have raised children.




Again, it justifies it to me.





Ok, and what I said still applies.





I don't buy it. I am a rational person not someone who drives on emotion. My wife hates it actually. She says I need a reason for everything.



Sure. I questioned my experience. I came to the conclusion that it was real.

Are you stating that raising children impacts whether a person believes in a God or not?

 

[Hentenza]

I'm confused, if you state your reason is a rational one, which to me means reasoning that others could relate to, why would that be something you also didn't have an answer to? That seems contradictory to me.

You know, we could get into a long philosophical discussion about what constitutes a "rational" reason and its meaning using philosophical treatises for a plethora of philosophers and still not arrive at an exact definition of rationality or reason. One thing I've learn about philosophy is that is awfully hard to define words exactly. In my opinion, I can rationally justify my actions and thoughts even if there is not a universally accepted answer or definition. To paraphrase my logic professor from a couple of semesters ago: "If you can think it or imagine it, then it is possible even if is not possible yet."

 

[ForJesusChrist]

Hi all. Can we really still commnunicate directly with Christ?

Yes, that is what prayer is.

He died 2000 years ago as we know but when some of us say he appeared to us in a vision of some sort well, there is no way to verify this or is there? How can we distinguish between our own self-suggestion / imagination as oppose to direct, real experience of communication?

You would know if its God or not. His presence and power is overwhelming and it will be unlike any other experience you have ever been through.

God Bless

 

[Hentenza]

Are you stating that raising children impacts whether a person believes in a God or not?

Not at all. My "joking" statement related more toward how most parents develop a particular sense that allows them to "just know" when their children do things they are not supposed to.

 

[Paradoxum]

I am but I am disagreeing with your suggestion that my experience can be explained by natural psychology and is not a real religious experience.

Well I'm not sure how you can disagree. The brain can make people think and feel anything, and make it feel real... so I'm not sure how you can think there's no way it can be explained psychologically. Perhaps you aren't making that strong a claim.

Anyway, my main point wasn't against you're religious experience, but rather your defence of it.

lol You will change your mind once you have raised children.

I'll probably poop rainbows too, such is the magical nature of parenthood.

(I'm not sure what you have against instinct leading parents to act in a certain way).

Again, it justifies it to me.

And that isn't a good justification. It isn't reasonable, or a legitimate justification.

Ok, and what I said still applies.

Okay... I wasn't disagreeing on that point.

I don't buy it. I am a rational person not someone who drives on emotion. My wife hates it actually. She says I need a reason for everything.

Well apparently not here.

Sure. I questioned my experience. I came to the conclusion that it was real.

Even though you don't seem to be able to say why it's real, other than 'it feels like it'.

I don't want you to be mean either.

Perhaps we just have to agree to disagree.

Sure but I've already explained to you that is not a reason to which I have a clear answer for yet.

So you have a reason, but you don't understand it well enough to explain it?

Sorry, I can't say that I'm unsure since I am quite sure.

I used to think that too. Maybe one day you will understand.

(By the way I'm joking and just mimicking your 'You'll understand when you become a parent' thing).

 

[Paradoxum]

In your opinion, what would be a good reason for a believer to claim their religious experience was real?

I'm not sure there's a good reason, but some reasons are better than others.

For example, "It's probably real because a number of people felt it at the same time, and something like that happening at the same time seems unlikely to me."

I don't doubt some have personal religious experiences that they truly feel are real, just as people have other personal experiences that appear very real to them.

I don't doubt some can feel very real.

Some do not want to share those personal experiences and likely for one of the following reasons;

-They don't desire to have the experience held up to objective scrutiny, because this would threaten their belief and creates cognitive dissonance.
-They feel the experience is personal and want to keep it to themselves

Sure.

 

[Hentenza]

Well I'm not sure how you can disagree. The brain can make people think and feel anything, and make it feel real... so I'm not sure how you can think there's no way it can be explained psychologically. Perhaps you aren't making that strong a claim.

I can go to four or five psychologists (which I did with one of my children) and get four or five different diagnoses. If psychology could actually explain the psychology of the brain then the science (if it is a science since I have read in the past papers from academics that claim that it is not a science) would be much more exact.

Anyway, my main point wasn't against you're religious experience, but rather your defence of it.

My only defense has been that my experience is a real experience not an imaginary or unintuitive experience.

I'll probably poop rainbows too, such is the magical nature of parenthood.

lol Have not seen that yet but I've seen parents turn all kinds of shade of color when they get mad.

(I'm not sure what you have against instinct leading parents to act in a certain way).

Nothing at all. There are certainly parental instincts but not all parental behavior is instinctual since there are "good" and "bad" parents.

And that isn't a good justification. It isn't reasonable, or a legitimate justification.

It is to me.

Okay... I wasn't disagreeing on that point.

Ok. Glad we could agree on something.

Well apparently not here.

Gotta love the jab.

Yes, even here.

Even though you don't seem to be able to say why it's real, other than 'it feels like it'.

Its more than "just" a feeling. My life has changed dramatically because of it even as I was not looking for a life change nor did I think I needed one.

Perhaps we just have to agree to disagree.

Oh no!!! I sill don't want you to be mean. Don't make me stop this car...

So you have a reason, but you don't understand it well enough to explain it?

That's probably as close as it is going to get.

I used to think that too. Maybe one day you will understand.

(By the way I'm joking and just mimicking your 'You'll understand when you become a parent' thing).

Fair enough.

 

[StephanieSomer]

Hi all. Can we really still commnunicate directly with Christ? He died 2000 years ago as we know but when some of us say he appeared to us in a vision of some sort well, there is no way to verify this or is there? How can we distinguish between our own self-suggestion / imagination as oppose to direct, real experience of communication?

Yeah, He died 2000 years ago. But, He was only dead for 3 days.

 

[bhsmte]

Not at all. My "joking" statement related more toward how most parents develop a particular sense that allows them to "just know" when their children do things they are not supposed to.

Sure, I raise three kids. I could say the same thing about anyone I know very well. When you come to know someone's behavior and their traits, you can use that experience to sense when something is not right.

 

[BL2KTN]

I have received a non-verbal, non-physical message from Rick Moranis that the universe sits on the back of a giant turtle. Those of you who do not believe it will be water-boarded for eternity. I will share no details whatsoever with you about this message, except to tell you to keep our ears open. I know this was real and not delusional, just because. Also, if you had kids, you'd understand this.

^The words are changed, the message the same... who would take the purveyor of the above message seriously? Truth is we'd be recommending a shrink. But because more people believe in ancient Canaanite gods mixed into one, we'll listen to craziness without really taking it to task.

 

[edens]

Hi all. Can we really still commnunicate directly with Christ? He died 2000 years ago as we know but when some of us say he appeared to us in a vision of some sort well, there is no way to verify this or is there? How can we distinguish between our own self-suggestion / imagination as oppose to direct, real experience of communication?

Some can, some have spontanious near death experiences and the heavens open right up. I'm guessing pretty rare. Just look up"tony woody near death" on youtube he's got quite the story. He was a Navy Man as well.