how does it FEEL

[seerly]

ok, so ive introduced myself in the introductions, got several views but very few replies. i was pointed in this direction to ask my question again. i will be honest with all of you and courteous and hope to receive the same in return. i am an atheist and a member of an athiest forum where i pitched this question under the christianity section to which i have received not a single reply from a christian, and they are there, but to be honest and blunt with you, they tend to ask questions rather than answer them. so, i was hoping i would get a much more positive response on christian home ground. this is my question:

i have always heard and am still hearing that christians FEEL god and jesus in their hearts, minds, bodies, souls. i would like this feeling explained. as far as atheists are concerned its purely psychological, in the mind, a state of euphoria in belief, surrounded by others in a state of euphoria through belief which simply makes it FEEL real. christians seem to speak of this "feeling" in a physical sense, it is an actual PHYSICAL presence within you that you aknowledge as truth and fact and real. i just want christians to explain to me how it actually feels. please explain what the physical presence of god within you actually feels like.
i think its a fair and unpatronising question, i hope you can see it as the same, after all it is you who say you feel it, so it can only be you who can explain it. i thankyou for your time.

 

[drich0150]

i have always heard and am still hearing that Christians FEEL god and Jesus in their hearts, minds, bodies, souls. i would like this feeling explained.

I honestly think this "feeling" is limited to one or two very specific denominational beliefs. Most of us are taught not to "feel" our way through our beliefs.

That said there is a joy/contentment found in Christianity that is hard to identify or completely explain.

as far as atheists are concerned its purely psychological, in the mind, a state of euphoria in belief, surrounded by others in a state of euphoria through belief which simply makes it FEEL real.

I've been to meetings like that and that "forced feel." is very attainable and identifiable. This is not the "feeling" one Gets when they know God.

Because when one who truly knows God, they know joy and contentment weather or not they are surrounded with like minded believers or not.

Christians seem to speak of this "feeling" in a physical sense, it is an actual PHYSICAL presence within you that you acknowledge as truth and fact and real. i just want Christians to explain to me how it actually feels. please explain what the physical presence of god within you actually feels like.

Can't really help you there.

i think its a fair and unpatronizing question, i hope you can see it as the same, after all it is you who say you feel it, so it can only be you who can explain it. i thank you for your time.

It is also a question based on the idea that you have a complete understanding of "our" faith.

 

[seerly]

I honestly think this "feeling" is limited to one or two very specific denominational beliefs. Most of us are taught not to "feel" our way through our beliefs.

That said there is a joy/contentment found in Christianity that is hard to identify or completely explain.

I've been to meetings like that and that "forced feel." is very attainable and identifiable. This is not the "feeling" one Gets when they know God.

Because when one who truly knows God, they know joy and contentment weather or not they are surrounded with like minded believers or not.

Can't really help you there.


It is also a question based on the idea that you have a complete understanding of "our" faith.

your response showed some promise at the beginning, then, sadly, fell to pieces. i asked you about the physical feeling, you said you couldnt help on that one. then you stated that i am claiming to have a complete understanding of your faith. i claim no such thing. i am an atheist, i am soley interested in proven facts and evidence and reality. i am asking you to explain to me your christian feelings because you are a christian in a logical, human to human manner. why dont you explain to me your understanding of your own faith? i will gladly reply in explaining my reasons for my atheism. you speal as if its a secret for those fortunate enough to be a christian, to have knowledge of the true truth, dont you think muslims and jews and the thousands of other faiths say exactly the same? is, for example, a muslim being pretentious to suggest that his god is the real god and a christians is false? if so, isnt it presumptious of a christian to say exactly the same about a muslim?

 

[ForceofTime]

Ah. I will try to answer this question as best I can, but I hope you will allow me some leeway.

First, it is like they way I felt when I was hugged by my mother as a child, as if I could feel a safety and a warmth.

Second, it is like being drunk but 'focused' as it were. When drunk, there is a feeling of a submersion, but with the feeling of God it is like a dance.

Third, it moves. It focuses in the heart, like a full and radiant feeling. Then it may move to my head or my belly and work out to my fingers and toes.

Fourth, the compulsion to cry usually follows for me, sometimes I have to stop it if I am in a grocery store or something so I don't look conspicuous.

Fifth, I then start to notice it in others. They start to change, a smile may happen or they may say something very beautiful, and what's better, most don't know why they did it! This is the most fun for me!!

Anyway, wonderful question Seerly, thank you!

 

[drich0150]

your

response showed some promise at the beginning, then, sadly, fell to pieces.

The same observation could easily be made of your original post.

i asked you about the physical feeling, you said you couldn't help on that one. then you stated that i am claiming to have a complete understanding of your faith.

Actually no, i claim no such thing.
I simply pointed out that a question that limits possible responses to explaining "feelings" must come from someone who believes that "feelings" are an intrinsic part of faith. Which as I pointed out, it is not.

i am an atheist, i am solely interested in proven facts and evidence and reality. i am asking you to explain to me your christian feelings because you are a christian in a logical, human to human manner.

As I pointed out several times to this point "christian feelings" are not an essential part of the faith.

why dont you explain to me your understanding of your own faith?

Because You did not ask. You ask that i explain my faith through your understanding of it.. through "feelings"

i will gladly reply in explaining my reasons for my atheism. you speal as if its a secret for those fortunate enough to be a christian, to have knowledge of the true truth, dont you think Muslims and Jews and the thousands of other faiths say exactly the same? is, for example, a Muslim being pretentious to suggest that his god is the real god and a christians is false? if so, isn't it presumptuous of a christian to say exactly the same about a Muslim?

No.

 

[seerly]

Ah. I will try to answer this question as best I can, but I hope you will allow me some leeway.

First, it is like they way I felt when I was hugged by my mother as a child, as if I could feel a safety and a warmth.

Second, it is like being drunk but 'focused' as it were. When drunk, there is a feeling of a submersion, but with the feeling of God it is like a dance.

Third, it moves. It focuses in the heart, like a full and radiant feeling. Then it may move to my head or my belly and work out to my fingers and toes.

Fourth, the compulsion to cry usually follows for me, sometimes I have to stop it if I am in a grocery store or something so I don't look conspicuous.

Fifth, I then start to notice it in others. They start to change, a smile may happen or they may say something very beautiful, and what's better, most don't know why they did it! This is the most fun for me!!

Anyway, wonderful question Seerly, thank you!

at last! someone who actually tried to answer my question honestly, i respect you for that, though all your responses could be put down to euphoria and a self satisfying belief that you are correct in your faith and knowledge. i thank you for your honesty.

drich. hmm. you just dont like answering questions do you? i got a feeling you are in a frame of mind that you are right and i am wrong, to the point of steadfast selfishness. your answer to my last point (that you so wonderfully seperated) was simply, "no". thats it? thats the best you got? i got a feeling you are going to pray for me tonight.

 

[Yekcidmij]

i have always heard and am still hearing that christians FEEL god and jesus in their hearts, minds, bodies, souls. i would like this feeling explained.

I doubt that describes the experience of all christians.

as far as atheists are concerned

Are you a designated representative of the unified atheist collective? I think what you mean is that as far as you are concerned...

its purely psychological, in the mind, a state of euphoria in belief, surrounded by others in a state of euphoria through belief which simply makes it FEEL real. christians seem to speak of this "feeling" in a physical sense, it is an actual PHYSICAL presence within you that you aknowledge as truth and fact and real. i just want christians to explain to me how it actually feels. please explain what the physical presence of god within you actually feels like.
i think its a fair and unpatronising question, i hope you can see it as the same, after all it is you who say you feel it, so it can only be you who can explain it. i thankyou for your time.

I guess we should think that because something psychological then it's not real? Maybe every euphoria that people have isn't founded in reality either? I have doubts that saying that because some phenomena is psychological or causes euphoria then it must be false. I went drag racing in an old '67 mustang a few years ago. I ended up beating a cop car in one race which brought on a pretty big euphoria that was founded on the belief that I just beat a cop car in a race. Doesn't it seem a little ridiculous to say that this was all illusion simply because of euphoria?

A phenomena bringing some sort of psychological effect on people or causing some sort of euphoria might be interesting, but it doesn't necessitate any connection to the truth or falisity of the phenomena itself. And speaking scientifically as you seem to like, you could never actually observe such a connection anyway. The best you could do is to make statistical inference with a certain degree of confidence.

 

[razeontherock]

ok, so ive introduced myself in the introductions, got several views but very few replies. i was pointed in this direction to ask my question again. i will be honest with all of you and courteous and hope to receive the same in return. i am an atheist and a member of an athiest forum where i pitched this question under the christianity section to which i have received not a single reply from a christian, and they are there, but to be honest and blunt with you, they tend to ask questions rather than answer them. so, i was hoping i would get a much more positive response on christian home ground. this is my question:

i have always heard and am still hearing that christians FEEL god and jesus in their hearts, minds, bodies, souls. i would like this feeling explained. as far as atheists are concerned its purely psychological, in the mind, a state of euphoria in belief, surrounded by others in a state of euphoria through belief which simply makes it FEEL real. christians seem to speak of this "feeling" in a physical sense, it is an actual PHYSICAL presence within you that you aknowledge as truth and fact and real. i just want christians to explain to me how it actually feels. please explain what the physical presence of god within you actually feels like.
i think its a fair and unpatronising question, i hope you can see it as the same, after all it is you who say you feel it, so it can only be you who can explain it. i thankyou for your time.

Hi, and welcome to CF! I agree with you, that this seems like a reasonable question.

Let me begin addressing it by saying that sometimes the feeling(s) are NOT good or pleasant. I can furnish Scripture to this effect, but I think my own testimony will suffice for now?

Trying to describe the good feelings that exist - - Scripture itself calls it "joy unspeakable." How then could I expect my efforts to be anything but futile? It truly is a first-hand experiential thing. You either have it or you don't.

Away from feelings, you asked about a "physical presence of G-d." This only appears to be easier because I have words to address it: G-d is a Spirit, and His words are Spirit and Life. Therefore it can be concluded that regardless of my own perceptions, and despite the fact that I acknowledge this as fact, Truth and real, no there is not a physical presence since Spirit and body are made of different stuff.

A better description of what's going on here is that when G-d first breathed Life into man, man became a living soul. So we know that when G-d's Spirit comes into contact with our body, we have an emotional response which can even be conscious. This is actually the process of re-generation, which is a more technically correct term for what we experience in this life than "Salvation." So you could say that the best answer to your question is that what we experience is "all things are made new." Our feelings, our thoughts, a whole new set of desires; a completely new nature. What makes this complex and a struggle is that the old nature doesn't get amputated or even replaced. We get a new nature, and the most natural thing to happen is for it to get crowded out! John the Baptist said it very well; "Jesus must increase, and I must decrease."

And now I'm left wondering if it could be said that I just declared to you the whole Gospel? I certainly wouldn't expect that much to come out of discussing feelings!

 

[ForceofTime]

though all your responses could be put down to euphoria and a self satisfying belief that you are correct in your faith and knowledge.

Yes. They certainly could! How someone else interprets it is up to them.

i thank you for your honesty.

You are welcome.

 

[ForceofTime]

Let me begin addressing it by saying that sometimes the feeling(s) are NOT good or pleasant. I can furnish Scripture to this effect, but I think my own testimony will suffice for now?

Reminds me of the non-biblical Acts of John:

90 ...I was afraid and cried out, and he, turning about, appeared as a man of small stature, and caught hold on my beard and pulled it and said to me: John, be not faithless but believing, and not curious. And I said unto him: But what have I done, Lord? And I say unto you, brethren, I suffered so great pain in that place where he took hold on my beard for thirty days, that I said to him: Lord, if thy twitch when thou wast in sport hath given me so great pain, what were it if thou hadst given me a buffet? And he said unto me: Let it be thine henceforth not to tempt him that cannot be tempted.

 

[Bear.Fr00t]

When the Holy Spirit came upon me it was indeed a feeling of euphoria and joy that is hard to explain. This is when I was beginning to believe what the Bible said was true after 17 years of being agnostic. My road to belief was not sudden and instantaneous, it was more of a buildup over days and weeks. Anyways, at one point I was laying in my bed reading the Bible and the feeling that overcame me was like being high on some drug, except there was no drugs or alcohol involved. I was extremely happy and the words in the Bible were so alive to me whereas before (when I was agnostic) they meant nothing and I put them down as fairy tales.

Atheist will dismiss my experiences but I know what happened, and Christians that have encountered the Holy Spirit will back up my experience. I know now that supernatural things do happen although they cannot be seen, whereas before when I was agnostic I was very skeptical about the supernatural.

 

[elman]

ok, so ive introduced myself in the introductions, got several views but very few replies. i was pointed in this direction to ask my question again. i will be honest with all of you and courteous and hope to receive the same in return. i am an atheist and a member of an athiest forum where i pitched this question under the christianity section to which i have received not a single reply from a christian, and they are there, but to be honest and blunt with you, they tend to ask questions rather than answer them. so, i was hoping i would get a much more positive response on christian home ground. this is my question:

i have always heard and am still hearing that christians FEEL god and jesus in their hearts, minds, bodies, souls. i would like this feeling explained. as far as atheists are concerned its purely psychological, in the mind, a state of euphoria in belief, surrounded by others in a state of euphoria through belief which simply makes it FEEL real. christians seem to speak of this "feeling" in a physical sense, it is an actual PHYSICAL presence within you that you aknowledge as truth and fact and real. i just want christians to explain to me how it actually feels. please explain what the physical presence of god within you actually feels like.
i think its a fair and unpatronising question, i hope you can see it as the same, after all it is you who say you feel it, so it can only be you who can explain it. i thankyou for your time.

Just as all Christians do not speak in tounges, we do not all have any special physical feeling that identifes when we have God in us and when we do not, other than our conscious that bothers us when we are unloving to others and makes us more comfortable with ourselves, when we are loving and compassionate toward others. I can only speak for myself of course.

 

[Lukaris]

ok, so ive introduced myself in the introductions, got several views but very few replies. i was pointed in this direction to ask my question again. i will be honest with all of you and courteous and hope to receive the same in return. i am an atheist and a member of an athiest forum where i pitched this question under the christianity section to which i have received not a single reply from a christian, and they are there, but to be honest and blunt with you, they tend to ask questions rather than answer them. so, i was hoping i would get a much more positive response on christian home ground. this is my question:

i have always heard and am still hearing that christians FEEL god and jesus in their hearts, minds, bodies, souls. i would like this feeling explained. as far as atheists are concerned its purely psychological, in the mind, a state of euphoria in belief, surrounded by others in a state of euphoria through belief which simply makes it FEEL real. christians seem to speak of this "feeling" in a physical sense, it is an actual PHYSICAL presence within you that you aknowledge as truth and fact and real. i just want christians to explain to me how it actually feels. please explain what the physical presence of god within you actually feels like.
i think its a fair and unpatronising question, i hope you can see it as the same, after all it is you who say you feel it, so it can only be you who can explain it. i thankyou for your time.

I do not know if this is answring your question properly but all I can say is that it is only from God that I would "feel" is to be certain of reality itself. God created matter and scientific explanations of how we exist within creation seem usually practicle but are bound to time ruled by the eternal God. I would consider the ever Virgin Mary (Luke 1:35) as the example of being a chosen vessel in time overshadowed by the eternal Trinity to bear the Son of God (God, the Lord Jesus Christ) in which those saved in time are brought to everlasting life in heaven.

 

[razeontherock]

Just as all Christians do not speak in tounges, we do not all have any special physical feeling that identifes when we have God in us and when we do not, other than our conscious that bothers us when we are unloving to others and makes us more comfortable with ourselves, when we are loving and compassionate toward others. I can only speak for myself of course.

I like that! I considered responding with something along these lines, but couldn't be succinct enough so I went in a different direction.

 

[leftrightleftrightleft]

ok, so ive introduced myself in the introductions, got several views but very few replies. i was pointed in this direction to ask my question again. i will be honest with all of you and courteous and hope to receive the same in return. i am an atheist and a member of an athiest forum where i pitched this question under the christianity section to which i have received not a single reply from a christian, and they are there, but to be honest and blunt with you, they tend to ask questions rather than answer them. so, i was hoping i would get a much more positive response on christian home ground. this is my question:

i have always heard and am still hearing that christians FEEL god and jesus in their hearts, minds, bodies, souls. i would like this feeling explained. as far as atheists are concerned its purely psychological, in the mind, a state of euphoria in belief, surrounded by others in a state of euphoria through belief which simply makes it FEEL real. christians seem to speak of this "feeling" in a physical sense, it is an actual PHYSICAL presence within you that you aknowledge as truth and fact and real. i just want christians to explain to me how it actually feels. please explain what the physical presence of god within you actually feels like.
i think its a fair and unpatronising question, i hope you can see it as the same, after all it is you who say you feel it, so it can only be you who can explain it. i thankyou for your time.

Euphoric feelings of God are not constant but come about at various times. Perhaps some people live in a constant state of euphoria, but I have never come across any such person. For me, this euphoria most often happens when I am listening to music (either in church or my own ipod) or when I am doing something mundane and notice the immense complexity involved in such a simple, mundane action. Generally I get really intense chills, often get tears in my eyes and want to just look up at the sky and yell for joy. Its a very strange experience and a hard one to describe.

I think these moments are what make life worth living. After I have a moment of euphoria I get incredibly motivated and my faith in the reality of God is strengthened because I can't see any scientific reason for having such experiences.

For example, one time I was watching my roomate pour out a pot of boiling potatoes. And as he did this, the steam from the water he was pouring in the sink billowed up and enshrouded him in steam for a moment. And for some reason, this very simple, mundane act gave me such intense chills because it was so awesome. Trillions of particles colliding and swirling around and all the amazingness of God's creation all rolled into such a simple action. For some reason it really moved me and stuck with me.

Another such instance came when I was listening to "The Scientist" by Coldplay and I had just got home from a friend's. I shut my car off and looked up at the stars (at the time I was living in the country). I broke down and wept. Very powerful experience.

Both these instances can be explained by science via psychology and brain chemistry. But, regardless of the brain chemistry involved I don't think science explains WHY the brain reacted this way in this instance. Nor do I think euphoria via looking at steam serves any evolutionary purpose, so why would my brain react that way? (For example, I can understand euphoric feelings during sex because associating sex with euphoria would be evolutionarily beneficial). I don't think reductionist science does a good job of describing the simplexity of the universe (complexity wrapped up in simplicity).

Similarly, the experience was subjective and you run into all sorts of problems with this because the euphoric experience that was supposed to be an experience of an objective God was inherently subjective. So I can't PROVE anything via testimony. But you simply asked to describe the feeling.

I'm also a bit of a mystic and I especially love Christian mysticism, so I don't think all Christians would agree with me or have similar experiences or views on "experiencing God".

 

[laconicstudent]

your response showed some promise at the beginning, then, sadly, fell to pieces. i asked you about the physical feeling, you said you couldnt help on that one. then you stated that i am claiming to have a complete understanding of your faith. i claim no such thing. i am an atheist, i am soley interested in proven facts and evidence and reality. i am asking you to explain to me your christian feelings because you are a christian in a logical, human to human manner. why dont you explain to me your understanding of your own faith? i will gladly reply in explaining my reasons for my atheism. you speal as if its a secret for those fortunate enough to be a christian, to have knowledge of the true truth, dont you think muslims and jews and the thousands of other faiths say exactly the same? is, for example, a muslim being pretentious to suggest that his god is the real god and a christians is false? if so, isnt it presumptious of a christian to say exactly the same about a muslim?

Since you are so interested in logic and facts, surely you know that self-reporting is an utterly sucky methodology.

 

[razeontherock]

Euphoric feelings of God are not constant but come about at various times. Perhaps some people live in a constant state of euphoria

The term for that is "all heavenly minded and no earthly good."

For me, this euphoria most often happens when ...

Glad to hear that you experience this! I've been away for a bit but noticed you growing and it looks like that is continuing?

 

[leftrightleftrightleft]

The term for that is "all heavenly minded and no earthly good."



Glad to hear that you experience this! I've been away for a bit but noticed you growing and it looks like that is continuing?

Yea, I've experienced this since I was around 16. I've always attributed it to God, but I don't know if that automatically makes me a Christian (Especially since, when I first started having these "God-type" experiences, I was most into Eastern mysticism, Hinduism and Taoism).

Although I do notice that when I'm putting time into spiritual things (reading Bible, church, meditation, writing music, philosophizing with friends etc), I get experiences more often and more intense.

 

[Asvin]

I know exactly what the feeling is.. it is NOT unique to a person.. that's right.. it is the feeling of taking all of your mistakes and "sins" out of your mind and putting it on someone else.. be it Jesus or your next door neighbor bob.. of course, I don't know if it is possible or if it has ever been done where someone just believed in his neighbor and blamed him for his own imperfections.. As long as bob never sees or hurts you, you will feel the same feeling!

 

[razeontherock]

Asvin, that's not responsive in the least. Here's the topic:

i have always heard and am still hearing that christians FEEL god and jesus in their hearts, minds, bodies, souls. i would like this feeling explained.

You're talking about something completely different, which kinda suggests you never had what the OP is asking about, doesn't it?