How we handle very strange events in our lives

[Shempster]

Not sure how many of us have them but I am quite sure there is alot.
I mean STRANGE. Like when you hear a story from someone and they swear it was all real and you are stuck in a mini episode of Alien planet or whatever.
A guy I worked with gave me the old UFO abduction story and of course I figure he imagined it all.
I have told a small few people my crazy event and its resulting change in my worldview and scientific understanding. Of course nobody believed a word of it so anymore I'll just never talk about it.

So what reaction did you get when you shared this experience with someone? Did you ever convince someone that it changed everything? Or were you kicked to the curb like a puppy out in a cold dark rainstorm?

 

[Deidre32]

I had what I'd consider to be a 'holy spirit' experience, that caused me to turn back to faith, last year. I've shared this with a few of my friends who are atheists, and they love me so they won't mock, but they don't believe that what I've experienced had to do with the supernatural realm. But, two of my non-religious (not necessarily atheist) friends, said that it's caused them to explore further, that the experience touched them. For me, the experience changed my life, changed 'everything' as you put it, and that's all that matters. I share the experience just to share it, not necessarily to change anyone's views, or prove anything.

 

[Locutus]

I had one of these, once. It was sufficiently unlikely a coincidence as to be very convincing evidence of 'supernatural forces' to some who knew about it. I had a vivid dream of a very particular event just as I was waking for work at 6am - so wasn't sure if I'd heard it as a news story on the radio/alarm. When I arrived at work an hour later, I mentioned it to several colleagues and a sibling via phone, saying "did you hear about X". They all responded with 'what are you talking about, that totally didn't happen". I assumed at that point it was in fact, a dream. At 12 noon there was a worldwide media release about the precise event I'd 'dreamed', down to fine details. The interesting thing was that it had actually happened at the time I'd had the dream - 6am, but the information was not released outside of the remote location it happened (on the other side of the world) for 6 hours. I had no connection to anyone involved, had never been to the place, and have had any further information on what happened that day.

I remain entirely unconvinced regarding supernatural claims, and religious claims. There is probably a simple explanation for what happened, I just don't have it. More importantly, I don't need an explanation. It's just a curious and mildly interesting 'thing', good for dinner party conversation and a little light-hearted speculation, and that's about it.

 

[GrowingSmaller]

Life is a stragne normality.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Not sure how many of us have them but I am quite sure there is alot.
I mean STRANGE. Like when you hear a story from someone and they swear it was all real and you are stuck in a mini episode of Alien planet or whatever.
A guy I worked with gave me the old UFO abduction story and of course I figure he imagined it all.
I have told a small few people my crazy event and its resulting change in my worldview and scientific understanding. Of course nobody believed a word of it so anymore I'll just never talk about it.

So what reaction did you get when you shared this experience with someone? Did you ever convince someone that it changed everything? Or were you kicked to the curb like a puppy out in a cold dark rainstorm?

Never had one.

 

[Chesterton]

I had a vivid dream of a very particular event just as I was waking for work at 6am - so wasn't sure if I'd heard it as a news story on the radio/alarm. When I arrived at work an hour later, I mentioned it to several colleagues and a sibling via phone, saying "did you hear about X".

I dreamed that Ronald Reagan was shot on a city street the night before he was shot on a city street. I mentioned it to my dad because I was driving in a car with him the next day, and the report came on the radio that it had just happened. I'm not sure if he even believed me. I haven't mentioned it to anyone else until right now in this post, because it's embarrassing, but I know it happened.

 

[quatona]

Not sure how many of us have them but I am quite sure there is alot.
I mean STRANGE. Like when you hear a story from someone and they swear it was all real and you are stuck in a mini episode of Alien planet or whatever.
A guy I worked with gave me the old UFO abduction story and of course I figure he imagined it all.
I have told a small few people my crazy event and its resulting change in my worldview and scientific understanding. Of course nobody believed a word of it so anymore I'll just never talk about it.

So what reaction did you get when you shared this experience with someone? Did you ever convince someone that it changed everything? Or were you kicked to the curb like a puppy out in a cold dark rainstorm?

I hope that if eventually I had such a very strange event in my life I would still be very sympathetic to the skeptics.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I've had two experiences of 'seeing things' that weren't there. We've all heard that expression but now I know it's a real phenomenon. Those I've told weren't surprised as they too had strange experiences.

 

[Deidre32]

I've had two experiences of 'seeing things' that weren't there. We've all heard that expression but now I know it's a real phenomenon. Those I've told weren't surprised as they too had strange experiences.

What do you mean 'weren't there?' Did it feel like a holy spirit experience or...? Just wondering

 

[Ana the Ist]

I've had two experiences of 'seeing things' that weren't there. We've all heard that expression but now I know it's a real phenomenon.

It sure is...it's called a hallucination.

 

[Ana the Ist]

What do you mean 'weren't there?' Did it feel like a holy spirit experience or...? Just wondering

What was your experience btw? I'm always curious about what would turn someone from atheism/agnosticism.

 

[GrimKingGrim]

Literally have had none that I would consider strange. But Since I'm such a fundamental thinker I always assume every "strange" thing has a rational explanation

 

[Ana the Ist]

Literally have had none that I would consider strange. But Since I'm such a fundamental thinker I always assume every "strange" thing has a rational explanation

I honestly can't even think of anything strange...it's a bit vague though.

Are we talking about UFO abductions or when you happen to suggest the exact restaurant your wife was thinking about for dinner?

 

[GrimKingGrim]

I honestly can't even think of anything strange...it's a bit vague though.

Come to think of it I don't know what would be considered strange either. Like what would be strange? An abdication of gravity would be pretty strange. Seeing fish walk would be strange

you happen to suggest the exact restaurant your wife was thinking about for dinner?

Sir, miracles don't exist.

 

[GrimKingGrim]

Actually the strangest thing that happened, not to my life but it had some effect, was the death of all those cattle and fish back 2010. It was super odd and jarring to me and at the time I was still Christian as well as was my girlfriend at the time. She and I heard about this and she told me I should "get right with Jesus now (then) because he's coming back soon." She was what I call a "Jesus freak" so it was all supernatural to her. Me however, even though I was Christian, I was still cynical so it didn't register to me as anything more than a really "strange" phenomenon. I shall look that up now.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Sir, miracles don't exist.

Rofl

 

[Ana the Ist]

Come to think of it I don't know what would be considered strange either. Like what would be strange? An abdication of gravity would be pretty strange. Seeing fish walk would be strange



Sir, miracles don't exist.

Google fish walking...it happens.

 

[GrimKingGrim]

Google fish walking...it happens.

Not the legs fish or the land/pond fish, I'm talking about a sea bass taking a stroll through a public park.

*Googles walking fish*

My my those are entertaining fish though

 

[Ana the Ist]

Not the legs fish or the land/pond fish, I'm talking about a sea bass taking a stroll through a public park.

*Googles walking fish*

My my those are entertaining fish though

Like with a cane and top hat? I'd probably schedule a MRI...

 

[timewerx]

Not sure how many of us have them but I am quite sure there is alot.
I mean STRANGE. Like when you hear a story from someone and they swear it was all real and you are stuck in a mini episode of Alien planet or whatever.
A guy I worked with gave me the old UFO abduction story and of course I figure he imagined it all.
I have told a small few people my crazy event and its resulting change in my worldview and scientific understanding. Of course nobody believed a word of it so anymore I'll just never talk about it.

So what reaction did you get when you shared this experience with someone? Did you ever convince someone that it changed everything? Or were you kicked to the curb like a puppy out in a cold dark rainstorm?

Not unless they begin saying things there's absolutely no way they could have possibly known.

How do I handle it? B-movies and Cheetos.