|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 12:50 pm
Ametrin I have never had any such "special experience" like you guys mention. But it's alright and it's not a problem for my faith. Even if I had such an experience it probably wouldn't make a difference because how could I know that it was really from God and not just from my emotions? (People are very good at this generating emotions in themselves and convincing themselves that they have a spiritual cause, so if that happened to me I wouldn't know if it can be trusted as a "proof" of hte spiritual realm). Yeah, that was something that has always bothered me, how religious organizations exploit emotions the way they do... but sometimes emotion is part of the proof. Love is a choice, but it is evidenced by emotion, and that emotion is what motivates us to act. It is a fine line to distinguish at times, something of which we should always be aware of. Otherwise, if we are trusting entirely in our emotions, we will be swayed away from where we are supposed to be. I don't think mine was a grand experience, but it meant the difference between life and death that day, but I think it was really from God because I had no reason that day to feel Love or Peace towards my fellow people, and there was no one around to instigate those positive feelings in me, and I definitely wasn't in the position to foster them myself. Each of our walks are very different though, with similar elements. Some people will experience unbelievable miracles, and some people will just suddenly know what they are supposed to do, and what they are supposed to know. Sometimes I wonder if that is the difference between the Thomases of our day and the others who can just believe because they know it's the right thing to believe.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 1:08 pm
Ametrin I have never had any such "special experience" like you guys mention. But it's alright and it's not a problem for my faith. Even if I had such an experience it probably wouldn't make a difference because how could I know that it was really from God and not just from my emotions? (People are very good at this generating emotions in themselves and convincing themselves that they have a spiritual cause, so if that happened to me I wouldn't know if it can be trusted as a "proof" of hte spiritual realm). Fair enough. For me, well I wasn't around anyone when I had my experience so I know I wasn't empathing off of anyone. Secondly I've had the emotional experiences that are common for evangelical Churches, it's different in that I didn't feel like I had to "earn" that experience and I didn't burst out in tears because I was a horrible person who needed pardoning. It was enlightening of what my faults are surely but I also uplifted and "liberated". As for how you can tell the difference between spiritual experiences and emotionalism I don't have a clear cut guide and don't expect one. That's not my place to do something like that. But generally it comes from knowing yourself, being honest with yourself, and questioning yourself. I do question my experience. I could easily be an isolated case of epilepsy but I'm inclined to believe otherwise after reading that others within Christianity have documented this experience.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 9:54 am
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore - My experience isn't exactly special but kinda sad I suppose.
When I was growing up I was raised Catholic. Did 3 out of 7 sacraments, did CCD classes, went to Church a few times. So I already knew of God and believed he existed, but I had a hard time loving him because my relationship with my mother became very strained at a young age. My mother, let's just say didn't act like a mother especially when I was younger, but she was a monster. It sometimes felt that she wasn't my real mother but my adoptive mother even. Just by the way she treated me. There were a few times when she actually acted like a mother to me..but still. I didn't believe that God loved me, if he did then why was my mother...a monster?
When I was 12 I began questioning my faith fully and even strayed away from it up until I was 17. By that time my relationship got worse. It hurt a lot as you probably already know....her insults. When I was 17, I was dating a pagan who converted to Christianity, so I did the same. I met a bunch of judgmental Christians that reminded me of how strained my relationship with my mom was. It set off my little self-loathing complex a bit, caused me to be slightly suicidal. I turned away, came back but only lasted a couple months, same result.
This time what caused me to come back was talking to a heretical minister of Hypesterian religion I believe was what she called it. She was a very intellectual women who showed me the love of Christ in a sense. She didn't judge me in any way. Because of her love, and the love that my friends had always showed me regardless of their religious affiliation, showed to me that this could very well be God's own love: Unconditional.
It was by looking at the friends who have had my back for years, who understood my issues, my heartaches, my imperfections, and loved me unconditionally for who I was, that caused me to realize that this was God's true love. It wasn't God telling me "I love you uncondtionally" but sort of realizing it on my own by looking at what was around me. Especially the friends others would consider a corruptible influence lol. The way I see it, if God is loving and benevolent and is really omnicesent, who knows he probably did put this friends on my path to help me out when I needed help the most. And the judgmental assholes represents my issues with my mom, as a roadblock and how I should try and move over it....with a steamroller >.> Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 7:40 am
@Rai
That's beautiful. Just have to ask, I was looking up Hypesterian and can't find anything on it. Would you tell me what that sect is?
Edit: Oh Hypsistarians. From what I skimmed about them, they have some similarities to A&O, in regards to Mosaic Code.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 8:13 am
rmcdra @Rai That's beautiful. Just have to ask, I was looking up Hypesterian and can't find anything on it. Would you tell me what that sect is?Edit: Oh Hypsistarians. From what I skimmed about them, they have some similarities to A&O, in regards to Mosaic Code. `Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore - Yeah I can't spell XD
And thank you. I've been trying to write that testimony down for days but couldn't really focus on it. .___. Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 8:38 am
Ravynne Sidhe rmcdra @Rai That's beautiful. Just have to ask, I was looking up Hypesterian and can't find anything on it. Would you tell me what that sect is?Edit: Oh Hypsistarians. From what I skimmed about them, they have some similarities to A&O, in regards to Mosaic Code. `Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore - Yeah I can't spell XD
And thank you. I've been trying to write that testimony down for days but couldn't really focus on it. .___. Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.' Trust me, I know how that goes. I might need to disappear off line for a day or two to get myself back together.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
