Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Disciple · 06-12-2003, 07:46 AM

For the non-believer, how do you explain the feeling that having a direct relationship with Christ, offers?

There is much love, acceptance, safety, warmth, relationship, love and on and on....

Are millions of people just imaging these feelings? Am I?

seanie · 06-12-2003, 07:52 AM

When I was a child I was scared of vampires. I used to sleep with garlic under my pillow.

The feeling of fear was real

The vampires weren't.

Disciple · 06-12-2003, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by seanie
When I was a child I was scared of vampires. I used to sleep with garlic under my pillow.

The feeling of fear was real

The vampires weren't.

I have felt love many times, as have you I expect. To those that have never felt love, they may never believe in its existence. What are your personal feelings on the existence of love?

seanie · 06-12-2003, 07:57 AM

It's largely down to a chemical imbalance.

AndresDeLaHoz · 06-12-2003, 07:58 AM

Yeah, I felt similar feelings when I was about 10. And they were about a random, nonexistent girl I dreamed about.

Let's just say I don't rely on the infallibility of my feelings anymore. If I can feel for a figment of my imagination, then what's stopping me from believing it's similar with these jesus folk?

Disciple · 06-12-2003, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by seanie
It's largely down to a chemical imbalance.

Very funny! Seriously though, is that what you really think?

seanie · 06-12-2003, 08:11 AM

It's a complex behavioural response to a complex set of stimuli that at it's root has a physiological explanation.

Not that I've given it much thought.

Jamie_L · 06-12-2003, 08:40 AM

Well, in additions to all the people who get these feelings with Christ, there are plenty more who get this feeling with Allah. There are others who get this feeling from their Wiccan Goddess. John Travolta seems genuinely moved by his feelings about Scientology, which involves alien spirits trapped in our bodies after being executed by some intergalactic emperor eons ago.

Some people apparently get these feelings while preparing to blow other people up in the name of their religion.

So, are all these feelings the result of real, supernatural, spiritual experiences? That seems unlikely, especially when some of these belief systems (I'd even say most of them) claim that the other belief systems are false. No, it seems likely that at least some of these religious feelings are not supernatural in origin at all, but come from complex emotional reactions purely internal to the individual.

And, if some of them can be false, they could all be false. At the very least, there doesn't seem to be any good reason to believe a particular experience is true rather than false.

No one is imagining these feelings. The feelings are real. I believe people are simply misinterpretting the origin of the feelings.

Jamie

Disciple · 06-12-2003, 08:42 AM

When you look at it....you see that Christ has inspired people like Mother Teresa, but that religion has also in one way or another led to such people as Hitler etc..

There is something about the potential existence of a Divine creator which can drive Humans to such extremes of compassion and cruelty. I wonder why?...

seanie · 06-12-2003, 08:44 AM

You almost make it sound like Mother Theresa was a good thing.

06-12-2003, 07:46 AM	#1
Disciple Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: UK Posts: 22	Christ is felt For the non-believer, how do you explain the feeling that having a direct relationship with Christ, offers? There is much love, acceptance, safety, warmth, relationship, love and on and on.... Are millions of people just imaging these feelings? Am I?

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06-12-2003, 07:52 AM	#2
seanie Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Edinburgh. Scotland Posts: 2,532	When I was a child I was scared of vampires. I used to sleep with garlic under my pillow. The feeling of fear was real The vampires weren't.

06-12-2003, 07:57 AM	#4
seanie Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Edinburgh. Scotland Posts: 2,532	It's largely down to a chemical imbalance.

06-12-2003, 07:58 AM	#5
AndresDeLaHoz Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 567	Yeah, I felt similar feelings when I was about 10. And they were about a random, nonexistent girl I dreamed about. Let's just say I don't rely on the infallibility of my feelings anymore. If I can feel for a figment of my imagination, then what's stopping me from believing it's similar with these jesus folk?

06-12-2003, 08:11 AM	#7
seanie Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Edinburgh. Scotland Posts: 2,532	It's a complex behavioural response to a complex set of stimuli that at it's root has a physiological explanation. Not that I've given it much thought.

06-12-2003, 08:40 AM	#8
Jamie_L Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: U.S. Posts: 2,565	Well, in additions to all the people who get these feelings with Christ, there are plenty more who get this feeling with Allah. There are others who get this feeling from their Wiccan Goddess. John Travolta seems genuinely moved by his feelings about Scientology, which involves alien spirits trapped in our bodies after being executed by some intergalactic emperor eons ago. Some people apparently get these feelings while preparing to blow other people up in the name of their religion. So, are all these feelings the result of real, supernatural, spiritual experiences? That seems unlikely, especially when some of these belief systems (I'd even say most of them) claim that the other belief systems are false. No, it seems likely that at least some of these religious feelings are not supernatural in origin at all, but come from complex emotional reactions purely internal to the individual. And, if some of them can be false, they could all be false. At the very least, there doesn't seem to be any good reason to believe a particular experience is true rather than false. No one is imagining these feelings. The feelings are real. I believe people are simply misinterpretting the origin of the feelings. Jamie

06-12-2003, 08:42 AM	#9
Disciple Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: UK Posts: 22	When you look at it....you see that Christ has inspired people like Mother Teresa, but that religion has also in one way or another led to such people as Hitler etc.. There is something about the potential existence of a Divine creator which can drive Humans to such extremes of compassion and cruelty. I wonder why?...

06-12-2003, 08:44 AM	#10
seanie Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Edinburgh. Scotland Posts: 2,532	You almost make it sound like Mother Theresa was a good thing.

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