If there could be a God, couldn't people experience him?

[tumbleweed41]

...With this post I am open to any experience that people say they had with God, or not. My point is if there is a God, whoever the God is, couldn’t people experience him or her and couldn’t they know it when they do?

It's a very open question.

IF there is a God.
And IF that God had the desire and ability to communicate with humans.
Then yes, people could experience him/her/it and know it.

On the other hand, people can THINK they experience all manner of things.

 

[Sunstone]

You might want to draw a distinction between a religious experience and a mystical experience. When someone says they experienced Jesus Christ, that's a religious experience. It depends on their having heard of a Jesus Christ, because there seem to be no cases of someone who has never heard of Jesus Christ experiencing Jesus Christ.

In contrast to a religious experience, you might want to consider W.T. Stace's notion of a mystical experience as an experience that transcends cultural and temporal boundaries. That is, people in every culture and all through the ages have had mystical experiences -- and mystical experiences, according to Stace, tend to have common traits. For instance, they typically involve a perception of being One with all of reality. Not an emotional feeling, not a conceptual thought, of being One. A perception of being One.

 

[javajo]

In the last half dozen years, my dad has made frequent visits to the hospital. Once, right before surgery he was scared and he felt a very peaceful feeling he never felt before that he said was from God. Another time an angel walked right through his room and put her hand on his shoulder and told him not to worry, that she wasn't there to get him. And another time during a heart attack he was outside his body looking down on my mom and sister and was worried about who would take care of them. An angel or the Lord (I don't remember) comforted him and told him there was no need to worry because God would be sure to take care of them. My Dad often kicks himself for having been somewhat of a skeptic up until the last 20 years (he's in his early 90's).

 

[blackout]

I could say that All things are gOd.
I could say that I Am God.
And I often/usually do.

I can and do experience many of those things that are gOd.
As well, I recognize my own Godhood,
and experience life through the Divinity /Deity of My Own Being.

 

[Man of Faith]

A lot of people claim to experience alien abductions. Does this mean that they are correct in what they have experienced? Personal experience is not evidence for anyone other than the person who experienced it. The main reason for this, is because the mind is easily fooled.

Let's go with that for a moment. If someone said that there could be aliens, then could we assume that same person would admit that people could experience them? And if someone claimed to experience aliens, then what standing would that person have to say that the other person did not experience aliens?

Same thing with God, if someone said that there could be a God, then what standing would they have saying that a person’s personal experience with God isn’t valid? Or that the persons mind is playing tricks on them? You don’t have any sanding to say that a person’s experience with God is invalid, if you accept that there could be a God.

 

[Man of Faith]

Doesn't that attitude sort of contradict what you're trying to accomplish?

That is possible. It should be no secret that I am an evangelical Christian that accepts that the Bible is the inerrant infallible inspired word of God and the defense of that position will of course come out in my posts, even when I am trying to be as objective or neutral as possible.

Good catch.

 

[Tristesse]

Let's go with that for a moment. If someone said that there could be aliens, then could we assume that same person would admit that people could experience them? And if someone claimed to experience aliens, then what standing would that person have to say that the other person did not experience aliens?

Same thing with God, if someone said that there could be a God, then what standing would they have saying that a person’s personal experience with God isn’t valid? Or that the persons mind is playing tricks on them? You don’t have any sanding to say that a person’s experience with God is invalid, if you accept that there could be a God.

Yes, they could admit that they experience aliens, but I wouldn't believe them, based purely on their experience.

I wouldn't say that person didn't experience aliens. I wouldn't believe them, they would have to provide evidence, not personal experience.

What I'm saying is that their personal experience isn't evidence for anyone else. It's only evidence for the person who had the experience. It's not valid evidence for me, or anyone else.

 

[Man of Faith]

I liked the story of sweety_broken very much , I once saw jesus in a dream , I was very happy to see him .

otherwise I'd like to experience God in everything around me , through my prayers , supplications, at work , in talking to my friends ,my family . when I play with my son .
and even when I smell a flower .

evoking God in everything I face makes my life with more hope and relief , experiencing God starts with the desire in the heart to see God , and this leads to all sorts of experiences

Thanks for sharing. A lot of Muslims are reporting seeing Jesus in dreams and visions lately and converting. I believe that is one way Jesus is using to convert people where Bibles and
evangelizing are strictly forbidden.

 

[Tristesse]

Thanks for sharing. A lot of Muslims are reporting seeing Jesus in dreams and visions lately and converting. I believe that is one way Jesus is using to convert people where Bibles and witnessing to others is strictly forbidden.

Thats interesting because a lot of christians are seeing the prophet muhammad in their dreams and converting to islam. And a lot of christians are also actually reading the bible and becoming atheists.

 

[freethinker44]

Great, I'm getting positive responses. That's three that agree that people can experience God if there was a God or they aren't sure. In other words, evangelicals could be right.

[youtube]KX5jNnDMfxA[/youtube]
‪Dumb and Dumber 'There's a Chance'‬‏ - YouTube

As long as there is a chance right?

 

[Man of Faith]

It's a very open question.

IF there is a God.
And IF that God had the desire and ability to communicate with humans.
Then yes, people could experience him/her/it and know it.

On the other hand, people can THINK they experience all manner of things.

I will agree that it can happen that people think they are having an experience with God and not be. But I don't agree that is always the case.

 

[Man of Faith]

You might want to draw a distinction between a religious experience and a mystical experience. When someone says they experienced Jesus Christ, that's a religious experience. It depends on their having heard of a Jesus Christ, because there seem to be no cases of someone who has never heard of Jesus Christ experiencing Jesus Christ.

In contrast to a religious experience, you might want to consider W.T. Stace's notion of a mystical experience as an experience that transcends cultural and temporal boundaries. That is, people in every culture and all through the ages have had mystical experiences -- and mystical experiences, according to Stace, tend to have common traits. For instance, they typically involve a perception of being One with all of reality. Not an emotional feeling, not a conceptual thought, of being One. A perception of being One.

This is a good post. I have heard testimony of people having mystical experiences and I believe that they aren’t experiences with God. I heard one experience from a person that said demons took him out of his body to go see things and I believe that.

 

[zorrro]

There is a key to Christianity that few know about. There is a key to the door of the understanding of God and his true nature. This key opens up a door that leads to answer your question as to why we think we do not see evidence of his presence or his existence in our individual lives. This key does not belong to everyone and not everyone can obtain it. Few religions claiming to follow God actually have these key even though they may have had it at one time, perhaps in their beginning. Once you have obtained this key , then a magical door opens up and you realize what is and what is not in life and your personal relationship with God. Without this key a human being can be compared to a monkey with a gun. (Incidentally, you shouldn't give a gun to a monkey). Without this key humans should not be given a bible and if they have the bible in their possession it becomes like a gun to a monkey. It is not the gun's fault. A very powerful and almost magical scriptural wonder in the hands of a monkey is all the bible is without the Key. Where is this great key you might ask!! Well, I found it and I believe you can find it also!! Guess where I found it? In the book called the Bible. Please consider it like the Harrison Ford movie regarding the "Lost Chalice". Seek and you will find it.

 

[Man of Faith]

Yes, they could admit that they experience aliens, but I wouldn't believe them, based purely on their experience.

I wouldn't say that person didn't experience aliens. I wouldn't believe them, they would have to provide evidence, not personal experience.

What I'm saying is that their personal experience isn't evidence for anyone else. It's only evidence for the person who had the experience. It's not valid evidence for me, or anyone else.

Thanks for clarifying. What I think you are saying is people could experience God if there was a God, but you wouldn’t consider that as evidence for God for yourself. I think that is an illogical position because I believe I am safe in saying that you would consider other peoples experiences with other things as evidence in determining the truth. For example do you sometimes read reviews on items you are about to purchase and see what others experiences are in order to decide whether or not to buy, or ask others who have experienced things what it was like so you can be prepared?

 

[Tristesse]

Thanks for clarifying. What I think you are saying is people could experience God if there was a God, but you wouldn’t consider that as evidence for God for yourself. I think that is an illogical position because I believe I am safe in saying that you would consider other peoples experiences with other things as evidence in determining the truth. For example do you sometimes read reviews on items you are about to purchase and see what others experiences are in order to decide whether or not to buy, or ask others who have experienced things what it was like so you can be prepared?

You misunderstand what I'm saying. I'm saying that no one is justified in believing in god by someone else's personal experience.

I read reviews all the time and am happy to purchase items from good reviews. However, what were talking about is standards of evidence.

Let me give you an example. If you were to tell me that your name is Bob, I'm happy to take you at your word, because it doesn't make much of a difference whether your name is Bob, Fred or Francisco. You could be lying to me, but I would be willing to take you at your word.

Now, if you come to me and tell me that you had an experience where a Magical pixie appeared before you and granted you three wishes. I wouldn't believe you based purely on your personal experience. That kind of claim would need much more evidence to justify it.

And you know this yourself. It's the reason why you don't believe the claims that other religions make.

 

[Sunstone]

This is a good post. I have heard testimony of people having mystical experiences and I believe that they aren’t experiences with God. I heard one experience from a person that said demons took him out of his body to go see things and I believe that.

Demons sound like a religious experience, rather than what Stace identifies as a mystical experience, but whatever floats your boat.

 

[Blackdog22]

My problem with the idea of someone experiencing God is that there are lots of things that people hear? He, supposedly, speaks to all of these people. My problem comes from the idea that Zeus, God, Allah, Krishna, Satan, Mary, The Saints, Dead Loved Ones, Dead Animals, Aliens, etc are all talking to these people. How should an Atheist go about determining who is crazy and who isn't? If it is possible that one of these groups of people (with many people within each group) are crazy then it is possible they all are and that there is a psychological aspect at work here.

 

[Blackdog22]

There is a key to Christianity that few know about. There is a key to the door of the understanding of God and his true nature. This key opens up a door that leads to answer your question as to why we think we do not see evidence of his presence or his existence in our individual lives. This key does not belong to everyone and not everyone can obtain it. Few religions claiming to follow God actually have these key even though they may have had it at one time, perhaps in their beginning. Once you have obtained this key , then a magical door opens up and you realize what is and what is not in life and your personal relationship with God. Without this key a human being can be compared to a monkey with a gun. (Incidentally, you shouldn't give a gun to a monkey). Without this key humans should not be given a bible and if they have the bible in their possession it becomes like a gun to a monkey. It is not the gun's fault. A very powerful and almost magical scriptural wonder in the hands of a monkey is all the bible is without the Key. Where is this great key you might ask!! Well, I found it and I believe you can find it also!! Guess where I found it? In the book called the Bible. Please consider it like the Harrison Ford movie regarding the "Lost Chalice". Seek and you will find it.

The Bible is the key to the Bible? Oh... okay...

 

[heretic]

Thanks for sharing. A lot of Muslims are reporting seeing Jesus in dreams and visions lately and converting. I believe that is one way Jesus is using to convert people where Bibles and
evangelizing are strictly forbidden.

you are welcome , actually I think that people with different religions experience God in different ways, but for the same reasons . the problem is -for me at least-
a religion should not depend on belief in metaphysical without something tangible and logic to with it. seeing God or a holy man in a dream is a lovely experience but not enough

I read the Koran , the bibles , and others -as holy books- , each has a different
way to explain how to taste God in life ,and all are beautiful and worthy to know about.

 

[Acim]

How should an Atheist go about determining who is crazy and who isn't? If it is possible that one of these groups of people (with many people within each group) are crazy then it is possible they all are and that there is a psychological aspect at work here.

A) Crazy is the new 'normal.'

B) Pull plank out of your own eye, and will be easier to assess the crazies that are around you / in you.

C) Atheists or anyone don't need to determine sanity of fellow citizens. I understand that desire, but it is fruitless. Refer to B for reasons why.

D) There is no D

E) Speaking to OP. The answer to the question is "yes." But is plausible to understand it this way: If there could be (eternal) Life, then couldn't people experience Life and if they do experience Life, couldn't they know it (is or as eternal)?