How do you differentiate between "god talking to you" and "voices in your head"?

That's a big problem from a mental health diagnosis point of view, seriously, when some theists encourage each other to think voices in your head is normal.

Of course, your own brain will know what is convincing to you, and so it can seem just like what you think god would be like. It's not surprising.

(March 3, 2016 at 7:37 am)Fake Messiah Wrote: And again that is your personal watered-down version of faith that is not held by most people, who accept instead a personal god who intervenes in the world. I mean are we seeing all believers as fundamentalists or scriptural literalists, and that we neglect the “strong and sophisticated” versions of faith held by liberal theologians? But it's the same problem with "liberal" believers that accept scientific stuff like evolution saying “The Bible is not a textbook of science.” but that is a rationale for believers to pick and choose what they consider really true in scripture. You know "I'll just believe the 'good' stuff." Because Bible (and therefore Christianity) is clear about other religions that they are wrong and people of other faiths are not even human beings, you don't get to choose what you believe you have priests and holy book tell you.

Thanks for telling me how a christian should believe and interpret the bible. How can God be "personal" if he doesn't talk to us? I view a "literal" interpretation as interpreting the bible as it was meant to be interpreted. And by the way, I'm not a liberal christian. I think you guys want us to use a wooden literal interpretation.

(March 3, 2016 at 9:42 am)robvalue Wrote: How do you differentiate between "god talking to you" and "voices in your head"?

That's a big problem from a mental health diagnosis point of view, seriously, when some theists encourage each other to think voices in your head is normal.

Of course, your own brain will know what is convincing to you, and so it can seem just like what you think god would be like. It's not surprising.

How do you determine what is normal. If a majority of us hear these "voices" in our heads, maybe it's you who are not normal? How does it feel feel to be an atheist and know that you're one of the privileged few who have it right?

Feels pretty awesome.

You know, just the other day Zeus said to me "go shit on the stoop of the First Baptist church."

I said, "fuck off, Zeus."


Just because you hear voices doesn't mean you have to listen to them.

That could have been a dog talking to you.

Dog.  God.  Same thing.

Except dogs are real.

(March 3, 2016 at 4:38 pm)Lek Wrote: And by the way, I'm not a liberal christian.

And by the way I didn't say you were liberal I just compared you to the liberal by your own interpretation of the Bible, like liberals do.

(March 3, 2016 at 4:38 pm)Lek Wrote: Thanks for telling me how a christian should believe and interpret the bible.

If I was telling you how to interpret the bible I would tell you it's total nonsense, but you are interpreting the bible the way you want to and not how your religion tells you and when you start talking about how other gods, like Allah, may also be true gods then it's your own personal Christianity.
And when you pick and choose what you like and dislike from the Bible means you're bringing your own born in morality and morality from the secular society, like tolerance toward other religions or let's say tolerance toward adulteress, gays and what not meaning it's less actual Christianity and more secular culture and philosophy.

(March 3, 2016 at 4:38 pm)Lek Wrote:  I view a "literal" interpretation as interpreting the bible as it was meant to be interpreted.  

If that was true you wouldn't be saying "I believe Islam is a step toward finding God." because we all know the 1st commandment, don't we? - and we know what happened in the Bible to those worshiping other Gods like Baal or Golden Calf.

(March 3, 2016 at 4:49 pm)Lek Wrote: If a majority of us hear these "voices" in our heads, maybe it's you who are not normal?

Majority? The vast majority of people I know (and have ever known) are Christian. The only one I have ever known to admit to hearing voices was my schizophrenic uncle (I'm absolutely sincere here). None of us, believers or not, attributed his condition to religion. You wear as a badge of honor what I watched someone desperately try to overcome his entire adult life. My uncle was legitimately nuts; doesn't say much for you.

(March 4, 2016 at 2:53 am)Cato Wrote:

(March 3, 2016 at 4:49 pm)Lek Wrote: If a majority of us hear these "voices" in our heads, maybe it's you who are not normal?

Majority? The vast majority of people I know (and have ever known) are Christian. The only one I have ever known to admit to hearing voices was my schizophrenic uncle (I'm absolutely sincere here). None of us, believers or not, attributed his condition to religion. You wear as a badge of honor what I watched someone desperately try to overcome his entire adult life. My uncle was legitimately nuts; doesn't say much for you.

I didn't say I heard "voices".  In fact I said I didn't hear any words.  I said that God has spoken to me, the same as he has to countless others.  You can't have a "personal" relationship with Christ if he doesn't speak to you.