Atheists: have you ever had a religious experience and what did you make of it?

[h4ym4n]

I always wanted to try psychedelics. Half my life is over now and still have t had the experience.

I wouldn't even know how to acquire them.

I think meditation is more interesting than psychedelics, because it seems to sharpen your thinking instead of confuse it.

After I meditate, I can often hear details in music that I would normally overlook - just like psychedelics seem to do. I watched a movie after meditating, and it seemed like the images were 3D even though it was a 2D movie.

I'm a beginner to meditation, so I'm sure it becomes even more interesting as you progress.

Thanks, were do you even start to learn this type of meditation?

Something you can learn on your own or need a teacher?

[Whateverist]

Naturalism, the idea that 'nature is best', is just another superstition. There's no reason to assume that normal brain functioning can't be improved, by training or drugs.

This is probably me being nitpicky but:
Naturalism is "the philosophical belief that everything arises from natural properties and causes, and supernatural or spiritual explanations are excluded or discounted.

Yep, that's my bias. It is all natural. However our knowledge is incomplete and our understanding unperfected. Drugs aren't magic but their effect on consciousness is what it is, and entirely natural.

[watchamadoodle]

I think meditation is more interesting than psychedelics, because it seems to sharpen your thinking instead of confuse it.

After I meditate, I can often hear details in music that I would normally overlook - just like psychedelics seem to do. I watched a movie after meditating, and it seemed like the images were 3D even though it was a 2D movie.

I'm a beginner to meditation, so I'm sure it becomes even more interesting as you progress.

Thanks, were do you even start to learn this type of meditation?

Something you can learn on your own or need a teacher?

I don't know much about mediation, because only started experimenting a year ago. I don't meditate regularly.

From what I've heard, it is best to get personal training from an instructor, but that isn't practical for me.

Here is a forum where people have answered my questions on meditation:
http://www.spiritualforums.com

[c172]

Eating a box of five peeps last Easter. I seriously felt face to face with death.

[tantric]

Given the way this thread has run, I have to wonder how the legalization of psychedelics would impact traditional organized religion. There are a few legal churches that use psychedelics in the USA - imagine a world where this is the pathway for full legalization, as shamanic and visionary religions become more popular. No entheogenic religion has ever gone through the process of becoming a national ideology like the world religions have, but still, I can't see União do Vegetal inspiring crusades or jihads.

[The Grand Nudger]

From what I've heard, it is best to get personal training from an instructor, but that isn't practical for me.

How convenient for the "instructors", bet they're the source of this little gem too...hehehe.

@tantric
Crusades or jihads? No, probably not. Cartels? Yup. Always somebody in the wings waiting to shittify a good thing, lol.

[Faith No More]

Apologies to the drug users out there but;
I believe that my conscious mind is the product of uncounted generations of natural selection. It has sculpted my anatomy and physiology to provide me with an unbelievably complex series of chemical reactions self assembled in to neural networks whose end product is my unclouded mind. Whacking that system with an external chemical clearly powerful enough to seriously alter its operation and believing that it improves the system is akin to believing that hitting a Rolex with a pick-hammer will help it tell time.
Subjectively, you may believe you are doing better work, psychedelics are famous for this. But only in a few instances (ritalin studying or epo/blood doping for racers or androgens for adding muscle) are the results actually improved performance in some limited way. And those interventions pretty universally come with deleterious side effects.

Don't apologize, but then again, don't expect me to think that your subjective opinon has any bearing on the actual validity of drug use, either.

What is your criteria for "improved performance?" You said it yourself, we are a complex series of chemical reactions, so adding other chemicals that alter your experience is not akin to hitting a Rolex with a pick-hammer unless you already jump to the conclusion that it is detrimental. Adding chemicals can certianly enhance your experience, or otherwise, psychotropics wouldn't have any success as a medicine.

One thing I have learned, however, is that drugs affect everyone differently, and some people drastically different. I've seen people completely shut down from smoking the tiniest bit of pot or act like they were on LSD. Everyone has different experiences with drugs, so to simply declare they cannot be beneficial to anyone is narrow-minded and a bit self-absorbed.

[Regina]

Well I was raised Catholic if that's what you mean

I was questioning it even as a kid though. Was wondering why they were reading us this fantasy-genre book, and talking about it like it was something that was supposed to be real.

I mean don't insult my intelligence. I might have been 5, but I knew if you attempt to walk on water, you fall in. Pfft.

I wonder how many children have thoughts like this? I remember have some doubts as a young Christian but learned to ignore them. That's likely what keeps people in the faith.

I was a stubborn bitch.

"It's a miracle" never did it for me. I wanted to know how and why, the details. Well, how do you turn water into wine? "it was a miracle"... Yes but seriously now, how, bee-atch?

Ironically I wasn't atheist as a kid though, I did believe in it, I just always saw the Bible as an interpretation, symbology.

[dyresand]

I wonder how many children have thoughts like this? I remember have some doubts as a young Christian but learned to ignore them. That's likely what keeps people in the faith.

I was a stubborn bitch.

"It's a miracle" never did it for me. Never convinced.

I was like you i was like.... this doesn't make sense.. a talking a snake a tree with cursed fruit....noahs ark.. and a guy who can walk on water no thanks.. ill just read harry potter. (tired and making spelling errors)

[Regina]

Right? I mean at least Harry Potter comes with a decent story, and probably still helped my morals more than the Bible.

It's no shade... but it is shade! hehehe