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Atheist Forums › Community › Religion v
Have you had experiences you'd describe as sacred, mystical and/or religious?

Poll: Have you had such experiences?
This poll is closed.
No, I don't believe I have or am quite certain I have not.
23.94%
 17 23.94%
Maybe, but it was too indistinct to be sure and/or is too poorly remembered to describe in any detail.
1.41%
 1 1.41%
Yes, I believe so or am quite certain that I have.
9.86%
 7 9.86%
What I experienced could be described as a merging with something greater than or less narrow than my ordinary self.
4.23%
 3 4.23%
What I experienced could be described as a kind of disembodied or general awareness in which I was more a spectator than an actor.
5.63%
 4 5.63%
What I experienced could be described as improved perception and insight and a correspondingly increased sense of power or confidence.
4.23%
 3 4.23%
My experience was confusing, frightening or unpleasant.
0%
 0 0%
My experience was largely uplifting, energizing or euphoric.
8.45%
 6 8.45%
The experience I had made sense to me while it was happening within a frame of reference I already had. (Which one?)
8.45%
 6 8.45%
The experience I had has not been one of which I've been able to make a great deal of sense.
0%
 0 0%
The experience I had was one I've come to recognize as fitting a frame of reference I did not possess at that time. (Which one?)
7.04%
 5 7.04%
The experience has made an enduring change which is quite clear to me. (Regrets or glad?)
4.23%
 3 4.23%
The experience has probably changed me but it is hard to say exactly how. (Regrets or glad?)
4.23%
 3 4.23%
The experience was transitory and I now feel back to normal or largely the same. (Regrets or glad?)
1.41%
 1 1.41%
As a result of this experience, I now feel more connected to other people and/or something greater.
4.23%
 3 4.23%
As a result of this experience, I now feel different and somewhat more estranged from other people than I used to.
0%
 0 0%
What I experienced was a one time thing.
2.82%
 2 2.82%
What I experienced was spread out over multiple events.
7.04%
 5 7.04%
Whatever it was, it was something I'd like to experience again.
0%
 0 0%
Whatever it was, it was something I wouldn't expect to experience again.
2.82%
 2 2.82%
Total 71 vote(s) 100%
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Have you had experiences you'd describe as sacred, mystical and/or religious?
Neo-Scholastic Offline Donators
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#51
RE: Have you had experiences you'd describe as sacred, mystical and/or religious?
August 21, 2014 at 5:39 pm
(August 21, 2014 at 3:53 pm)Confused Ape Wrote:
(August 21, 2014 at 12:43 pm)ChadWooters Wrote: It may have something to do with the fact that many of the elite pagans, including the pre-Socratics, were initiates in various Mystery Religions.

And these mystery religions were designed to produce altered states of consciousness. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they developed from shamanism which was probably the very first kind of religion humans came up with.

Humans who have mystical experiences will experience very similar things because we've all got human brains. The interesting thing about it all as far as I'm concerned is the different interpretations and beliefs resulting from these experiences.
Similar experiences, yes. Could you not say that they seem to converge on something quite genuine? Could it also be that our natural state is a dimished state of awareness and the ethenogens temporarily allow us to transcend our normal limitations?
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Atheist Forums › Community › Religion v
Have you had experiences you'd describe as sacred, mystical and/or religious?

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RE: Have you had experiences you'd describe as sacred, mystical and/or religious? - by Neo-Scholastic - August 21, 2014 at 5:39 pm

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