How to Authentically Experience God

[bozo]

I think that delusion is a likely cause for most of these cases, however, I don't believe delusion can be the case of all. To have so many millions of people deluded would be something of magnificent proportions. But to look at it that something different is happening makes more sense to me.

Science is only beginning to understand human consciousness, what will it uncover in the next few decades or centuries?

Granted, speaking in tongues could be put down to a simple delusion. But healings? And there is enough people testifying to this AROUND THE WORLD that we can't dismiss it lightly. What's actually happening? I mean, sure, most of us have a friend who talks about it, and maybe he's lying, maybe he's being honest, or maybe he's deluded. But I can hardly believe that thousands of people are deluded in the same way.

As for that 'seeing future events', maybe something is happening that we simply can't explain. And like I said in the first post, I think it IS something science can explain, when it finally discovers the actual process. It's like evolution - before that, no one could actually say how the earth was created. It might have been a god, but that needed faith. Now we have an option for those who wish to believe in something factual, rather than something sentimental.

Or take metaphysics. Perhaps there is energy all around us now. It is not a 'god' as some might say, but a guiding force. It's the one that responds to prayer (there are studies done on the effectiveness of prayer), the one that responds to healing, the one that gives visions, that induces tongues, and any other amount of personal experiences of god. This would explain almost everything to do with religion. It might be nothing, or it might be the answer.

I think you've covered it athoughtfulman with delusion and the God of the gaps.

I know a person I very much trust who claims to have seen physical healing happen. I seriously doubt it. I also heard Roger Forster say the same, and I struggle to doubt him, but I do. Personally I have dreams of future events. I always have. These are events in my own personal life, that I then live through. It's like re-watching a movie in true 1st person 3D LOL. I don't associate that with my Christian belief. It's almost the opposite in that it's a very strong experience to dismiss logically. I now look at it in a balanced way I think, and attribute no importance to it.

I've spoken in tongues, the baby like language as a basic expression rather than the other type, speaking in a language unknown to me that someone else in my hearing will understand. I've heard people claim to understand some apparent jibberish, but I don't believe any of those interpreters or speakers, however sincere, were actually doing so.

I'll likely regret asking, but I don't understand your last para. What are you saying? Maybe you're talking jibberish,I know not.

And before this discussion goes further, I think it's worth pointing out that if anyone has any personal experiences of their own, may they not be ridiculed. This is about intelligent discussion and atheists would do well to try and understand where religious people (or atheists with religious experience) are coming from. We will get no where by writing each other off.

If this is a go at me,thoughtful man, you are out of order. I genuinely don't understand the last para of the post. ( Frodo hasn't responded to my post so I still don't understand ).