Spiritual Experience?

[Theland]

If you are not a, "religious," person, in the commonly accepted meaning of the term, have you ever had an experience that you would describe, in the absence of any other explanation, as, "Spiritual?"

[wizard69]

No...

[wizard69]

unusual experiances, some strange psychological experiances, even a few "peak" experiances. Spiritual? nah.
Nothing that couldnt be otherwise explained in the light of what we now know about the workings of the human brain.

[HJT40]

I am not sure whether this is the sort of thing you are looking for, but after my mum died I went to stay with my dad for a few days. On arriving in the house I went in to the living room at which point an oil burner, which was a half moon with a chain to the dish started swinging and had no intention of stopping, it went faster and slower. I was with a friend who also saw it, I took it as my mum saying she was still about in spirit, sometimes I have smelt her around me too. By the way I did everything I could think of to get the burner to move again and it wouldn't not even with me waving a piece of paper close to it or jumping on the floor! It was a wonderful feeling.

[wizard69]

HJT40...Theland would probably interpret that as a demonic experiance as he is a christian of the born again variety and anything that doesnt fit in with his beliefs is seen to be of satanic origin.Aint that right Theland?

[Theland]

Wizard69 - Spot on as usual! I don't deny that people have spiritual experiences, either from God, or from deceiving influences, that are extremely good at their deception.
It is amazing just how many actually claim to have had some kind of spiritual experience, and although, admittedly, many could probably be explained away by hysteria, grief, self deception, still there remains those that are unexplained.

[luna-tic]

Hello Theland, Please could you define the word "spiritual" without a religious meaning or attachment?
I could speak of what some may call ghosts,strange experiences and so on. Does that fall into your category of spiritual or do you mean a feeling of euphoria?

[Theland]

luna-tic - Any experience that is real, but defies a rational explanation. Yes, euphoria can in certain, unexplained circumstances fall into this category. People in the most demanding and dangerous of circumstances have reported feelings of a "peace" previously unknown, and unexplained, puting it down to the presence of a "loved one" (wrong) or the presence of God, or an angel.

There seem to be so many people that have such experiences, that, in my opinion, they cannot be simply written off as self delusion, even after some have been rationally explained.l

[luna-tic]

Well I've had many strange things happen but whether you'd class it as spiritual is....up to you.
A day after my Mother passed away I was lying in bed on my back when I physically felt as though someone's arms went around my waist. It shocked me so much that I almost jumped from the bed but on settling down again,it happened once more and it wasn't until about a month later I went to see a medium that he told me, Your Mother reached out to you twice.

[Theland]

luna-tic - That is one kind of common experience following a bereavement.
I think that such experiences are widespread, but, as Wizard69 correctly said of me, I believe that such experiences, although real, are a deception, to lead people away from the truth as found in the Bible.

[Lonnie]

I haven't, but after my wifes Great Aunt passed away. (my wife doted on her), she swore he face appeared on the television screen, when it was turned off, happened for about a month.

[wizard69]

In a similar vein to luna-tic (I really would change that nic if I were you---people might start believing it , lol) I was once pottering about in my house when as clear as can be I heard my mother call me from the my living room.However there was no one there and all the doors in my house were locked, but without a shadow of doubt she called my name.My mother trying to contact me from the other side? An impersonating entity? No.None of these as my mother is still alive and very well.What I had was an auditry hallucination, BUT if she had been deceased then what interpretation woul have been put on it by myself or anyone else?

[Llamatron]

I've never had any experience that could be described as anything even close to 'spiritual'.

Maybe if I had then I wouldn't be quite so skeptical about anything paranormal, spiritual, religious etc.

I guess I'm too casual an observer to see God's fingerprints on creation.

[luna-tic]

Theland, Although the experience I spoke of earlier may be common among individuals who have had someone pass away, it was not familiar to me as I only had one mother and I only had that one connection so far.
I know you follow the Bible. Most of the people that visit "Religion & Spirituality" know of your devout following but after the reply to my answer and wiz69's third answer to your question I can see where this is going.
I do not follow the Bible, any religion, guru or any of the usual attachments that come with that kind of faith but I do follow my own heart, mind and instincts. I do not condemn those that wish to follow a path of having a book to hopefully answer their questions in life but as much as you believe that my experience had some other motive then I will not accept the answer you gave because being rather blunt. What has the bible got to do with my Mother passing away or the experience I had?
If I don't follow the bible then how can what happened lead me away from it?

[Theland]

luna-tic - Your experience, added to the experiences of countless others, contributes to a seemingly comforting thought in the wider societal mindset, that death is not the end, (it isn't) but that we can know that "everything will be OK" because we have been sent messages, had experiences, that tell us so. A general deception.

[wizard69]

in your opinion Theland

[luna-tic]

Who's being deceived? I'm not the one regurgitating verses from a book at every given moment.
What happened to me was real, there were no satantic overtones, I was not tricked by anyone or anything and I went to the medium mildly sceptical and gave him no clues,not even my name.
I am alive and well at the moment and at this time all this seems like is a question used as a platform for you to answer genuine peoples replies with just because you believe in the bible then what we've experienced must have some other motive.
This is not the case.

[jake-the-peg]

You know Theland this is a very interesting thread.

You've asked people if they have ever had a spiritual experience, defined that as something that defied rational experience and then when two people described their experience you described them as deceptions.

Yet you seem unable to extend that to admit the possibility that your own spiritual experiences might be deceptions.

How can that be? Are your own experiences different, better?, purer? in some way than those of Lonnie and Lunatic?

It seems you trust the Bible because your spiritual experiences validate it, but trust your spiritual experiences because it's validated in the bible!

[HJT40]

Personally I am offended that you think my experience was "demonic" and of satanic origin as I believe it to have been a message from my mother who had passed away, as with other peoples experience on this matter. You really should think before you offer your judgment on something. I guess the only thing that you will accept as spiritual is something that comes under your definition! Oh the joys of religion!!

[Theland]

I believe what the Bible says, and I believe that the Bible is the true authoritative word of God.
So, I therefore believe that it is impossible for the deceased to make contact with the living, or vise versa.
People do have spiritual experiences of the nature you describe, but according to the Bible, these are not from the deceased, but are impersonations designed to deceive.
That is my opinion, based on my belief in the absolute authority of the Bible, which is trustworthy.

[jake-the-peg]

Like I said

You trust the Bible because it is justified by your experience and you trust your experience because it supports the Bible.

I'm not suggesting that you are mentally ill Theland but how could you tell that your spiritual experiences are not the result of mental illness? - I really don't believe you can.