OT Spiritual or Religious Experiences?

I for one am already tired of debating Trump, and I bet you are too, no matter what side you are on.

Last week, while watching the latest political news, the wife and I couldn't take it anymore and started flipping around and ended up on this great program hosted by Morgan Freeman, called The Story of God. Really interesting - how different religions and regions and people try and reach God.

Have any of you had spiritual or religious experiences (call it what you will)? I have had a few.

One amazing one involved my sweet dad, who died suddenly in 1979 when I was 20 and he was 50. The week before he died, dad went skiing at Heavenly Valley. He came home, had a sudden heart attack a few days later and was gone. Several months later we developed the film in his camera. One was incredible. There was a picture of dad from that ski trip, in front of a sign for the resort. Except that a shaft of light from the sun overexposed part of the sign. So there it was, 5 days before he died:

A picture of dad with a shaft light from above going straight into his head and the word "Heaven" behind him.

That gives me comfort to this day.

(I also had some truly cosmic experiences at Grateful Dead concerts, but maybe those are stories for a different day )

I don't believe in anything supernatural. I believe that people will find "signs" to confirm their beliefs if they are looking for them. That being said, my dad who died about 4 years ago, and who wasn't religious, swore up and down that he saw an angel once.

I had a religious experience once many years ago.

I was on Highway 14 going home to my place in West Vancouver, where I lived at the time, from the East side of town. As I was approaching Pearson Airfield on my right, I suddenly had a feeling like I HAD to visit a large Catholic church in downtown Vancouver.

It was overwhelming. I never thought much of the place, other than I thought it was beautiful. But I wasn't raised Catholic, and I hadn't been in a church of any sort in years. And I had never been in this church.

Something was drawing me to this church, so without even thinking about it, I skipped my usual exit to I-5 and instead took the City Center exit. I went in to downtown, found the church, and parked out front.

I first tried the front doors, which were locked, then tried a side gate, which was locked with a small pad-lock. I then tried some entrances on the East side of the church, but they were locked too.

But...as I came back around to the front of the church, I noticed that the gate was unlocked. I swear it wasn't just a minute before. I actually pulled on that lock, and it wouldn't budge.

So I opened the gate and walked into a courtyard, where there was a small garden and bell, as well as another entrance. I tried that entrance, and it was unlocked. So I went inside.

I looked around inside, and there was nobody there. Not one person. No priest, no other worshipers....nobody.

I prayed for probably an hour, and it was slightly emotional as well. I thought about a lot of things; and prayed for guidance for many personal issues.

When I was done, I left the church. And as I stepped out of the unlocked gate....no joke....a ray of sun broke through the clouds and lit the entire church, and myself, up in sunlight. Just the church, and just that block of Downtown.

I actually stood and stared up at the clouds for a while, and I felt strangely at peace. Then I left and went home.

I've been back there a couple of times, and it's since become my favorite church.

I don't know if it was religious, but it sure was spiritual.

I wouldn't say religious, but when falling in love, there are moments that seem so blissful, so perfect, they seem to set the whole world in line. I've had overpowering experiences visiting a Concentration Camp in Germany, I've had moving times with dying loved ones, but nothing quite stacks up to the wave that comes over while falling in love.

Yes.

Every time I watch the Blazers play I feel like I'm in purgatory.

Fake news.

Jesus Christ Son of God said:

Yes.

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Would have been funnier if you said no

Chris Craig said:

Would have been funnier if you said no

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If you mean in the Pulp Fiction, "I can't explain it rationally but something just happened", multiple.

If you mean "seeing a supernatural thing", no.

my mom said when she was preg with me she went white water rafting. it was early in pregnancy before anyone says shit. i guess she went under and started to drown. she said she saw a bright light and saw her mom who was dead coaxing her to come toward her. she then said she heard a voice asking are you ready? she said she responded no because she was pregnant and she woke up receiving CPR next to the river.

it wouldnt surprise me that god wanted me on the earth, im pretty fucking incredible.

rasheedfan2005 said:

my mom said when she was preg with me she went white water rafting. it was early in pregnancy before anyone says shit. i guess she went under and started to drown. she said she saw a bright light and saw her mom who was dead coaxing her to come toward her. she then said she heard a voice asking are you ready? she said she responded no because she was pregnant and she woke up receiving CPR next to the river.

it wouldnt surprise me that god wanted me on the earth, im pretty fucking incredible.

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Or maybe your dad is a river eel.

I have many spiritual experiences all throughout life and the one common thread is I don't question them or debate them when they happen. Shutting off the internal dialogue and just breathing is pretty enlightening. Whenever I play music and there's no hesitation or struggle...it's pretty spiritual..I love going to cathedrals and temples and listening to the music...that was the biggest draw for me....music and harmony bring out the good in things...I think that's what people organize religions to experience together some common bliss.

if you're looking for say seeing signs ect. id say no. but when i sit back and meditate on life i tend to see god in everything. i', convinced the fibonacci formula is god's signature. it's found every where.



ol pastor mike is long winded but he really researches and thinks about stuff before presenting. i've always loved the work he does.

SlyPokerDog said:

Or maybe your dad is a river eel.

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hmm i see the resemblance actually. his head actually looks like my dick. same eyes.

rasheedfan2005 said:

hmm i see the resemblance actually. his head actually looks like my dick. same eyes.

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The Lord spawns in mysterious ways.

SlyPokerDog said:

The Lord spawns in mysterious ways.

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you dont have to call me lord. i know im your hero and all but im too humble for such a title.

SlyPokerDog said:

The Lord spawns in mysterious ways.

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My son collected those comics back in the day

rasheedfan2005 said:

you dont have to call me lord. i know im your hero and all but im too humble for such a title.

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a dog will call you master for the price of a bowl of dry dogfood

riverman said:

a dog will call you master for the price of a bowl of dry dogfood

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sly isnt cheap he wants whips and fuzzy paw cuffs to call me master

Honestly, no. I have had deeply moving emotional and aesthetic experiences, I have known awe, usually at nature, but I don't consider them spiritual or religious as that connotes something extra-material, or immaterial. I am amazed at what exists in the universe and on this tiny planet, and by the potential, of which we have occasional glimpses, of humanity. I am a secular humanist and rationalist. I need no supernatural explanations and in fact consider them an obstacle.

Further said:

I wouldn't say religious, but when falling in love, there are moments that seem so blissful, so perfect, they seem to set the whole world in line. I've had overpowering experiences visiting a Concentration Camp in Germany, I've had moving times with dying loved ones, but nothing quite stacks up to the wave that comes over while falling in love.

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I have a similar experience. I'm not at all religious, but when I visited a concentration camp years ago, I had a quasi moment.

Being there was incredibly humbling, powerful and life changing. I came back to the states a completely different person.


Once I was listening to some songs, including the theme "The Lord is my Shepherd" (while I'm not religious, I enjoy a lot of the music). I was at a low(er) point in my life, and when this song came on it felt like there was a presence with me that I had not felt in years. Actually, any time I listen to the song it, a calming and peaceful feeling overcomes me.

What about the issue of prison time for religious experiences?

Say it with me. 1, 2, 3...
LEGALIZE LSD.

LSD is not poisonous. Nobody goes crazy. When I last looked at FBI stats a decade ago, 20-some million people had been, was it arrested, or done time, for it. I forgot, but I was shocked by the 20 million number. This fucking legal system is the crazy one, not those who believe in freedom.

Religion is for people who don't know.

Science has now shown that 99% of the universe is invisible. "Dark matter."

To think your measly five senses can know and perceive all is, paradoxically, the height of both ignorance and arrogance.

Not understanding spirituality is for those that don't know.

rasheedfan2005 said:

my mom said when she was preg with me she went white water rafting. it was early in pregnancy before anyone says shit. i guess she went under and started to drown. she said she saw a bright light and saw her mom who was dead coaxing her to come toward her. she then said she heard a voice asking are you ready? she said she responded no because she was pregnant and she woke up receiving CPR next to the river.

it wouldnt surprise me that god wanted me on the earth, im pretty fucking incredible.

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Explains a lot.

Stevenson said:

Science has now shown that 99% of the universe is invisible. "Dark matter."

To think your measly five senses can know and perceive all is, paradoxically, the height of both ignorance and arrogance.

Not understanding spirituality is for those that don't know.

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I get the first two lines, but line 3 you seem to be saying that because most of the universe is dark matter/dark energy that we can't perceive by normal (what we consider normal) means, therefore we need to understand spirituality? Am I misunderstanding? I accept the first two. They just mean that we humans evolved on earth with senses tuned to our terrestrial environment, but it does not mean dark matter/energy is in any way immaterial or spiritual.

Please clarify. Thank you.

Stevenson said:

Science has now shown that 99% of the universe is invisible. "Dark matter."

To think your measly five senses can know and perceive all is, paradoxically, the height of both ignorance and arrogance.

Not understanding spirituality is for those that don't know.

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To assume that all others are limited to only 5 senses, or a 19th century understanding of "science", is the height of both ignorance and arrogance.

jlprk said:

What about the issue of prison time for religious experiences?

Say it with me. 1, 2, 3...
LEGALIZE LSD.

LSD is not poisonous. Nobody goes crazy. When I last looked at FBI stats a decade ago, 20-some million people had been, was it arrested, or done time, for it. I forgot, but I was shocked by the 20 million number. This fucking legal system is the crazy one, not those who believe in freedom.

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Have you met Mags?

rasheedfan2005 said:

if you're looking for say seeing signs ect. id say no. but when i sit back and meditate on life i tend to see god in everything. i', convinced the fibonacci formula is god's signature. it's found every where.



ol pastor mike is long winded but he really researches and thinks about stuff before presenting. i've always loved the work he does.

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I like like the guy, but he is like a dumbass version of Bill Nye. All of his conclusions just go back to biblical verses,which don't exactly explain science very well. Like I said, I like the guy just not compelling arguments for a thinking person.