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Contact with God?

NirvanaNoobNirvanaNoob
edited December 2005 in Faith & Religion
2 days ago in my Bible classs my teacher dicided to pray for us each individually. As she moved from kid to kid she would put her hands on there shoulder. As she put her hands on my shoulders and strated to pray I felt a strange feeling like a burning sensation like physical fire, but as much as the feeling felt tangible, it felt like something beyond this realm of existence which I cannot comprehend. What do you think it could be?

Comments

  • KnightofBuddhaKnightofBuddha
    edited November 2005
    I once had a similar experience in my church. I felt as if it was the spirit of God moving within me. I realized later it was only of my intense longing for some higher power to be with me and reward for my good deeds.

    Don't let me dampen your spirits though. Perhaps it really was God/Force/Spirit/Thor or what have you. Only you can know that.
  • zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
    edited November 2005
    It's a psychological phenomena producing physical and emotional effects, with no supernatural cause.
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited November 2005
    She may be a healer. Ain't got nothing to do with her belief structure.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited November 2005
    I have been fortunate to meet two genuine extremely adept and remarkable healers in my time: one was one of my Shiatsu teachers, a devout and committed Buddhist. another was a woman at our Catholic Church.
    The first was completely convinced that he was a mere channel for Ki (Chi, Qi) and that he removed blockages and cleared channels by merely acting as a 'go-between'.... the lady was convinced that the Goodness of God & Jesus Christ & the Holy Spirit had, for reasons she was unable to understand, chosen her as a channel for their Love and Healing. I saw no reason to doubt the beliefs and intentions of either one.
  • buddhafootbuddhafoot Veteran
    edited November 2005
    Knight of Buddha wrote:
    I once had a similar experience in my church. I felt as if it was the spirit of God moving within me. I realized later it was only of my intense longing for some higher power to be with me and reward for my good deeds.

    Don't let me dampen your spirits though. Perhaps it really was God/Force/Spirit/Thor or what have you. Only you can know that.

    Wow... that really struck home with me Knight. I've been around that sort of "happening" before.

    NirvanaNoob,

    I believe that in many instances, not all since I can't speak for all people, that you experience some things because of your intense desire to experience something.

    Who knows what you experienced? Maybe it was some sort of religious phenom - or maybe it was just a chemical transaction that happened within your brain.

    I wouldn't look at these experiences as, "Oh! this happened and now what I was believing is wrong!" I think you need to evaluate your feelings and emotions as part of your journey.

    You have to remember, there have been people throughout the ages that have experienced different forms of religious phenomenoms. From Christianity to Voodoo. Are these people and their experiences for real? Or is it because of their intense desire for something mystical to happen?

    I don't know - you have to evaluate these instances for yourself. I know you're on the fence about what you believe - between Buddhism and Christianity. I would say evaluate these feelings and emotions. If a Christian God is going to punish you for "soul-searching" - their not much of a god, are they?

    -bf
  • janajana
    edited December 2005
    Interesting comment about God the father and that is where I think alot of people who are Christians get hung up...I like to add the female to it as well Mother Father God, but really it is all the oneness of life and the divine mind. Love incarnate, whatever as is Buddha. Sometimes I am more drawn to the Buddhist way because it seems to take more responsibilty for ones self. I think if we agree we are doing what we have chosen to do then we are free to do whatever we want...what a relief!
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited December 2005
    jana wrote:
    Interesting comment about God the father and that is where I think alot of people who are Christians get hung up...I like to add the female to it as well Mother Father God, but really it is all the oneness of life and the divine mind. Love incarnate, whatever as is Buddha. Sometimes I am more drawn to the Buddhist way because it seems to take more responsibilty for ones self. I think if we agree we are doing what we have chosen to do then we are free to do whatever we want...what a relief!

    First of all, let me extend a warm and sincere welcome to you, and to thank you for your posts so far. It's nice to have you among us.

    With regard to this specific post, I have to admit that I personally sometimes feel a little bit uncomfortable about this approach to a divine presence, and its neutrality, and bracketing Buddha in as a parallel.... There is the danger that ultimately, every good and wonderful Living being will be embraced and absorbed into this maelstrom of Supreme essence... But then they would be Deified, which is exactly the one thing Buddha did protest about, regarding people's opinions and attitudes towards him... While I can recognise that the qualities he expressed and manifested were far more advanced than mine, it has been a constant teaching in Buddhism that we all have Buddha Nature, and we are all as he was. To liken him or put him under the same heading as a manifestation of the Divine, contradicts what he taught, and makes a nonsense of his teachings.
    You then go on to say that the reason you are "more drawn to the Buddhist way is because it seems to take more responsibility ofr one's self."
    Exactly.
    Whereas other Religions seek salvation and succour from an outside Source, Buddhism teaches that all that is necessary lies within.
    Sometimes, it is far more credible to nail one's colours to the mast, and to say, 'I have no idea what it is that drives me, but I'm here to learn', rather than to attempt to embrace every faith, creed, dogma, religion, and sentiment, but adhere to nothing, and end up with a namby-pamby vague hotch-potch of ideas, which actually do little to provide support and succour when the brown and smelly substance hits the high-speed rotating ventilator.....


    Pardon me, does any of the above make sense....??!!??:scratch: :crazy: :D
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited December 2005
    What you say makes sense to me, Fede., and it saddens me that the Christian churches have so distorted the message of Jesus. To many of us, the message is a call to personal responsibility. There is nothing in the Christian scriptures other than this message: the call to "take up your cross" is exactly that.
  • ajani_mgoajani_mgo Veteran
    edited December 2005
    The feeling you get is purely psychological - is the same among evey belief, be it a theistic, agnostic, or atheist belief - once you let go of the "self" you will feel this effect - only that the meaning of it depens on the individual. :doh:
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