From: Samantha Atkins (samantha@objectent.com)
Date: Fri Apr 04 2003 - 10:54:22 MST
John Grigg wrote:
>
> As I somehow imagine it, I would know an angel or God simply by the sheer physical majesty (intense glow, levitating, telepathy, overwhelming presence) and overall supernatural "vibe." You would not need any tests done, you would instantly know.
>
There is a bit of a problem with that. Given a suitable set of
attitudes/conditionings it is not difficult to kick off the
experience of a divine presence and energy about a being real or
imagined. Cults and guru figures do this all the time whether
or not the guru is really highly advanced spiritually or not. A
relatively advanced being or even a decent hynotist could
probably manipulate you into an experience of considerable
spiritual awe. But would that mean that the experience
corresponded to some reality, that it was a sign of being in the
presence of the Divine?
When I or others experience these grand unitive states and being
overwhelmed spiritually it is not clear where the line is
between internal brain states and something actually existing
that is being apprehended.
I like the story I read about Krishnamurti doing an experiment.
He went out to the field and picked up a perfectly ordinary
smooth medium sized stone. He brought it home, placed it on an
altar, and every day for a month came and made offerings to it,
rubbed it with oil, and worshipped in front of it. By the end
of that month he was pretty convinced that rock was indeed full
of spiritual power and very holy.
- samantha
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