Arguement Against Religous Experience

[singhcity]

Have you had a religious experience?

Has anyone else on this forum ever had a religious experience?

If you have could you describe it?

if i had i wouldnt be asking this question tbh, but idk, bhai jugraj singh ji has had one (basics of sikhi), he says its like pure bliss but even he would admit thats its an indescribable feelings.

[buddasingh]

how can one reply to this arguement:

"If a mystic admits that the object of his vision is something which cannot be described, then he must also admit that he is bound to talk nonesense when he describes it." - Ayer

...OR everything else describable is actually nonsense.

[singhcity]

...OR everything else describable is actually nonsense.

haha nice !

[MisterrSingh]

There's a book called The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James which might be of help. It's quite old and the frames of reference are mostly from the Abrahamic perspective, but the overall theories and opinions he ventures are quite sound IMO.

[singhcity]

There's a book called The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James which might be of help. It's quite old and the frames of reference are mostly from the Abrahamic perspective, but the overall theories and opinions he ventures are quite sound IMO.

ahahha i have the book lol, this arguement is an arguement against william james, i like william james but i think he is narrow enough with his beliwf of what constitues a religious experience

[buddasingh]

Have you had a religious experience?

Has anyone else on this forum ever had a religious experience?

If you have could you describe it?

Think I've come close when listening to metallica's 'enter sandman' on the third repeat.

[MisterrSingh]

Is there a difference between a religious experience and a spiritual experience? Serious question.

@singhcity - It's a decent book. But you're right, the scope of his work in this area is quite narrow. A bit frustrating but unsurprising.

[eduardo]

Is there a difference between a religious experience and a spiritual experience? Serious question.

Great question, give me a few days I will answer it.

[kharkusingh1996]

Is there a difference between a religious experience and a spiritual experience? Serious question.

@singhcity - It's a decent book. But you're right, the scope of his work in this area is quite narrow. A bit frustrating but unsurprising.

religious experience perhaps can be a branch off of spiritual experience IMO

[MisterrSingh]

religious experience perhaps can be a branch off of spiritual experience IMO

I wonder if someone who has doubts about the existence of God, or a good old non-theist has ever had a spiritual experience that can't be explained away as the mind playing tricks or things of that nature? Or do only those who "believe" have such experiences? In that case do we "will" such experiences into existence? Or is there a deeper, karmic-based reason that you're more likely to such have experiences if you're open to that frequency of thought?