Does God speak to you? HOW?

by Quentin 189 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Curtains

  I don't know why I feel drawn to this thread but I do so I have returned to your original question Quentin

  An answer to this question is subjective to the individual an a posteriori experiene. However, can there be an a priori experence, one that is objective, outside the bounds of personel experiene, or does it remain subjective? God speaks to me, through many venus, except audible. For my part there is no chit-chat with the Creator. NOTE; your comments are not limited to the God of the Bible. I am interested in peoples spritual thoughts. Atheist are welcome to comment as well, your input is important to the discussion. Keep it civil folks, no need to turn this into a donnybrook. Everyones comments are of value. If it gets nasty I'll request the thread be deleted. Now, lets talk......

  In thinking about your opening post, my answer would be that the experience of god speaking to us (through the many avenues described in this thread) is neither completely objective nor subjective. For example there are echoes of all these experiences in diverse religious, social and political life in the past. At the same time when something is experienced what we subjectively experience is only part of a ripple effect going in both directions for example thusly < an experience> - so these experiences are neither subjective nor objective but seem to manifest when problems of living arise and when we are experiencing intense emotional/spiritiual/physical challenge.

  So in the past (we can say in order to undertand) we have these wave effects which are neither objective nor subjective. Whilst in the present waves are passing through and by us all the time - we become conscious of parts of these when we reach a stalemate/a break. How we choose to describe these events is up to us and is influenced by our lives. On this understanding I agree that atheists and believers are open to these events but will describe them in different ways.

  the above is how I understand it and I have tried to explain it as clinically as I can, but please feel free to disagree.

  watersprout - I so agree with your sentiments but from an atheistic standpoint
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  watersprout

  I so agree with your sentiments but from an atheistic standpoint

  How do you agree from a different standpoint?? I'm curious as i'm coming from the God standpoint and your coming from the atheist stanpoint.

  Peace
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  Curtains

  hi watersprout - I experience the same intense sentiments and feelings you do as in

  I have just realized that i haven't commented on how God speaks to me. So here goes. God speaks to me in Babysprout when she sings ''you raise me up'' and her little face lights up and her arms start flying about... When i feel unwell and she covers me up with a blanket and makes me a drink... When ''spring'' starts to bloom, the flowers open, the trees bud and the animals start bringing new life onto this planet. God speaks to me each morning when i open my eyes to a new day...God speaks to me when His son comforts me when i'm in turmoil... God speaks to me when He sent His son to teach, comfort and love me. Peace

  but I don't attribute them to God - I enjoy them for what they are.

  I'm also trying to connect with psac and aguest. The difference between me and them is that I am not an auditory person but more of a feeling and seeing sort of person and this is the impression I connected with in your post
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  watersprout

  Aaaaaah i see. Glad you ''felt'' that in my post.

  I'm very much an auditory person. But since leaving the borg i have been able to strenthen my other senses visual/kinesthectic.

  Peace
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  saltyoldlady

  PSac - Thank you for your sharing here - your experience was very moving and I appreciate it greatly. Salty
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  Quentin

  Glad you took the time to comment Curtains, an interesting answer to the OP. Lets see where my counter comment deviates from yours.

  I have come to believe that most, not all, people reason in the abstract wheather spritual ( I leave all relgion out of it, as religion is doctronial and restricts free flow of thoughts and ideas ) or, from the science point of view. Our abstract thinking sets us on a course of "thinking things" out. We continue to reason with subjective thinking, although anylitical reasoning pops up here and there, as we continue to move along "thinking things" out. Eventualy we reach a conclusion. Therin lies the conundrum, because the conclusion depends on the frame of reference we start with. So, I agree with your statement that our belifes and conclusions are neither completely objective nor subjective.

  The wave ( ripple ) effect you bring to the table is interesting. Seems to me that a wave affecting peoples thinking would depend on how far YOU are from the epicenter of the cause. Many people , even those, in the center of the cause let it wash over them without changing their thinking. While some far out on the edge once again start with abstract thinking and subjective reasoning, Therefore it contiues, past and present, changing peoples lives in various ways.

  Humanity is in a constant state of flux. Heard on the news this morning that after hard physical work a cold beer did more to slack your thrist and refresh you than a cold glass of water. Several years ago doctors were saying avoid eggs. Now they are saying go ahead eat eggs two, three times a week, there good for you.

  On this understanding I agree that atheists and believers are open to these events but will describe them in different ways. ( Curtains ) I agree, in this thread, I said there is no right or wrong answer. What you believe is subjective to your experence of life. You made a comment to that effect yourself. Here we find ourselfs leaning strongly on the subjective, or, objective, depending on our individual thiking.
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  OnTheWayOut

  From the atheistic standpoint, an event can move a person. It could be a song or a movie or something a child says or does. Certainly, people are more "moved" by their own children. In the song, "Cats in the Cradle" the father realizes his boy was just like him. That's a "spiritual" moment where no God needs to be involved.
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  Quentin

  "a "spiritual" moment where no God needs to be involved".....OTO...yes, a spiritual moment does not have to include God to be spritual...
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  Curtains

  Hi quentin, I agree with you in that when the experiences, the ones that are open/common to all humanity, for example, when they become our own personal experiences we then add our subjective take on them - if we are a buddhist we will recount them from a buddhist persepective and then too from our particular standpoint of being a buddhist, if we are christian we will recount them from that perspective and so on. But before they become our personal experiences these experiences are neither subjective nor objective - I guess we could call it the book of life and we are in it.

  otwo

  From the atheistic standpoint, an event can move a person. It could be a song or a movie or something a child says or does. Certainly, people are more "moved" by their own children. In the song, "Cats in the Cradle" the father realizes his boy was just like him. That's a "spiritual" moment where no God needs to be involved.

  yup - this is how I see it too
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  PSacramento

  Thank you all for the kind words and sentiments and for those that read it and certainly disgreed orcould have said something negative about it, I thank you deeply for respecting my feelings and those of others in this thread, truly, Thank You.