That's the thing, though - quite a few people tend to blame an entire belief system/philosophy/group/lack of beliefs for something one particular member has committed.
Sometimes it's pointless to attempt reasoning with such people.
Oh, boy, where do I start...
One time I fell into a trance/hypnotic state where I was experiencing the life of a girl I had dreams of when I was younger. It's no one I've ever seen, let alone know. Nor do I know her name. But, during this trance, I've seen through her eyes, as if I was inside...
Thank you.
And, I share the same sentiment as you about religion. I, too, prefer it to be rational, but it doesn't have to be anything that's backed up by hard scientific evidence. It's a matter of philosophy, experience/my subjective universe. I've thought long and hard, and came up with a...
I used to be a hardcore atheist, until I started experimenting with my mind (hypnosis) and practicing the occult.
I had some pretty interesting experiences, if I can say so myself.
I do.
"God exists" implies, "I am 100% certain that there is a God. It's a fact."
"I believe God exists" implies, "I think God exists, but I'm not 100% certain. I could be wrong."
"I believe in God" implies, "God exists, and I believe that God will do whatever it is a God does."
If it works for you, and you're not harming anyone in the process (including yourself), it does not matter whether it is "logical" or not. Human beings, naturally, are not logical or rational. We may have "rational" explanations for the phenomenons around and within us, but we're by no means...
I'm sure I'll run into some eventually.
By the way, I am new to these forums. Are they sort of dying or the community is still alive and well? I do see some latest threads, but nothing spectacular.
I picked "other." My interpretation of gods is more Jungian. I believe in many gods but as archetypes within our minds that we can align ourselves with. Call it silly or imaginary, but the fact that these archetypes have a positive psychological impact (which can lead into a physiological effect...
From my personal experience, Orthodox Christians in general tend to be more "liberal." They're not bible thumpers, and they don't take The Bible literally.
I wonder if there are Orthodox Christians on these forums...
It's literally impossible for many different reasons. One being that violence, prejudices, and alienation/assimilation of others is in our blood. The second reason is because certain religions advocate violence and intolerance towards those of different religious beliefs or no religious beliefs...
There is no right or wrong answer to your post. All I can say is study, and do more research on Christianity, Hellenistic Paganism (with the focus on Zeus), and Norse Paganism (with the focus on Odin). Try paying attention to how you feel during those visions you speak of. Then decide what is...