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It's all in Your Mind...
- Thread starter Nakosis
- Start date
Real as in material? Kind of the opposite of spiritual IMO.
There's only you in your head right? So I assume it'd be you showing yourself that this other entity in your head is only imaginary. Unless you think I suppose other entities inhabit your mind.
It will matter a hell of a lotor a heaven of a lot
It won't matter at all if it isn't real cuz we will never know the difference.
Well, what about now. Do you think we get some benefits now from spiritual pursuits?
Just a thought experiment.
Real, material. What you experience in your mind need not be material right?
If its "in" you then we are good right?
It need not have a physical reality, just like the experience of love is absolutely real, yet has no physical "love" object that exists disembodied as some "entity" somewhere in the material world apart from you, like those who imagine God is an "entity", like a mysterious Yeti, just hiding in a cave somewhere waiting for science to discover it.
But to put a finer point on it. You would never say to someone who says they believe love is real, that's it's "only in your mind". It's not. It's in their entire being, body, mind, and spirit. If you don't believe that, next time your sweetie says to you, "I love you", just tell them, "It's not real. Love just exists only in your mind, dear". You'll be sleeping on the couch and eating from the dog food bowl for a while.
It need not have a physical reality, just like the experience of love is absolutely real, yet has no physical "love" object that exists disembodied as some "entity" somewhere in the material world apart from you, like those who imagine God is an "entity", like a mysterious Yeti, just hiding in a cave somewhere waiting for science to discover it.
But to put a finer point on it. You would never say to someone who says they believe love is real, that's it's "only in your mind". It's not. It's in their entire being, body, mind, and spirit. If you don't believe that, next time your sweetie says to you, "I love you", just tell them, "It's not real. Love just exists only in your mind, dear". You'll be sleeping on the couch and eating from the dog food bowl for a while.
Could you say its not a material thing?
This report seems to show certain parts of the brain are involved in spiritual experience. I think I have read that response to music also involves certain areas of the brain. So all this is saying is that spiritual sensations are a particular kind of thing as far as brain activity is concerned, as music is.
Nobody has tried to use this to argue that music, or the sensations aroused by it, are not real, so far as I know.
Is qualia all in your mind?
I'm not trying to say real vs unreal.
Like I've read that the color pink doesn't physically exist. Yet we do see pink. So seeing pink is a real experience but does the color pink only exist in your mind.
Say what is not material? Things like meaning, truth, love, hope, faith, God? Sure, none of those are physical entities. But they are absolutely real experiences human being have. I am not a reductionist, where I see everything as reducible to physicality. But of course, there are physical components to these, obviously.
Can you clarify your question if this doesn't answer that?
Trailblazer
Veteran Member
Yes, I believe we certainly do. Spiritual pursuits are not only for getting to heaven, they are vital for living in this world.
Agent
Member
[16] For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
[17] For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
[18] For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
[19] Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
[20] For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
[21] Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
[22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, Rom 1
[17] For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
[18] For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
[19] Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
[20] For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
[21] Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
[22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, Rom 1
What I'm trying to get at is would it still be beneficial if spirituality only existed in our mind?
IOW, if there is a real benefit to spiritual pursuits, then maybe it doesn't matter if it is all in our head.
The point I was trying to make is that the experience is the same whether it is all in your head or if a spiritual realm exists that's separate from you.
That better living in this world, is heaven.
Thanks for sharing.
Well, sure. However we choose to talk about these things, however we might imagine or envision these things, doesn't change the reality of the experience itself. I suppose the best way to say it is, if it isn't true, it should be, because spiritual experience brings such positive rewards to human life.
Talking about these "transcendent" realities, is at best the language of metaphor and poetry, not the language of reason and logic. But we can talk "about" it with those, but it doesn't convey the actual content of it, only the possible context.