It seems to me most of us super-sized chimpanzees try to squeeze mystical experiences into cultural clothing. For instance, if we come from a culture that posits the primacy of deity as ultimate reality, then we tend to think of mystical experiences as experiences of deity. However, if we come from a culture that, say, posits the dao as ultimate reality, then we tend to think of mystical experiences as experiences of the dao.
So far as I can figure it out, however, mystical experiences transcend all cultural constructs, very much including religious ones. In fact, I consider any interpretation of mystical experiences in cultural terms to be immediately suspect.
Moreover, humans are known to be lousy witnesses. If twenty people witness the same accident, there's an appreciatable chance that not more than five or seven of them will agree on the colors of the cars involved. Why should we suppose that mystics are any better witnesses than other folks? All else being equal, it seems to me a Chinese mystic who is convinced he experienced the dao is just as likely to be a poor witness as an American who is convinced she experienced Jesus. There may be a few exceptionally accurate witnesses among mystics, but how are we to differentiate them from the average or poor witnesses?
Just some thoughts.
But what do you think? And why?
So far as I can figure it out, however, mystical experiences transcend all cultural constructs, very much including religious ones. In fact, I consider any interpretation of mystical experiences in cultural terms to be immediately suspect.
Moreover, humans are known to be lousy witnesses. If twenty people witness the same accident, there's an appreciatable chance that not more than five or seven of them will agree on the colors of the cars involved. Why should we suppose that mystics are any better witnesses than other folks? All else being equal, it seems to me a Chinese mystic who is convinced he experienced the dao is just as likely to be a poor witness as an American who is convinced she experienced Jesus. There may be a few exceptionally accurate witnesses among mystics, but how are we to differentiate them from the average or poor witnesses?
Just some thoughts.
But what do you think? And why?