Reflection: My Religious Experience and My Atheism

I use my life experience as a counter-example to the claim that Atheists have never believed that they have experienced God at some point in their life . I share my religious experiences after turning my back on Christianity, and I also suggest an explanation for why people have numinous (spiritual) experiences.

All material used in the making of this video that was not produced by the filmmaker is either public domain to the best of the film makers knowledge or is intended to be used in accord with title 17 section 107 of the U.S. Code pertaining to fair use for parody, education, comment, and criticism: http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#107

Credits:
Youtube Credits:
Thundefoot:
Goodbye VenomfangX? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6KWOWR9rqw&feature=channel_page
VenomfangX:
Refuting Atheistic Naturalism Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx8nLBg-1YE&feature=channel_page
TED:
How it feels to have a stroke:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyyjU8fzEYU

Academic Credits:
Bart Gruzalski, On the Buddha. Belmont CA: Wadsworth, 2000. The quotation is originally from the Majhima-nikaya, translated by Bikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikku Bohdi. (pp 72, 16-20)

Clip Art:
http://www.pdclipart.org/thumbnails.php?album=42&page=4
http://www.wpclipart.com/index.html
Photos/Paintings:

Jet EFDA:
http://www.jet.efda.org/pages/multimedia/gallery/index.html
National Cancer Institute:
http://visualsonline.cancer.gov/
http://www.public-domain-photos.com/
wikipedia.org
wikimedia commons
Dude4Reason & SillyPanda85

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[LEYTONLOVER333]

Dude, I will attempt your assignment and then get back to you about your other observations/questions.  One thing I know, you are not dumb!

[Dude4Reason]

The "assignment" is intended for user Awaitingcertainty, who had the audacity to give me a similar "assignment." You might want to check out the book they recommend as well. I probably will not be able to read it myself for a while. Maybe in the summer. Perhaps if people do get a chance to read these books we can share our thoughts and observations here.

[Awaitingcertainty]

Strauss is a very good THINKER. He believes one must disengage oneself from the CHARM of the soul's experiences. But his rationality includes the possibility that there IS Revelation, saying Reason & Revelation have never been able to refute each other. Tho one must take sides. If you take the side of Reason, may I suggest Plato and Strauss? One COULD do worse... :-)

[Dude4Reason]

I don't explicitly deny the possibility of revelation. My question, and the question Strauss would have to answer, is how to determine that the subjective sensations associated with religious experience arise from a transcendental source and are not the product of mere madness.

[Awaitingcertainty]

I do not happen to be Jewish, but I assure you, he makes wonderful sense (an amazing man). His "Interpretation of Genesis" is also very enlightening. VERY enlightening! Be sure and read these: it's your assignment.

[Dude4Reason]

I am sure Genesis has some value for illustrating archetypes. Since you gave me an assignment I am going to give you one: Read Whitehead's Process and Reality, focusing particularly on Part V Chapter II: "God and the World. This is the most plausible description of God I have encountered. Let me know what you think. If you have trouble with the text, read chapter 7 of Whitehead's The Concept of Nature for background.

[kidwhocracked]

Great job! Thanks for sharing. I'm not an atheist myself (more of an open liberal Christian), but it was good food for thought.

[sheikhyaboooty]

The author Douglas Adams put it rather well I think..."It`s enough for me to know the garden is beautiful, I don`t have to believe that fairies live at the bottom of it"

[underdonkey5]

@DefenderOfReason

everything is subjective in nature. Science is simply a model of reality, created based on human prejudices about how we should perceive the universe.

[underdonkey5]

interesting.. I had similar experiences, but ended up being a theist agnostic. I take a different view point, even given similar evidence. What we are told, what we interpret through our senses (and thus what we can deduce) can be wrong. Indeed, all interpretation of reality is done with an evolved brain which is thus subjective (there is no objectivity). When I had a religious experience it felt very much like a knowledge that just 'was'. (though I hadn't eaten or drunk anything for 4 days!)

[underdonkey5]

interesting.. I had similar experiences, but ended up being a theist agnostic

[jxxcolgan]

Very interesting dicussion.

[DamienZshadow]

Very fascinating spiritual journey. I feel inclined to say I took a similar path from a Muslim standpoint with nearly the same result. Why bother trying to explain something that cannot be studied? It is the bane of our forecasting minds that keep on asking what happens next but continuously runs into the wall of death. In desperation, we seek to fill that void but to no avail.

It does indeed take a great deal of courage and control to quell the insatiable urges of the mind.

[natuankur]

its 'tathagata' not 'tagathata'....just saying;)....and in buddhism when they say non-attachment...its means eradication of all conditioning....and this includes the feeling of 'dissatisfaction' lol....neways good video...

[bruthaflex]

I appreciate your clear, thoughtful response. I am a Christian attending a philosophy of religion class at Boise State University. Your video enhances the discussion of religious experience, as well as causes me to reflect upon my own. I appreciate your civility.

[Ramshobraja]

Amazing video that deserves more attention. Reminds me of my journey from traditional hinduism into jehovas witnesses, then to yogic practices and now atheism.

[distancerunner]

Very well done, thanks for sharing.

[joejohnchris]

the existance of god will not be shown right infront of you that defeats the purpose of this life in which we prove ourselves so to speak.

[DefenderOfReason]

Religious experiences should in no way be considered as 'evidence' for any supernatural entities, since their origin is subjective in nature.....

[Awaitingcertainty]

Have you read Leo Strauss's "Progress or Return"? You can google it or get it in his "Jewish Philosophy & the Crisis of Modernity." Also in that book are two other great writings of his: "Why We Remain Jews" and "Jerusalem and Athens."

[Dude4Reason]

Thank you also.

[ozmoroid]

Very well presented.

[Dude4Reason]

Thank you.

[personalsinr]

Great video Dude4reason. Its actually the first one I've seen on subjective experience, and since its from the point of a previous believer, I hope it can hit home to other believers. Great work, keep it up!