♦ Fuego ♦ Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 I don't think I've heard any voices since then. Seen a vision or two, once of Sekhmet as a spirit guide (very surprising since I've never previously felt drawn to Egyptian deities), once of sitting under a weeping willow on a warm summer morning with creek running nearby. This had meaning to the woman who was running the guided meditation. Please elaborate? I walked in on the end of a guided meditation by a local psychic (in a room at a mind/body expo), and in the meditation we were led by our spirit-guide to a room and were told that there was a box on a table. We were told to open the box and look inside. Mine was filled with about 7 books, which I took to mean books that I'm going to write. Then the psychic asked us to look up at our guide. I saw an Egyptian female with jet-black hair, but with a lion face, and she had a sort of Mona Lisa smile/smirk. This struck me as very interesting since I'd always gravitated toward Celtic imagery before. I had very little exposure to Egyptian deities and didn't know who it was initially. As I walked around the Expo, I saw a statue of this woman, and asked who it was. They told me it was Sekhmet, a powerful protector and fierce goddess. I have always been drawn to the dark goddesses since deconverting, so this was again interesting. I've since written one book about my deconversion experience, but it needs to be revisited and edited. I also found it somewhat humorous to have an Egyptian goddess helping me undo the god of the Bible. I have since seen snippets of her face in visions, but nothing as clear as that day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted September 15, 2013 Author Share Posted September 15, 2013 Fuego: Cool! That's great that you saw seven books, books you took as ones you would write, and even greater that you wrote a deconversion book! That's awesome. To others who answered the question: I do really think, for the most part, that the "voice of god" is really just the regular voice in our head and we've subconsciously run through different solutions to problems and come up with the best answer for us for situations. Or we make links between coincidental things because our brains like to make links. But I do admit that a very few voices and visions do seem to be more than that; it does make live interesting! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoddessOfWisdom Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 I don't think I've heard any voices since then. Seen a vision or two, once of Sekhmet as a spirit guide (very surprising since I've never previously felt drawn to Egyptian deities), once of sitting under a weeping willow on a warm summer morning with creek running nearby. This had meaning to the woman who was running the guided meditation. Please elaborate? I walked in on the end of a guided meditation by a local psychic (in a room at a mind/body expo), and in the meditation we were led by our spirit-guide to a room and were told that there was a box on a table. We were told to open the box and look inside. Mine was filled with about 7 books, which I took to mean books that I'm going to write. Then the psychic asked us to look up at our guide. I saw an Egyptian female with jet-black hair, but with a lion face, and she had a sort of Mona Lisa smile/smirk. This struck me as very interesting since I'd always gravitated toward Celtic imagery before. I had very little exposure to Egyptian deities and didn't know who it was initially. As I walked around the Expo, I saw a statue of this woman, and asked who it was. They told me it was Sekhmet, a powerful protector and fierce goddess. I have always been drawn to the dark goddesses since deconverting, so this was again interesting. I've since written one book about my deconversion experience, but it needs to be revisited and edited. I also found it somewhat humorous to have an Egyptian goddess helping me undo the god of the Bible. I have since seen snippets of her face in visions, but nothing as clear as that day. Hmm...thanks for that. I have a strange affinity for her, not 100% sure why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geezer Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Many Christians are certainly convinced that they have “experienced” god in some way. What they don’t factor into their experience is the fact their minds have been indoctrinated to believe that they will experience god in some real way. They also fail to consider the peer pressure, they are being subjected too as well, that “encourages” them to experience god in some real way. If “experiencing” god in some real way is expected by the group then the probably such an experience will occur is increased. I was not affiliated with the Pentecostals when I was a Christian, but I feel certain speaking in tongues is an example of programming and peer pressure. If a person truly wants to be part of a group they will comply with the group dynamic and mirror the groups thinking and actions. And if that requires a sit down chit chat with Jesus, speaking in tongues, or rolling around on the floor screaming and crying then that is what will happen. When I was a christian I felt like I experienced god more than once, but looking back on that now I realize I was just trying to fit in and confirm my "beliefs" were real to myself as much as to the group. Now I realize it was just part of the indoctrination process. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creative Posted September 25, 2013 Share Posted September 25, 2013 When you were still actively xian, did you ever hear god's voice? Did you ever get divine inspiration after praying for it? Was it good advice? I'd always hear in church, "Pray about it for an answer," and "Listen for God's voice." People would say, "I prayed about it and God lead me to this decision." Or simply, "God told me to do this." I never heard god. I never really understood what they meant when they said those things, but they were said with such *certainty* I didn't ask what they meant for fear they would look at me with pity. I was always well aware that when I had a big (or small) decision in life, that it was up to me to weigh the pros and cons and come up with what I believed to be the best decision with what I had. It never bothered me that I didn't hear "god's voice," but I used to kind of feel like those that did thought they were in some alternate "club" who were blessed to hear the ACTUAL GOD speak to them about whether to buy a new car or not. Or whatever. But did anyone here actually hear god talk to them? Do you still believe she/he/it talked to you? I think it'd be pretty cool, especially for some of those preachers that are "always" hearing from god. And if god never spoke to you, how did you feel about it? Did you think it was because of a failing on your part? Its called Psychosis If i would hear god actually respond i would probably shit my pants. Im guessing the way lots of Christians think god communicates to them in true the world around them. Like if they are thinking about buying a new car.. and then next day they get a flyer in there mail with huge car discounts its probably a message from god telling them they should do it. (silly example but can be applied to many things) This sort of behavior is very dangerous however. Especially when Christians listen to them. There are plenty of religious people that commit horrible acts because they believe god told them to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted September 25, 2013 Author Share Posted September 25, 2013 What geezer said above. I never actually thought of that, the group-think thing, which now seems obvious. I always attended very stodgy, middle-class, super-polite churches where the congregants greeted each other quietly and politely. If anybody would have ever yelled out "Praise the Lord!" or "Amen!" during a sermon, I am quite certain all eyes would have been averted and everybody would have been embarrassed for the yeller. So obviously, nobody ever spoke in tongues in that church! Isn't it something that those "gifts of the spirit" don't just show up randomly in all churches!!! Yep, programming, group-think, and peer pressure. creative, I definitely agree with you that religious people will pick out a random occurrence from their busy day, and label it a "sign from god." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted September 26, 2013 Share Posted September 26, 2013 I think it was mostly intuition. I have never spoken in tongues. I never heard the audible voice of god. My mother claims to have on both counts though I was not witness to those. I Have seen hallucinations, and heard talking, screaming, crying, singing, movements etc and dreamed visions that came true. I saw my third child in a dream (as a 3 year old) when I was about 4 months pregnant with her. I could see her face and features, eye color, watched her play and knew her personality. She was born just as I expected her and to this day her personality and face are just as I dreamed them. I had no ultrasound to tell me her gender so I could not have based my expectations on that. I had 3 miscarriages and also saw those children in dreams. The first a boy, the second a girl, the third another boy. I believe that the third miscarriage reincarnated in my only son, who I felt or maybe a better term would be "knew" god was giving me 3 months before he was conceived. I saw him too. How I knew these I now credit to higher self/intuitive understanding. Then I claimed it was a miracle and god spoke. Group mania is a very practical explanation for much church chaos. Personal insanity is another explanation. Some few may have highly tuned intuition but usually those are the quite ones and the loud ones are fakes on a power trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted September 29, 2013 Share Posted September 29, 2013 Not once did I ever hear the "voice of god" while I was a xian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted October 3, 2013 Super Moderator Share Posted October 3, 2013 I don't know that I ever really heard from god. I know that several times I thought god was leading me in a certain direction (usually a direction I wanted to go into anyway), but I never heard any audible voice other than the audible voices of other people who would prophesy over me. I generally relied on "gut feeling". I do remember someone once told me that the very hand of the almighty god had touched me and delivered me from my sinful desire to drink alcohol. I celebrated that night with a bottle of 20 year Scotch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milesaway Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Nope. I wanted so badly for that to happen, and it didn't. Looking back, it was my own instincts, and wishful thinking fueled by those at the church who'd give me the time of day. I made some pretty awful decisions there toward the end of my time at the last church, believing that was what god wanted, and I wondered if that was god's will, why was he screwing me over yet again? I thought, maybe I was right years ago, I really am a throwaway for god. At that point, my faith was on life support. Wow. Just thinking about this and typing this out makes me realize what a toxic environment I was in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pawn Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 I have "heard" a silent voice of God in my head a few times....but it was actually just my own thoughts. At the time I wanted to believe it was God, and so I did. But looking back, it is painfully obvious to me (and embarrassing) it was just my own inner voice pretending to be God... Religion caused me serious delusions thoughout my life. I believe it was the same thing with all the "prophets" of the bible. They heard "a voice' or "saw God"... delusion. Delusions can be very strong, just ask any schiziphrenic or Acid-head, most of them have "seen God" or "heard voices". Its quite common. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlwaysNow Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 About 30 years ago I did actually hear a voice very clearly inside my head, a voice that stated very compassionately, "Don't you know that no matter what you do I love you?" It happened on the night of my 30th(?) birthday while I was laying in bed and thinking about how my life was unfolding, a little confused about what I was doing with my life, but not really upset about it. I wasn't praying or looking for an answer from anyone, just ruminating about my life the night of my birthday. I was never much of a practicing Christian, though I was raised a Roman Catholic and attended mass each week into adulthood, but it was more like going through the motions while not really being convinced of the teachings. I never felt drawn to Jesus or the Bible, but I did have a regular meditation practice. It seemed kind of out of place because I wasn't feeling any real turmoil at the time. I am convinced this did not come from my own thinking; the words were not in my "voice" or tone and were as clear and loud as someone talking right next to me but inside my head. With my extensive meditation background I knew it wasn't some sort of subvocalization or thought stream because I was totally familiar with that phenomena; this was very very different. I was inclined to think it may have been Jesus/God only because I couldn't think of who else it could be. Whatever tenuous connection I had to the RCC eventually petered out completely, but I have maintained practicing meditation throughout my life. It has never happened since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheerbliss Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 Sometimes what people "hear" is what they want to hear. How many church leaders have been divinely inspired to take a bunch of pretty young wives instead of selling their stuff and giving the money to the poor? How many people have been divinely inspired to sell used cars or make payday loans (both necessary services) rather than shake down members of the congregation for donations or get converts for the church (probably harmful)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlwaysNow Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 I agree, Sheerbliss, especially when it comes to being "divinely inspired." In my view that is different than actually audibly hearing something inside one's head, which is what happened in my case. I've never ever felt "divinely inspired", and what happened to me was a once in a lifetime event, and it certainly wasn't anything I was looking to hear. I am still mystified by it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrGuitar Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 I used to think that inner voice was God I could sense it's meaning very clearly Now I think it was me Another time I was alone in my bedroom one evening and this wonderfully warm sense of love enveloped me it was amazing... it was reassuring, affirming it knew me intimately like it was gods spirit holding me it was warm and suffused me ...have never forgotten it having read the NDE accounts it reminds me of that somewhat One other time while in my room I heard a voice say my name as if calling me softly from a distance was slightly spectral have no idea what it was I am not atheist and do still believe I was created with a rich multiplicity of purposes am discovering them as I live Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisstavrous Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 I believed that I heard gods voice, but it was schizophrenia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts