thunderbolt Posted January 1, 2006 Share Posted January 1, 2006 As I work through rationally coming to grips with some of my old spiritual experiences, something struck me which never dawned on me before: As I have explained, my home language is not English, and when I became a Christian, I was part of a church that preached and read out of a Bible using my home language. About eighteen months later, I moved to a large city within my home country, and really couldn’t find a church that I liked which used my home language. Thus began a journey of starting to read the Bible in English and hearing all my sermons and experiences in English. Actually, since then, I gradually lost my ability to speak my home language in exactly the same way I did growing up. Because I started thinking about certain words and concepts in English, I invariably reverted to having trouble expressing those thoughts in my home language, and I really started to slang it quite a bit. But the most peculiar thing that only dawned on me last night was that God also started “speaking” English to me during this switch. It’s just funny that God would do something like that, thus, no matter how “authentic” those experience sounded to me at the time, I can only conclude that it was a product of my own subconscious mind. I thought this might help someone who struggles with the whole question of what you do with those things you “heard” since not everyone have the luxury to experience linguistic changes in this way. Keep safe and happy 2006! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandora Posted January 1, 2006 Share Posted January 1, 2006 Wow, that was fascinating. Thanks for posting it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythra Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 That was interesting, educk. BTW, what was your native tongue? I had a thing that, when I prayed, I believed that the Holy Spirit was confirming things to me when I got kinda tingly all over. After I escaped, I realized that I can produce this same tingly feeling at will by closing my eyes and rolling my eyeballs back in my head. There. I just did it. Thus sayeth the LORD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderbolt Posted January 3, 2006 Author Share Posted January 3, 2006 Hey Mythra My native tongue is Afrikaans (a derivative of Dutch) Yeah, and I have been able to produce brain "states" just using ordinary binaural beats. I think your typical church service is nothing more than a mass hypnosis session. Not in the stage hypnosis context, but simply in the context of producing state of mind. Looking back I think to myself: “What a fool you were!” :-0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godlessgrrl Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Funny how that language thing works. I took Latin and Greek, and remember being told that when you become really really familiar with a language you'll actually start dreaming in that language. Maybe what happened to you is something related... Fascinating, in any case. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 But the most peculiar thing that only dawned on me last night was that God also started “speaking” English to me during this switch. It’s just funny that God would do something like that, thus, no matter how “authentic” those experience sounded to me at the time, I can only conclude that it was a product of my own subconscious mind. That's fascinating and a bit of confirmation of what I believe most of us now assume. gradually lost my ability to speak my home language in exactly the same way I did growing up. Because I started thinking about certain words and concepts in English, I invariably reverted to having trouble expressing those thoughts in my home language, and I really started to slang it quite a bit. My wife has this same problem and now when she forgets the names of common items in her native tongue her friends laugh at her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kelleee Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 As I work through rationally coming to grips with some of my old spiritual experiences, something struck me which never dawned on me before: As I have explained, my home language is not English, and when I became a Christian, I was part of a church that preached and read out of a Bible using my home language. About eighteen months later, I moved to a large city within my home country, and really couldn’t find a church that I liked which used my home language. Thus began a journey of starting to read the Bible in English and hearing all my sermons and experiences in English. Actually, since then, I gradually lost my ability to speak my home language in exactly the same way I did growing up. Because I started thinking about certain words and concepts in English, I invariably reverted to having trouble expressing those thoughts in my home language, and I really started to slang it quite a bit. But the most peculiar thing that only dawned on me last night was that God also started “speaking” English to me during this switch. It’s just funny that God would do something like that, thus, no matter how “authentic” those experience sounded to me at the time, I can only conclude that it was a product of my own subconscious mind. I thought this might help someone who struggles with the whole question of what you do with those things you “heard” since not everyone have the luxury to experience linguistic changes in this way. Keep safe and happy 2006! Great post! Do we even need a language to hear God? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandora Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Where in South Africa are you from, educk? Not that I think you are him, but I dated a guy from S. Africa during high school. Interesting experience... he would tell me sweet things in Afrikaans, and he had the most beautiful accent. He was also extremely racist and much older than me... looking back, I think he was looking to marry someone so he could stay here. He was being sponsored by a Nazarene conservative Christian church and for some reason, that was going sour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderbolt Posted January 3, 2006 Author Share Posted January 3, 2006 Hahaha Not me – promise! I was born in Namibia, lived there till I was 12, moved to South Africa and grew up in a smaller city, but ultimately moved to Cape Town before immigrating to the USA. Been here almost six years. Sorry about the racist thing, but the majority of white people in SA are not racists as the media portrayed them to be. I fondly remember the first time I was allowed to vote. It was a referendum to decide whether to release Mandela from prison or not. Like 75% of other withes, I voted YES! But other than that, I could probably charm you with my accent as well, although I have lost much of it. I just got so tired of explaining myself twice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandora Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 The racist thing did bother me, but I knew it was rare compared to the Apartheid days. He would call blacks "coffers" and would refuse to drive through black areas of town. He would, however, pick up any hitch hiker we came across, black or white. He was a very interesting man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderbolt Posted January 3, 2006 Author Share Posted January 3, 2006 Seriously, it was very confusing growing up. For instance, I only encountered the reality of "freedom of speech" when landing on the shores of the USA. It was a shock to my system, but I cannot have it any other way. I think his reaction was based on fear, because even today back in SA I will not drive in a black township, not because of any race reason, but because statistically speaking your changes of being attacked is very high. It's hard to explain to anyone who did not grow up there. My mother was attacked two years ago and stabbed with knives, simply to get to her handbag. But I have honestly been able to analyze the situation from both sides of the coin. Actually, the correct word is "kaffers" almost like what the extreme Muslim calls the godless "kaffir" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandora Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Yes, he often spoke of how his family was under attack by some specifc group. His cousin had been murdered, so I can understand the fear. Apparently, his family had hired many black people on their property... I don't remember the details though. Sorry for hijacking the thread! I can only hope that he came to the same realization about Christianity that we did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loves_learning Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 So, I'm guessing that you grew up in a Calivinist christian tradition? The Afrikaaners were all Calvinists when they came to South Africa...thus justifying their "dominion" over the blacks as a result of their chosen status. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Maggie Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Hi educk, I consider myself a Deist too. Glad to meet another one. Thank you for sharing your experience and your 'a-ha' moment. It was really interesting to read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Thanks for posting that Educk it was intersting. Kind of makes one wonder, if god spoke to Helen Keller, what language do you suppose he spoke in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderbolt Posted January 6, 2006 Author Share Posted January 6, 2006 So, I'm guessing that you grew up in a Calivinist christian tradition? The Afrikaaners were all Calvinists when they came to South Africa...thus justifying their "dominion" over the blacks as a result of their chosen status. Yes, I grew up in such an environment, although Jesus only "found" me lost and wandering when I was 20. And they did justify their treatment of blacks from the Bible, same as what happened in the south. The white man's religion ... Thanks for posting that Educk it was intersting. Kind of makes one wonder, if god spoke to Helen Keller, what language do you suppose he spoke in? I guess "IF" - hahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All Gods Fail Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 So, I'm guessing that you grew up in a Calivinist christian tradition? The Afrikaaners were all Calvinists when they came to South Africa...thus justifying their "dominion" over the blacks as a result of their chosen status. Yes, I grew up in such an environment, although Jesus only "found" me lost and wandering when I was 20. And they did justify their treatment of blacks from the Bible, same as what happened in the south. The white man's religion ... Good lord; Calvinists. I used to live in the American epicenter of Calvinism, and let me tell you - Holland was well rid of them. The most pig-headed, self-righteous, judgmental religion ever invented. How they ever considered themselves xtian is beyond me...but when you name your religion after a swine like John Calvin, what can you expect? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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