24 Jan '13 22:238 edits

I don't doubt your experience but it is fitting to note that religious ectasy is by no means the sole province of Christianity.

I actually chuckled when I read this. I speak the truth. And I know others who could tell you the same thing.

Now, I also beforehand was very interested in Zen meditation. And there was a afternoon when I wept thinking that I had found the truth that everyone was looking for.

So I would not dare to say strong feelings are the sole experience of Christians, obviously.

And as genuinely felt. So then what is said? Your ecstasy is wrong and mine right? Or visa versa.

I believe that the great religions of the world have sometimes some element of truth. And to come upon that truth may give rise to a strong emotional response.

Ie. Islam teaches that there is ONE God. I believe that that is true though I don't believe the Koran is the word of God. Now a person confused by idolatry and many deities may also laugh at the discovery of the truth that there is ONE God. He may be overjoyed that he has come upon this truth.

Ie. Buddhism teaches that this life is an illusion of sorts. Well, I can see someone given to chasing the wind throughout his whole sad life, becomming "estactic" to be come to a realization that there is something unreal about riches, worldly comfort, self love, materialism, striving for personal happiness, etc.

I can see that some element of truth in one or more of the world's religions could grip a soul and envoke a strong emotional reaction.

So I could see your ecstasy experience as having some bases in truth.

The story of the person Jesus (existent or not) is full of powerful emotional material - guilt -

This guilt is never meant to depress. This feeling of guilt is a doorway to the everlasting peace of forgiveness, reconcilation with God through God's justifying the guilty sinner forever.

The guilt of the Holy Spirit is never to leave one crushed and depressed or groveling hopelessly. And there is such a thing has having an oversensative conscience also.

The mental hospitals contain people who have condemned themselves excessively. This is not the conviction of the Spirit of God.

When a man or woman comes to the light of Jesus, it can work both ways -
Where you blamed yourself you may find God does NOT blame you.
Where you for years excused yourself maybe God does convict you.

"You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free" applies in many ways.

most of it neurotically inappropriate guilt (often of a sexual nature, and quite Freudian) -

That's jumping on the band wagon stuff - generalizations.
Freud is no longer in vogue now with most psychology.

Just like Paul is the darling whiping boy of modernist theology
So Sigmund Freud is the new darling whiping boy of modern psycho therapy.

inculcated by others and their various "holy books"- along with the emotions attached to lostness, and abandonment, 'filthy sinner' needing to be saved, and an all solving Savior, whom by simply acknowledging him (godman), you are "saved" from your lostness, your inner conflicts, your aloneness, your hurt.

You will find that I (formerly jaywill ) usually do not interfere with others proclaiming here their own spiritual teachings.

Usually I only responded to Dasa's faulty untruths about the Christian Gospel.

So if you have some positive things about Taoism to teach, you'll find that I'll probably not enter into your thread to argue much.

I do try to teach some people how to believe the Bible.
I do not spend a lot of time to refute Hinduism, Buddhism, Zen, even Islam.

Maybe I assume wrongly, because of your tag, that you are interested in Tao. Unless you go on the attack against the Christian gospel you'll find that I do not come over to your talk to try to argue against your beliefs.

All so very globally human, the root of all stories , including the philosophical ones. From ancient ecstatic shamans up, being reborn somewhat dramatically figures over and over again in history. The Hellenic Gnostics, that greatly influenced the development of the Christ story, had almost the same rituals - they had a version of the Lord's supper,, they had baptism, and dying saviors and sought divine cleansing to be born anew, resurrected like the particular god. Some say the Christianity that eventually emerged, religiously and politically, is really a Pauline version. Paul lived amongst the competing Hellenic religions of the time. It was the local worldview then.

This is a lot. If you want to break it down to a specific something you'd like to know how I feel about, break off a smaller piece and ask me, if you want my response there.

But I would ask you about "holy books." Do you consider the I Ching of Tao a holy book ? Forgive me if I assume too much about you because of your tag id.

Spirituality

Some here believe Christ is a Bad Joke.