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Shiloah
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 Spiritual Experiences - 2005/03/23 08:51 When reading many of the threads … I get a feeling of judgement-el-ness … as in … do I think my brother is worthy of being baptised … or … anyone who follows their own conscience and partakes of the memorial at a KH is … contaminated …

So this thread is one that … shares … and celebrates … our own spiritual experiences ... as ours alone, they are free of judgement ... validating us … and letting us know we are blessed … and that this comes … not from humans … but from God ...

Kindly note that … while I have had these spiritual experiences … I do not feel I am part of any spiritual elite ..

Post edited by: Shiloah, at: 2005/03/23 09:02
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Shiloah
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 Re:Spiritual Experiences - 2005/03/23 08:53 God calls to us … all of us …

Sometimes though … people … events … situations … are such that the call is muted …

For as long as I can remember I have felt a deep connection with God … but being taught by my parents the mainstream US Fundamentalist religion … and later choosing to associate with JW’s for some 30 years … I learned not to trust myself and my connection as much … and since there were so many of ‘them’ … for so long … I wrongly credited consensus with more authority than it had …

Gradually their doctrine diluted … their teaching tampered … and my connection waited … distanced by the insistent voice of those who would have my spiritual authority … patiently waiting …

About 18 months ago things reversed … I began to trust myself more … and religion even less than I had … I came to understand what giving away my spiritual authority entailed … when I finally didn’t ‘do’ religion anymore ... the Spirit was able to communicate more fully …

Very importantly … I also learned that … in addition to giving my worship to the Father … I could also communicate with Jesus as my elder brother …

I began to have what I call Spiritual Esperiences ... these experiences are quite out of the ordinary … they differ each time … and they differ between individuals … giving us what is appropriate for us at that time and level and personal space … (and, no, I won’t try to explain them )

Besides increasing my trust in myself and my connection … these experiences strengthened my understanding that … unlike what most (if not all) religions teach … there is not an elite class … called saints … or anointed … or whatever … but that we all … each and every one of us … have a direct and very powerful and very current … connection to God …

Our gifts differ … because some of us may indeed have certain jobs to do … but our connection is the same … and once we are open to it … we will hear the call …

On the e-w site someone once observed that ... being a JW could actually hinder the understanding that one was of the anointed … and in concept I agree

It was only after I discontinued my association with any religion … and came to trust myself … and to not give away my spiritual authority … that I could hear God’s call more distinctly …

Peace …

Post edited by: Shiloah, at: 2005/03/23 09:01

Post edited by: Shiloah, at: 2005/03/23 09:23

Post edited by: Shiloah, at: 2005/03/23 17:50
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Epignossis
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 Re:Spiritual Experiences - 2005/03/23 10:59 Hey Shiloah, I like that expression

and to not give away my spiritual authority

I have come to learn there is a link between the words "author" and "author-ity".

It seems to me that spiritual authority belongs to the original "author" of it all. If so, and there is a connection to the author of all spirituality then our spiritual integrity will always remain. What might happen though is we go to sleep in respect of that connection.

That's kinda what I see in the account of the Ten Virgins - they all fell asleep.

Just some thoughts

Much love and spirit

ePig Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone thinks he has acquired knowledge of something, he does not yet know it just as he ought to know it. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by him - 1 Cor 8:1-3
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Shiloah
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 Re:Spiritual Experiences - 2005/03/23 11:58 ePig

Yes ... this could be such an interesting topic ... I think it deserves its own thread ... and I will call it ... Asleep ... (anyone faster than me ... feel free to quote ePig and get it going)

If it proves to be sufficiently popular ... we can start a spin off magazine ...

In this thread here I was hoping to hear of others spiritual experiences ...

Have you had any???

Peace and Light ... Shi

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Epignossis
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 Re:Spiritual Experiences - 2005/03/23 12:46 Oops, Shiloah, I AM pretty dozy

Well, I guess that is my spiritual experience - waking up (slowly) from a dozing state. I have found that same connection you mention, which has allowed me to just get the slightest grasp of something far far deeper, more profound than I have ever known. It is scary, exciting, humbling and freeing all at the same time.

Interestingly, over 20 yrs ago I was heading down a particular path which was really about connecting to the spirit in the universe. I ended up connecting to the JW faith.

Seems I have been well and truly asleep since although there were some nice dreams in there.

Much love

ePig Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone thinks he has acquired knowledge of something, he does not yet know it just as he ought to know it. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by him - 1 Cor 8:1-3
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