Universal nature of liberal experience

[JimL]

But not the experience itself. that's what is crucial. Since religion is cultural the unanimity of experience can't be an accident or based on brain structure. it can only be that there is an objective thing experienced,. it doesn't matter how we define it.

So what? What they experience they experience, what is responsible for that experience is a wholly different matter. The reason that there would be unanimity of experience is because those having the experiences are all human beings. When people pratice meditation, they all have similar experiences, transformative experiences, and that is because that is what the practice of meditation brings about in those who practice it, not because there is an objective thing being experienced.

[metacrock]

So what? What they experience they experience, what is responsible for that experience is a wholly different matter. The reason that there would be unanimity of experience is because those having the experiences are all human beings. When people pratice meditation, they all have similar experiences, transformative experiences, and that is because that is what the practice of meditation brings about in those who practice it, not because there is an objective thing being experienced.

do you know what a construct is? when I say religion is a cultural construct that means it's not genetic. they can't have religious experiences shaped by their genes because it's not generic, so if they experience the same things that means they experiencing a real thing outsider their heads

[Tassman]

If that was true they would not have tht commonality, the experience itself is not related to doctrine and it's quite common for experience to contradict doctrine. I cover that in the book.

wider realityhigher reality, which is more compatible with the Christian and Islamic traditions.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...10.01508.x/pdf

[metacrock]

wider realityhigher reality, which is more compatible with the Christian and Islamic traditions.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...10.01508.x/pdf

so you finally decided to read something. that's of the universal stuff I'm talking about so that doesn't change my argument but rather backs it.

[Tassman]

so you finally decided to read something. that's of the universal stuff I'm talking about so that doesn't change my argument but rather backs it.

Well actually, I linked to this study much earlier. The "argument it backs" is mine, namely that the interpretation of these experiences are informed by social acculturation, not divine inspiration (although that's often how they're perceived). There's good evidence for the former and none for the latter.