[MD] Religious experience & thinking in an MOQ context

[david buchanan]

Scott, DM and all MOQerererers:

Scott said to DM:
...I think James was correct when he characterized religion as (I'm 
paraphrasing) (a) the recognition that there is something fundamentally 
wrong with us (e.g. Original Sin, Buddhist Ignorance, Hindu Maya), and (b) 
that dealing with this wrongness, because it is fundamental, involves 
something beyond "existence as we find it" (for Christians, God's Grace, for 
Buddhists, mystical insight, etc.).

dmb says:
This sounds a lot like theism to me. I mean, if you're saying God's grace is 
"something beyond existence as we find it" and that this something is 
required as a corrective for some kind of Original Sin, then I'd say that 
you hold a theistic position. But that label isn't required. I'd object to 
the idea of God as "something beyond existence as we find it" even if you 
named it Kate Beckinsale.

Don't you mean to say, as Campbell does, that "the ultimate mystery 
transcends the laws of dualistic logic, causality and space-time." Don't you 
mean to concur with Paul Tillich, who said, "Things like miraculous 
interventions of God, special inspirations and revelations are beneath the 
level of real religious experience. Religion itself is IMMEDIACY." Don't you 
mean to say that "God" is only beyond normal waking consciousness, but not 
beyond our existence?

Or maybe you meant what you said and you are a theist. I don't know. Would 
it be too much to ask for an explanation as to your meaning here? Would it 
be too much to ask for one without all the straw men and such?

dmb

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