Hi Guys, Merry Christmas. It has been a long time since my last presence in this forum.
During these long gap years, I turned into Christianity. I prayed the sinner prayer and become a Christian on 30th April 2023. I continuously goto churches on every Sunday.
However, struggles went on in the bottom of my heart. I forced myself to clarify the mysterious voices in my head as somehow an illness and try to heal myself by seeing doctor regularly (3 months each time) and take medicines daily. I tried to look upon the Holy Bible as the only source of the God’s words and the mysterious voices in my head as some meaningless noises. I found myself feeling better though.
God bless everyone in this forum and for those who come across with my posts. Merry Christmas and wish u guys a happy new year.
Just a small update of this thread.
I tried to use Perplexity A.I. Pro to summarize our discussions above:
The discussion on the ILovePhilosophy forum explores personal experiences and philosophical reflections on the relationship between schizophrenia and the concept of God.
The thread is initiated by a user who has lived with schizophrenia for a decade, primarily experiencing auditory hallucinations. This user speculates that these voices might be a form of communication from God, suggesting that divine interaction could be misunderstood or pathologized as mental illness. They also reflect on historical religious experiences, such as those described in sacred texts, as possibly similar to their own.
Key points and themes from the thread include:
Personal Testimony: The original poster describes their hallucinations as possibly being the result of God “abusing her power” to communicate, and draws parallels between their experiences and those described in religious history, such as the writing of the Bible.
Philosophical and Psychological Tension: There is a concern that modern psychology may have overtaken philosophy in explaining such experiences, but that this does not necessarily mean the psychological explanations are correct. The poster encourages open-mindedness and questions whether it is “insane” to discuss God in the context of schizophrenia in the 21st century.
Multiplicity of Interpretations: Other contributors note that people with schizophrenia may interpret their voices as coming from a range of sources—God, angels, demons, spirits, extraterrestrials, or animals. Some experiences are positive and supportive, while others are distressing. The thread highlights that not all such experiences are disabling or negative, and that some individuals function well without medication.
Role of Culture and Meaning: The discussion acknowledges that mainstream psychology tends to focus on the negative aspects of unusual perceptions, but some voices and visions are integrated positively into people’s lives. The thread references Aldous Huxley’s idea that the mind is a filter for the infinite, suggesting that experiences of the “absolute” can be both terrifying and enlightening.
Skepticism and Subjectivity: Some participants argue that spiritual or paranormal experiences are inherently private and unverifiable, existing within the mind of the experiencer. There is debate about whether coherent spiritual experiences imply an objective spiritual reality, or whether they are simply products of the mind.
Mechanisms and Self-Reflection: The conversation delves into how the mind might “cheat itself” by creating illusions or delusions, questioning whether multiple “selves” within the mind can collaborate or are always in conflict. There is speculation about the relationship between dissociation, integration, and the formation of religious or delusional beliefs.
Integration and Recovery: The thread touches on the idea that recovery or coping may involve integrating these experiences, whether through faith, philosophy, or psychological insight. There is also discussion about the role of medication in managing or silencing such experiences, and whether this equates to silencing the “voice of God”.
Overall, the forum thread presents a complex, nuanced, and highly personal exploration of how schizophrenia and religious or spiritual experiences can overlap, diverge, and be interpreted through different philosophical, psychological, and cultural lenses. The participants emphasize the importance of open dialogue, respect for individual experience, and the recognition that such experiences can be both challenging and meaningful, depending on context and interpretation.
Thank you for reading this thread. Hope you guys get inspired by the discussions above. God Bless!
“During these long gap years, I turned into Christianity”
I could give you a hundred reasons why this is a bad idea. Instead, I’ll just remind you that you’ve willingly submitted to something that, according to you, has turned you into a schizo by playing games and whispering in your ear all the time.
Why would someone have any respect for such a thing? Afraid of the big G, are ya?
On the other hand, if it isn’t god whispering in your ear but something else, why would you worship a god that creates a world where people can be turned into schizos by hearing voices?
He is not the direct cause of that, and it would only be evil if he didn’t love us despite all of that and was not patient with us in light of it.
You should turn your question inward every time you talk to your mom as if you are God, and a very evil one at that.
And if you blame your schizophrenia, but you haven’t asked God to help you treat your mother with respect despite your disability, why would you be blaming God for that? If you’re smarter than God, why don’t you even ask? Not asking is pretty dumb. Do you think he isn’t able to help you—…or do you blame him for the way you are? That must be really awkward as an atheist.
Do you ever take responsibility for any of your own behavior? No wonder you’re not asking him to help you. You don’t feel it’s your fault, and you don’t think he can help because you don’t think he exists, even though you think it’s all his fault. Have you considered the possibility you’re wrong?
I would love heaven to fall down on your head. I would love to see what it looks like when you get whacked upside the head with heaven.
You ever see the matrix scene where his mouth stops working and sort of melts together? You ever find yourself completely speechless? You ever start experiencing a very dry throat in the middle of a sentence for no reason? You ever utter words that your mind did not initiate and find yourself asking “What did I just say?“