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Discerning Divine Connection - Actual vs Perceptional

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    Discerning Divine Connection - Actual vs Perceptional

    Someone I've come to respect a lot stated the following as a response to my question regarding mortal-divine relationship:
    "Humans filter their understanding of the gods through their own experiences and understanding. HUMAN experiences and understandings. The gods are not human. So any connection is most likely your perception than an actual thing"

    Which raises my question:

    How does one discern an actual connection with the divine as opposed to a perceptional one?

    Such question may seem trivial to some. However, I know this forum has a lot of critical thinkers and experienced practitioners of various beliefs. So let's hear your thoughts, if not for a peace of mind, then for the sake of the question itself.

    #2
    Re: Discerning Divine Connection - Actual vs Perceptional

    Humans are perception machines. There is no other way but perception. For humans (at least) perception is reality.
    Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

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      #3
      Re: Discerning Divine Connection - Actual vs Perceptional

      I have asked a similar question here. It is not explicitly the same question but maybe you can gain some insight from the answers.

      To add to what has been said in this and other threads I would add that interpretation also plays a part in it. Even if you could experience the regrowth of a lost limb, if you do not consider that a divine event then nothing is going to change that opinion. There is some people out there who attribute simple meals to divine intervention and there are some who refuse to believe in any form of divinity.

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        #4
        Re: Discerning Divine Connection - Actual vs Perceptional

        There's another similar topic here as well...but in the short form, I'm gonna go with Corbin's answer.
        Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
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          #5
          Re: Discerning Divine Connection - Actual vs Perceptional

          Originally posted by thalassa View Post
          There's another similar topic here as well...but in the short form, I'm gonna go with Corbin's answer.
          Originally posted by Archifenix View Post
          I have asked a similar question here. It is not explicitly the same question but maybe you can gain some insight from the answers.
          Originally posted by B. de Corbin View Post
          Humans are perception machines. There is no other way but perception. For humans (at least) perception is reality.

          Thank you everyone, I've been reading each post slowly to understand as much as I can. I wish I could comprehend more than I do now without being too conclusive yet. At any rate, my logic is beginning to form this mindset.

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            #6
            Re: Discerning Divine Connection - Actual vs Perceptional

            Originally posted by Niall_Leppu View Post
            Someone I've come to respect a lot stated the following as a response to my question regarding mortal-divine relationship:
            "Humans filter their understanding of the gods through their own experiences and understanding. HUMAN experiences and understandings. The gods are not human. So any connection is most likely your perception than an actual thing"

            Which raises my question:

            How does one discern an actual connection with the divine as opposed to a perceptional one?

            Such question may seem trivial to some. However, I know this forum has a lot of critical thinkers and experienced practitioners of various beliefs. So let's hear your thoughts, if not for a peace of mind, then for the sake of the question itself.
            The question is not trivial at all. My answer may well be.
            I answer with this; "why does it matter?"
            Is it less real because it is a perception or more real because it is physical? Is there a difference other than we can show evidence of the physical? Would that mean that it was more real because you could provide evidence to back up your faith? It is enough to believe in spite of the absence of evidence. The only reason evidence is necessary is to boost your ego. It does nothing more.

            Let me make my point in a simple thought. For years you have been able to change red lights to green as you drive down the road. You have shown this ability to some of your closest friends. One day as you are driving your friend asks your, "Are you changing the light or do you just know when it will change?" There is no way to really prove which it is and the result is the same anyway. The only difference is that if you are changing the lights it boosts your ego where if you just know when the light will change it is just cognitive.
            The correct answer is, of course, what difference does it make?
            The Dragon sees infinity and those it touches are forced to feel the reality of it.
            I am his student and his partner. He is my guide and an ominous friend.

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