Both fail to take into account the fact that these states have been reported by humans beings for almost as long as we have human reports, since long before the religions that condition their own views existed.
I failed to take that into account? As Vallee noted, the UFO phenomena are in fact just the most recent version of such experiences that have been reported forever. Certainly sleep paralysis episodes have always been common.
How would you know if they were a spiritual condition that allows demonic access? You wouldn't because you've got yourself convinced of a different explanation, just as Arach does. I base my interpretation on the Bible. Demon possession was common in Jesus' day.
Religious experiences in the fallen world are bogus. The mystical states are bogus, because in reality they are demon-generated. If you've read much of the mystical literature, especially Christian mystical literature, you will often find such states being warned against. Buddhists also warn against them. They are considered low, and yes, deceptive, you want to transcend them.
Yes, whole religions can revolve around them, yes, without a way of recognizing their deceitful nature. What Vallee kept emphasizing about the UFO and similar phenomena as that they are "deceptions," manipulated experiences.
Some people do get whole poems and philosophical treatises dictated to them by demons. That's how some of the cults like Urantia and A Course in Miracles were created. Just some demon out there trying to convince people that Jesus is not God or that sort of thing, which is very common to these cults. Automatic writing, messages from Ouija boards, all that has a demonic source.
It's startling to hear voices, isn't it? I've heard voices a few times, that once in that early twilight experience but then again from the apparition that threatened to kill me and then one more time. The last one had a hollow metallic tone to it. The last one was about 1994, I'd really rather not hear one again.
The demonic explanation fits with the Biblical understanding of the fallen nature of humanity. We are open to demonic worlds but not the true heavenly world. Believers will ultimately be open to that too, as Adam and Eve were originally, but now all these experiences are counterfeits to deceive us because of the Fall.
What makes your theory better than mine? There are some people who have the spirit faculty given to Adam more developed than others, and you are apparently one of those people. Watchman Nee writes about it as "soul power," but warns against using it because it is corrupted due to the Fall and in a believer confuses our new openness to the Holy Spirit Who doesn't go in for such shenanigans.
Brain science is zeroing in on the genetic and physiological roots of spiritual/religious states. It is the intersection of a narrow religious certainty and a broad ignorance of human experience and brain science that condition polarized and dismissive points of view.
Looking at the brain to understand these experiences is like studying the computer hardware to find out the content of its owner's emails.
Scott's orbs, Faith's demons, my visions, voices and music--we all sound mad as hatters. But these things are actually quite common, and there are rational explanations for each. Exploring the scientific context of my own experiences--Paracusia? Pereidolia? Cross-chatting cognitive functions that usually from a seamless, synthetic experience of identity but don't in my Abby Normal brain?--is a lifelong hobby.
Good luck with that.
To confuse things, I think there may be some purely brain-generated phenomena besides the demonic manipulations but I wouldn't want to try to sort it all out myself.
The demons are too smart to threaten a person who is not threatening them, so you are probably safe from such worries. But they do threaten Christians as my two experiences since becoming a believer suggest. That's because we know the true God who is their enemy, the One Satan spends all his time trying to impersonate.
If some such experience should ever be truly frightening, however, may I suggest that you call on the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for help? I like you, Omni, I'm happy to find out how "mad" you are, I wish you well.
Edited by Faith, : No reason given.
Edited by Faith, : No reason given.
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