Why are you considered insane if you say God has spoken to you?

[Bells]

This is a question that has always intrigued me.

I hear so many religious people say that they speak to God all the time. Yet so many of these believers will think you insane if you say that you hear God speak to you, or that you hear God tell you what to do.

How can that be?

Why is it that believers quickly become so sceptical and think you're out of your mind or in need of medication and institutionalised if you tell them that you hear God's voice and that God talks to you and tells you what to do?

 

[Thersites]

It varies from culture to culture. A survey was done and more Africans are spoken to by god than europeans now. It need not have always been so- see Joan of Arc etc.
Bernard shaw had the best attitude. He said that Joan wasn't insane when she heard god give her advice as the advice god gave was worth following.

 

[SkippingStones]

Many Christians would say to examine "the fruit" and that will tell you if the message was from God or from Satan. It's an easy answer that doesn't require much intellegence to understand.
But, heaven forbid that anyone actually examines the concept. God "speaks" in clear understandable English all the time so there is no need for discussion.

There is a general societal stygma attached to anything having to do with supernatural voices and the like. Like most people, Christians who hear of someone spouting the "direct words of God" feel threatened because they feel ignorant in this situation. What we don't know scares us. Plus, for a religion based on writings and tradition, upstart "scripture" is very threatening.

 

[Bells]

There is a general societal stygma attached to anything having to do with supernatural voices and the like. Like most people, Christians who hear of someone spouting the "direct words of God" feel threatened because they feel ignorant in this situation. What we don't know scares us. Plus, for a religion based on writings and tradition, upstart "scripture" is very threatening.

This is the thing that intrigues me with this though. The notion of 'what we don't know scares us' is all well and true. But for Christians and people from other religions as well, who supposedly know that God exists, why should they feel scared if someone says that to them? Why consider the claimant a crackpot? Isn't there an inkling of hypocrisy to call people insane for making a claim that they've heard God speak or that God told them what to do, and then believe so strongly in scriptures based on people's writings of what many claim God has said to them?

I agree with you that there is a stigma attached to notions of the supernatural. But I find it amazing that people can pray to an entity that is not there in front of them to see, that they don't see at all basically and dont expect to hear any replies.. but they just believe he's there so they pray to him. However these same people can consider another insane or mad if that person has said that they heard a reply.

 

[§outh§tar]

Joseph Smith was insane.

So was Mohammed.

So was Jim Jones.

And well, as we have the authority, we are still deciding on Joan of Arc.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

So was Mohammed.

Why do you say that?

 

[§outh§tar]

Why do you say that?

Galatians 1
6I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- 7which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

In Mohammeds case, both he and an "angel" from heaven spread malicious heresy.
How interesting that 2000 years ago, the Bible would be so specific against such an instance, which both Mohammed and Joseph Smith alledge to having experienced.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Bells, when you find it is surprising how people take the word of someone that claims he spoke to God and then deny that to all else. Permit me to shed some light on that. First, why does one believe the first one? And the common answer to that is that he didn't come with the clame only but had something to back him with. As did Jesus -peace be upon him- when he brought the dead back to life by the power of God and not his own, for he was but a messenger as have been before. And that of the Quran to Mohamed -peace be upon him-. Furthermore there are the laws that they convey and wich have a unending presence as they don't die with time and everyone can experience them and see the wisdom in them. One should note her that Jesus-peace be upon him- did not come to change the laws, only in minor details perhaps but came to return the lost sheep to the straight path.

Second part is the question of why not to believe the next one that comes. Here it serves to treat both cases separatly. As for Muhamad -peace be upon him- all is very clear, he states clearly that there shall be no one after him -except that Jesus -peace be upon him- shall return in the end of time. As for Jesus -peace be upon him- we clearly don't believen, now do we? but I shall discuss that in my reply to Southstar.

May peace be upon you.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Galatians 1
6I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- 7which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

In Mohammeds case, both he and an "angel" from heaven spread malicious heresy.
How interesting that 2000 years ago, the Bible would be so specific against such an instance, which both Mohammed and Joseph Smith alledge to having experienced.

If that sentence would were to apply to him -peace be upon him- than he would be condemmed, as stated in your quote and not insane.

Second, even if we concider the sentence acurate than we can come to an other conclusion than the one you posed. If that sentence reffered to the gospel of Jesus -peace be upon him- than the answer is that Muhamed -peace be upon him- came with the same gospel from the same source. Mind you Jesus never walked around with a book.

Now there is also the possibility that your sentence itself is part of a document, or a compilation of documents, that is not in fact the identical portrayal of the teachings of the messiah -peace be upon him-. That is merely the private or public writings of early "christians". If that was the case, and even very very committed christians have had to admit - not that admital is necessary, then it means that every gospel of (insert: mathew, lojn...etc) that is not exactly, word for word, the gospel of the son of Mary -peace be upon them both- is covered by that sentence. In plain english the men that wrote that are condemmed.

P.S: try and find a bible where the alledged words of Jesus - peace be upon him- are printed in red - and look at how much is not even attributed to the blessed man -peace be upon him.

P.S: I will revise this later, 'cause I must let some childern play games on this cpu.

 

[§outh§tar]

Sincere apologies, what I meant was heretic not insanity. Blame the thread starter for being too tricky.

And so you condemn the Word of God? Gee..

 

[okinrus]

People are able to hear voices from either insanity or demons, but you are supposed to ignore and not speak. Prayer is also a good way to discern whether a given voice is true or false.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

No I condemn that which wrongfully claimes to be it. I as far as am converned Jesus -peace be upon him- never walked the earth with a book in his hands, he had no need for that because he came to reaffirm the old laws.

And never mind what I think for a minute. Can you disagree with the refutation of the bible according to the sentenced you mentioned? And remember the holy spirit you might claim would also fall under the heading of, as you so skillfully denoted it, "angel".

 

[§outh§tar]

No I condemn that which wrongfully claimes to be it. I as far as am converned Jesus -peace be upon him- never walked the earth with a book in his hands, he had no need for that because he came to reaffirm the old laws.

And never mind what I think for a minute. Can you disagree with the refutation of the bible according to the sentenced you mentioned? And remember the holy spirit you might claim would also fall under the heading of, as you so skillfully denoted it, "angel".

The Spirit of Holiness, is NOT, I repeat, NOT an angel.

That is blasphemy of the highest order, because God is NOT an angel and as the Spirit of Holiness is God, the Spirit of Holiness is NOT be an angel.

Jesus did not walk the earth with a "book in His hands" because He already knew what the Law entailed, He is God, remember?

 

[Katazia]

Someone who claims to hear voices other than through the senses is generating the voices inside their own brain. If they cannot tell the difference then they are insane.

Kat

 

[§outh§tar]

Someone who claims to hear voices other than through the senses is generating the voices inside their own brain. If they cannot tell the difference then they are insane.

Kat

I am sure the folks at Pseudoscience and Parapsychology would love to refute that.

 

[Katazia]

SouthStar,

But you don't disagree, right?

Kat

 

[invert_nexus]

I am sure the folks at Pseudoscience and Parapsychology would love to refute that.

Too bad these voices that they hear prevent them from being rational enough to do so.

 

[§outh§tar]

Too bad these voices that they hear prevent them from being rational enough to do so.

Don't hurt their feelings.

Aliens are in Area 51 and it's up to us to wear tin foil on our heads and save humanity. Why can't you just UNDERSTAND THAT!!???

 

[§outh§tar]

SouthStar,

But you don't disagree, right?

Kat

That would imply that thinking to yourself is insanity since the voice is not heard through the "senses".

I hope that's not what you're telling me, for my own sake

 

[Bells]

Sincere apologies, what I meant was heretic not insanity. Blame the thread starter for being too tricky.

And so you condemn the Word of God? Gee..

How is this thread tricky? It's a simple question.

Why is it heresy to say that you hear God tell you what to do? Biblical stories abound with individuals who've received messages from God and have acted upon the orders of God. So why do believers today look at people making similar claims (that God has spoken to them and ordered them to do something) and consider them mad or heretics? Why the hypocrisy of believing so fervently in people who made such claims in the past, but anyone who makes such a claim today you'd shun them and consider them insane?

Someone who claims to hear voices other than through the senses is generating the voices inside their own brain. If they cannot tell the difference then they are insane.

That is also what I personally believe. But what intrigues me is the attitude of people who are firm believers of God and follow the scriptures, most of which are written by people who claim to have received messages from God, find people who say that they have received similar messages from God insane. The fervent believers who talk to God seem to assume that God must never answer. I just want to know why.

People are able to hear voices from either insanity or demons, but you are supposed to ignore and not speak. Prayer is also a good way to discern whether a given voice is true or false.

Interesting point. So why can't people pray and be able to hear voices from only demons or insanity? Why is God left out of that equation? If you're praying and you hear a response in your prayer, why do fellow believers think you're in la la land for daring to say that God spoke to you? Even if someone makes such a claim that they heard the voices in prayer and their prayer showed them that it is the word of God, why are these people seen to be mad? I have even asked priests this very question in the past and seen them smirk at the thought that God would speak to someone.