What is a spiritual experience?

[MG 2.0]

Nothing there.

Closed mind, huh?

Sheesh. I feel like I’m talking with an A.I. that is going in circles.

Regards,
MG

…said an utterly unrepentant closed mind

Go to bed, IHQ. Get some sleep. You’ll feel much better in the morning and very possibly find that you can refrain from making silly statements that really don’t add anything to the conversation.

Sleep tight. Almost 9pm there, right?

Regards,
MG

[Gadianton]

I won’t argue with that.

Gadianton, where do you think you would be on a hypothetical ‘spiritual autism’ scale?

That's like asking where I would be on the hypothetical "Santa clause" scale. Does Santa explain all Christmas presents or only certain ones? How might I rate myself given I don't believe Santa delivers any presents to anybody? I must be way on the left of the scale. Santa delivers in different ways -- sometimes he employs the parents.

The idea of a spiritual autism scale is so laughable that I'd be laughing right now if I weren't so tired. here, I'll let BBcode do the work for me:

[MG 2.0]

I won’t argue with that.

Gadianton, where do you think you would be on a hypothetical ‘spiritual autism’ scale?

That's like asking where I would be on the hypothetical "Santa clause" scale. Does Santa explain all Christmas presents or only certain ones? How might I rate myself given I don't believe Santa delivers any presents to anybody? I must be way on the left of the scale. Santa delivers in different ways -- sometimes he employs the parents.

The idea of a spiritual autism scale is so laughable that I'd be laughing right now if I weren't so tired. here, I'll let BBcode do the work for me:

You do like your analogies don’t you?

I would think you might find this concept of spiritual autism interesting, but yeah, Santa Clause and an emoticon.

Alrighty.

Regards,
MG

[Rivendale]

All your doing is equivocating. It was an insulting comparison. Rather than admit it was a bad comparison you glibbly go for the woke strawman and accuse commenter's of not being able to latch onto a wretched analogy.

Another nothing burger response. Nothing to see here. No substantiative reply.

Regards,
MG

Here is what your doing. I have a closet goblin named Roland. It eats subway sandwiches and I communicate with it daily. It tells me important details in my life but sometimes I get his messages confused and each day it is a struggle to understand what I am supposed to do. I work hard at understanding Roland but for what ever reason my communication gets garbled and I lose sight of the message. Much like autistic people. Who struggle with real barriers and limitations. Roland is real in my mind so this must be like autistic people face on a day to day basis. You are importing real tangible struggles and hijacking them for your own benefit. It is gross, immoral and falls right in line with Mormon pseudo apologetics.

[Gadianton]

I would think you might find this concept of spiritual autism interesting

I don't find it interesting for the same reason I don't find the "santa clause" scale interesting. Because there is no way to determine where anybody lands on your hypothetical scale. You're speculating about something that can't be measured. All you can do is put people on the scale where you think they fit according to your own beliefs about spirituality.

[Marcus]

I would think you might find this concept of spiritual autism interesting...

No one would, it is an incredibly offensive concept.

[MG 2.0]

…autistic people. Who struggle with real barriers and limitations…

Yes they do. But the beauty is that nowadays we are able to work through some of those barriers with success and help these people live a productive and yes, happy life as they find ways to navigate limitations.

That’s why I like the comparison of autism spectrum with spiritual autism spectrum. In the same vein one who is on the spiritual autism spectrum can find ways to navigate their inability to interact with the spirit in a ‘cookie cutter’ fashion of ‘warm fuzzies’.

I’ve mentioned modalities. Just as we look for various ways and means…modalities…that we can use to interact and communicate with those on the autism spectrum I believe that God does the same thing as he works with and communicates with his children. It’s not a one size fits all kind of thing.

I’ve talked about that earlier.

I’m saddened that the conversation became tainted by attributions/accusations of inappropriate treatment and/or reference to those on the autism spectrum. Truth is, some folks have a difficult time dealing with reality and talking about things as they are without falling into the trap of looking at things through the ‘objectification lens’ which disallows having a productive conversation.

At least in this instance anyways.

Regards,
MG

[MG 2.0]

I would think you might find this concept of spiritual autism interesting

I don't find it interesting for the same reason I don't find the "santa clause" scale interesting. Because there is no way to determine where anybody lands on your hypothetical scale. You're speculating about something that can't be measured. All you can do is put people on the scale where you think they fit according to your own beliefs about spirituality.

I agree that it is something that cannot be measured. But it is something that I think can be recognized. And it isn’t even something in which ‘greater than/less than’ judgements can or even should be made.

I think it is reasonable to think that not everyone is on equal footing and/or understanding when it comes to spiritual things. And the point I’m making is that this is not always of one’s own doing. It may be innate to who we as a ‘soul’ are.

What is up to us is how we respond to opportunities to connect with the spirit. That will look different and be described differently by different people.

Regards,
MG

[MG 2.0]

I would think you might find this concept of spiritual autism interesting...

No one would, it is an incredibly offensive concept.

I don’t see it that way. But I’m perfectly willing to allow that you have a difference of opinion.

Regards,
MG

[Rivendale]

…autistic people. Who struggle with real barriers and limitations…

Yes they do. But the beauty is that nowadays we are able to work through some of those barriers with success and help these people live a productive and yes, happy life as they find ways to navigate limitations.

That’s why I like the comparison of autism spectrum with spiritual autism spectrum. In the same vein one who is on the spiritual autism spectrum can find ways to navigate their inability to interact with the spirit in a ‘cookie cutter’ fashion of ‘warm fuzzies’.

I’ve mentioned modalities. Just as we look for various ways and means…modalities…that we can use to interact and communicate with those on the autism spectrum I believe that God does the same thing as he works with and communicates with his children. It’s not a one size fits all kind of thing.

I’ve talked about that earlier.

I’m saddened that the conversation became tainted by attributions/accusations of inappropriate treatment and/or reference to those on the autism spectrum. Truth is, some folks have a difficult time dealing with reality and talking about things as they are without falling into the trap of looking at things through the ‘objectification lens’ which disallows having a productive conversation.

At least in this instance anyways.

Regards,
MG

It's almost like you didn't read what I wrote. A quarter pounder infused with ecoli onions is what I got out of that. You didn't address how disparaging this is for the comparison. And then you supplement your horrific comparison with cookie cutter examples of accepting people simultaneously ignoring the church’s horrific descriptions of disabled people in the not to distant past.