Somebody sent me an e-mail of people telling about their powerful spiritual experience that told them for sure that the church is "true". It brought back memories of me having experiences like that, yet today I know that the LDS church is a total sham. Still, how do you explain the experiences?

I have had a lot of 'spiritual' (meaning not just a feeling) experiences while a Mormon and many more after.

They are 'valid' to me, although none provable to others, and have helped me in many ways. Many people I know have had 'spiritual experiences' that have normally saved them from harm.

In fact a 'spiritual experience' did not directly tell me "Mormonism" was wrong but directed me to 'information' that clearly indicated that based on asking for documentation concerning the 'truth' about Mormonism.

I challenge your assertion that Mormons 'had powerful spiritual experiences' (unless your talking feeling only) that told them the church was 'true'.

I continue to meet 'people of religion' that make that claim then we get into the exact 'experience' and find out they extrapolated something.

I challenged a 'Mormon' today that claimed 'spiritual experiences' and inferred that is why the church was true and he immediately backed of the link he made to those experiences 'specifying' the 'church' being true. Because they didn't!

The only one so far hard to refute, was a Mormon NDE. However, there are sites that quantify the consistency of NDE information and claiming the truth of 'any' religion is 'not' consistent in the vast majority of NDEs. Drugs can affect NDEs.

Spirit doesn't lie!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/25/2017 05:58PM by spiritist.

spiritist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have had a lot of 'spiritual' (meaning not just
> a feeling) experiences while a Mormon and many
> more after.

This. My "spiritual experiences" turned out not to be Mormon-related at all. I had some of my strongest experiences as I was leaving the Church. I am much more spiritually connected now, more than ever.

Leaving Mormonism took me towards atheism. I still don't have a belief in any gods. But sometimes I have things happen to me that I really can't explain. I just no longer try to explain them, because I simply don't know what they are.

You don't have to believe in 'God' to have sp. experiences.

I believe in a God, not the biblical or any God I have heard discussed by religion. There is no hell we are just getting experiences whether inside a religion or outside it is not that significant. Believe your 'higher self/subconscious mind or universe/karma' is helping you if that helps.

The information I have seen is the 'subconscious' obtains significantly more 'information' than does our conscious minds so some of that unrecognized information may percolate somehow up to our conscious mind as a 'dream, vision, etc.'. I could easily believe they (sp. experiences) are all from 'me' if I didn't have other experiences to indicate otherwise.

My God doesn't care if you believe or not ---- not important in most cases to your life mission of gaining certain experiences. That doesn't mean you are not 'loved' and will not get help that you may or may not recognize.

In hindsight, I believe I have been 'helped' all my life. Sometimes I recognize that 'help' sometimes not. The more 'open' I am seems the more I 'recognize' help I get regularly.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/25/2017 10:30PM by spiritist.

I don't know that I need to explain the spiritual experiences I've had.

Non-believers aren't going to accept them no matter what I believed when they occurred. I've had spiritual experiences happen as a Mo, and since leaving.

Answers to prayers (not all, but some that were clear to me,) divine intercession that was clear when it was happening, and personal revelation for my life at various intervals throughout my life.

My Mormon ancestors were devout and faithful believers in their faith and God.. So were my Jewish ancestors, who also believed in divine intercession. I'm not sure about my Anglican or Protestant ancestry since I haven't researched that as much - but all faiths have faith building experiences.

I don't believe it's limited only to Mormonism.

There was one priesthood blessing I had where I was healed during the ministering of it I cannot explain. I'd had another church come to pray over me, and I felt worse not better, during and after the prayer for intercession. There was a dead spirit present when that prayer was said (again, cannot explain other than what was experienced.)

The next day or two when the priesthood elders came to pray over me there was a direct manifestation of a healing spirit and heaven's windows opening over the room - I could feel the healing as it was happening. The bleeding stopped, and even the doctors were stymied.

I consider that a miraculous, divine healing, nothing less.

I cannot explain it nor will I attempt to.

I too had a miraculous healing after a priesthood blessing. Since then, I have met Catholics that have either experienced this or witnessed it happening to someone else. I have no doubt that Protestants, Jews, and others have had these miracles. I now attribute the cause of miracles to faith. God often chooses to reward faith, and isn't so particular about the religion.

Reading the bio of the von Trapp family as they left Austria during the Third Reich was one miracle after another.

The movie Sound of Music was based on the real life story. The real story was less romanticized, but every bit as dramatic.

Maria von Trapp's unwavering faith led her from one chapter to the next as she guided her family to safety. (Or rather, she believes it was God who guided their family to safety. She just followed where he led.)

She made their story sound so 'ordinary,' when it was really extraordinary.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/25/2017 11:07PM by Amyjo.

Mormons attribute anything positive to the church being true. Why the same experiences don't suggest the Catholuc church is true or anything else always makes me chuckle.

Spiritual experiences come to you where you are. They are generally about answers to specific personal needs, questions. Mormonism was the vehicle that could be used in part of my life.

Thank you, your response was just was I needed to hear.

What spiritual experiences? I've never had a spiritual experience either as a Mormon or not.

However, I have neither the need nor desire to have spiritual experiences. Life is perfectly wonderful without them.

I can smell the fresh-baked bread coming from the bakery down the street. I can play with our puppy. I can make love with my wife. I can sip fresh hot coffee while I read the NBA scoreboard. I can crank the volume up while I listen to Lou Reed's "Sweet Jane." I can pull the covers up to my chin as I listen to the cold rain falling on the roof.

Wanting anything more is greed, pure and simple. Frankly I'd decline the opportunity to have a spiritual experience if it presented itself. Why complicate matters? Everything is fine, as is--even the lymphoma biding its time in my spleen, even the dicey relationships with a few others, even the hollow sound coming from my bank account. The flaws are as beautiful as the perfection.

Nothing needs to change. No transcendence is needed, or wanted.

Joyful feelings in themselves might be considered a type of spiritual experience. Joy can help to heal the body. But the big "punch" that I felt in the Mormon experience is what I don't understand.

Despite plenty of effort, I was never able to experience anything even remotely spiritual. I tend to think that most people confuse their own emotions or perfectly natural phenomenon for some kind of extraordinary experience.

I do consider the possibility that others can experience things that I cannot. But even in that case I'd suggest that we simply can't yet understand the mechanisms by which so-called "spiritual experiences" work. There are still things that we don't understand about this world, about our brains and about how they interact.

Just because we don't understand does not mean that we should turn to superstition and myth.

I cannot guarantee you an 'experience' however based on my analysis from general study and observation, meditation helps a lot to be 'open' to 'inspiration, visions, guidance, promptings, etc.'. Meditation does take many forms from just breathing to guided meditations (normal meditations), listening to music, jogging, walking, etc.

A few weeks ago I was in a class from a psychologist/hypnotist. He is quite careful never to mention his 'religion or beliefs' in class. I have known him a little but he indicated he 'meditated' quite a bit in one class.

Pursuing my theory of meditation be linked with 's. experiences' I caught him in the back of the room away from any others and asked if he had any 'unusual' experiences in his life based on how often he meditated.

Without hesitation he mentioned he had many 'voices, promptings, and visions'. He shared a recent experience where he was specifically directed 'how' to treat one of his patients.

He claimed these experiences were 'gifts from God' and very much appreciated.

So, try meditation or walks, etc. to try to keep your mind 'clear'.

Maybe anxiety is my curse and my block, then. My mind is pretty much never 'clear' because I can never stop thinking and worrying; I was diagnosed a few years ago with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I've always used a kind of 'meditation' to calm myself somewhat in very stressful situations but I could never really manage the deep/zen/trance-like state that some people swear by.

Having a spiritual experience is a deeply human activity. People of *all* faiths and no faith in particular have them. It doesn't mean that any particular faith is "true," if such a thing exists. It means that you are a living human having a human experience.

I remember one night when I was in my twenties. All of a sudden I knew with a deep knowledge, as surely as I knew that the sun would come up in the morning, that I am an eternal being. I still marvel at that experience. But I am far from alone in having such experiences.

Self delusion.

Spiritual experiences happen in spite of Mormonism, not because of it.

I have a spiritual experience every time I swallow some Jim Beam.

Born Mormon, raised Mormon, never saw anything spiritual ever.

Confirmation bias

Have had spiritual experiences sending home newborns I never thought I would get out of the hospital, stabilizing a preemie in an ER born in a Walmart parking lot, trusting a gut feeling on a diagnosis when all factors point elsewhere. I've had numerous spiritual experiences in the Gator Bowl- Jacksonville the first weekend in November when my Gators rout Georgia...you get the picture. More of my spiritual experiences are non-LDS than are..

Gatorman
9-4
23-6
5-1

After reading websites of testimonies from various religious faiths and customs, I found that my testimony and the testimonies I heard every F&T Sunday were far less impressive than those of other faiths. What I discovered was that there were two kinds of testimony; those that dealt with experiences of profound spiritual nature, and the corporate testimonials we rehearsed in front of the ward once a month.

The other thing I discovered was that according to testimonies from various Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, etc. was that almost all of them failed to mention how their leader/prophet had anything to do with their experience.

On the other hand, it seems almost every Mormon testimony, no matter how profound the experience, is given as proof that the church is true and that Joseph was a true prophet.

Take a look at this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJMSU8Qj6Go

Then send it off to your friend.

I'm on Percocet right now for post surgery and this trumps all good feelings in mormonism I had. I don't really remember any real major feelings though that made me go a hah now I know Joseph Smith was legit he saw Jesus straight up and I did too in my backyard with a burning in my bosom. Nobody makes sense to me that said they got a spiritual confirmation that the church is true, ok which part is true the good parts or the bad parts and now that you know the true history will you leave? I have noticed this though Mormons are more mesmerized by movies and films as far as feeling emotion from the movie than the average person. If the second coming was playing in theaters Mormons might mistake it for the real deal. They will think anything is true with the right background music.

I once had a certain heavy metal poisoning. I had a week long mystical experience. It would blow any framed church spiritual experience out of the water. I almost died, but it was like a complete awareness of how your thoughts are derived, cycles of life, consciousness is primary to matter, and so much more. It took my understanding of reality in a detailed logical way turned it on its head and slammed it. So spirit it stuff before I would laugh off, now I leave the door open to the possibility. I think human truths stoke a cord and resonant regardless of the source. Maybe.

From A to Z, Atheism to Zoroastrianism, people have had spiritual experiences.

I have related a story before here on RfM regarding a time I saw a restored B-17 bomber fly over an airshow--before I even drove into the parking lot I had to pull my car over from the wave of emotion that flooded over me. Spiritual experience? I don't know. But the sight and sound of that machine that so many men flew in and died in during the most massive conflict Earth has ever seen...it just hit me in a deep, deep, way.

No church, no god, just an experience I can't really explain.

Chicken N. Backpacks Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No church, no god, just an experience I can't really explain.


Yep.

I never had any. Any and all spiritual experiences and growth have come as a result of leaving Mormonism, or, I never had any growing up in an lds househhold.

You can't have spiritual experiences in Mormonism because tscc is lead by, Lucifer, the misleader, telling you it is a "spiritual experience", because Mormons told you so.

Why does the 'LDSC' say it is The one and only true church? Because IT IS AFRAID it isn't.

First,I wanted to say that I don't know why some people have spiritual experiences and some do not. That is a $ 64.00 question. When crap would happen, I would have an argument I guess with myself and ask God, "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?!" All I do know for certain though,is what myself and my family have experienced over the years. None of it had anything to do with trying to prove to us TSCC is true. We had experiences while we were "active", but seem to have more now that we have left the church. Miracles have happened that can't be explained and these things, more anything else, convince me that there has to be a God and an afterlife. There is no way that these things could've happened because of the extreme odds against them happening.

I've had a few spiritual experiences that can't be explained away. None of those had anything to do with the church or Joseph Smith. It just felt too coincidental to be coincidental. I have thought that maybe ancestors were helping me.

When I was 17, I went (with a girl) to go see a very powerful dramatic movie. Done with high production values, soaring music, an emotional story, and great acting.

It provoked a "spiritual experience" in me greater than anything I'd ever experienced in mormonism. My bosom burned, tears flowed freely, I had an overwhelming experience of love, compassion, and good feeling.

Yet the movie was fiction. 100%, entirely, absolutely fiction. My overwhelming "spiritual experience" didn't come from a supernatural being confirming to me the truth of the movie...it came from ME. From my all-too-human emotional reaction to a great story touching on common human emotions, to music intended to enhance such a reaction, from being in a crowd who were mostly also having the same reaction, to events in my life paralleling some of the events in the film.

That was a real eye-opener for me. That if an entirely fictional movie could give me such an overwhelming "emotional experience," and have nothing whatsoever to do with "truth," that other so-called "spiritual experiences" could also be my own emotion and nothing more.

Couple that with the simple fact that *nobody* can show any evidence of any kind that any "spiritual experience" is "spiritual" at all, and the conclusion I came to (a few years later) was simple: there's no reason to think such "experiences" have anything to do with gods, spirits, holy ghosts, etc. That they're far more likely to just be our own emotional experiences, and no indication of any "truth."

By the way, the movie was "The Goodbye Girl." :)

Begging the question

"Spiritual experiences" are widespread and not uncommon. Peoples
from all kinds of backgrounds have them, intensely.

Mormonism hijacks the spiritual experience. Mormons are told
that ANYTHING at all is evidence from God that Mormonism is true.
Had an intense spiritual experience? That's the Spirit telling
you the Church is true. Had just a warm feeling about something?
That's the Spirit telling you the Church is true. Had a feeling
of fellowship at a Church meeting? That's the Spirit telling you
the Church is true. No matter WHAT happens, it gets twisted to
become spiritual evidence the Church is true.

Don't let go of your spiritual experiences, but don't let the
Church hijack them away from you.

Spiritual exeriences are probably emotional responses being misinterpreted in many cases.Some may be from God and the real deal. I have never had such an experience but I will keep an open mind. One thing I know is that they are not unique to Mormons.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2017 08:26PM by bona dea.

Just like the D&C says, the blessing comes with obedience to the law upon which that blessing is predicated. In other words, cause and effect.

If supporting your spouse and loving your kids is good, you may feel good when you do those things. But that doesn't have anything to do with the price of tea in China.

The same way you explain past love.

Ever been head over heals in love? totally infatuated, smitten, etc......and then for whatever reason it ended and you moved on?

Just because you had strong feelings of love, or a strong spiritual experience, doesn't mean it was anything more than in the moment. It doesn't indicate permanence or truth of any kind.

Night air, trapped wind in the bowels, phases of the moon, miasma, hysteria, and black bile. That's all it was with me. That's all it is with anybody.

I never felt anything spiritual in a church. Ever.

Warm an fuzzy can be explained by Chemistry and triggers. What sets you off? Oh you hear and see stuff, Well that is also Chemistry and triggers as well as physics.

What about Joan of Arc. Her delusions worked. Not sure what any of it means, but. . . .

That angels conversed to her wasn't a delusion to Joan. To her it was real. Who are you to call angelic intervention delusions?

George Washington was observed by friends and foes alike to have an angelic shield around him during battles.

When he should have been shot through with bullets, he wasn't. His horse would be shot out from underneath him, and yet he didn't sustain a single injury. "With men and officers being shot down all around him, George Washington rode forward to take charge of the collapsing lines at the Battle of the Monongahela on July 9, 1755. While riding along the ranks looking to steady the men, Washington had two horses shot out from under him and four bullet holes shot through his coat." (None of which grazed him or left so much as a bruise.)

http://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/10-things-you-really-ought-to-know-about-george-washington

He also had an angel appear to him in a vision, who showed him the future of America. Three great battles unfolded in his vision: the Revolutionary War; the Civil War; and another more great and awful war where the US will be invaded by Europe, Asia, and Africa. The angel told George that so long as there are people who fear God and pray (fear meaning respect,) the Union would remain standing after the great and terrible war of all wars, but the country would hang by a thread.

http://www.ushistory.org/VALLEYFORGE/washington/vision.html

Instead of learning about his angelic encounters growing up in America, we were taught about him chopping down a cherry tree. Which we all can agree is/was a myth.

While the angelic encounters and divine intervention were not.

Moral of story: Don't make your guardian angels teed off. Your future may depend on it.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2017 03:16PM by Amyjo.

More about the Battle of Monongahela:

"On the morning of July 9th, 1755, Braddock and 1000 of his men, along with Washington and some of his Virgina regulars, crossed the southern shore of the Monongahela. Colonel Thomas Gage had a forward detachment of 350 soldiers, 250 workers and axemen, cutting a path. They were about 10 miles from Ft. Duquesne around 1:00 pm, Gage and the forward detachment had just crossed a ravine when scouts, and flanking parties came running back towards them, waving them off. Just then, they were hit with a fusillade of musket balls. It immediately became choas. The British could not see their enemy, because they were hidden behind rocks, hills, and trees. The rain of bullets kept coming in on them dropping them like flies. Gage's men fired back at the direction of the smoke plumes from their enemies rifles, but hit nothing but the rocks, hills, and trees, merely splintering bark.

Gage's men and the horses continued to drop, some of the wounded horses began to panic and bolt, carring wagons full of their weapons and ammo, trampling men on the ground as they galloped off. The workers and axemen also began to flee in panic.
For the Indians who were crack marksmen, this was like shooting fish in a barel! Eventually what was left of Gage's forward detachment began to retreat. Gen. Braddock hearing the gunfire, left 400 troops along with most of the Virginia regulars with Sir Peter Halkett, and most of the baggage. Braddock and his remaining troops, Washington and a 100 or so Virgina militia hastened towards the battle. The retreating men collided with the advancing men, setting them to more confusion. All the while, the French and Indians continued to rain down musket balls upon them with deadly accuracy, and force.

It became an instant slaughter as Braddock instructed his men to form colums (which made them easy to hit because of thier red coats, and being in plain sight) like they were accustomed to doing in Europe. Musket balls rained down on them at will, cutting them down like a lawn mower cuts grass and anything else that gets in it's way, with an instantaneous efficiency!

The 100 or so Virginiamen quickly adopted the Indian style of warfare, and dropped behind trees and shot only when an enemy target was visible. Gen. Braddock was furious at this, and barked orders for them to get out from behind the trees. He saw this as cowardice according to his rules of engagement.
He was undaunted in his task, bravely going to and fro amidst the shower of musket balls, trying to rally his troops. During this time he had five horses shot out from under him. But in spite of his bravery and reckless courage, he could not stem the tide.

At the same time, God's hand can be seen protecting George Washington while he was busy going back and forth across the battle field completely exposed, carrying out General Braddock's orders. One soldier observing Washington, stated:

"I expected every moment to see him fall. Nothing but the superintending care of Providence could have saved him."
Indians testified later, that they had singled him out, but their bullets had no effect on him. They were convinced that an Invisible Power was protecting him.

Washington had two horses shot out from under him, and four bullet holes in his coat. Yet he himself was untouched by bullet, bayonet, tomahawk, or arrow. Scores of vicims had fallen beside him, yet he went unharmed. He had been protected by God's hand! Every other mounted officer, had been slain!

Eventually Braddock was mortally wounded in the side, and fell. When this occured all the british troops fled in confusion. Washington gathered up what was left of the Virginiamen, barely 30 of them, the injured General, and proceeded to cover the retreating British, He left all the baggage, weapons, provisions, cattle, and horses behind for the enemy to plunder. General Braddock died three days later.

It was the most lopsided battle in American history. 714 British soldiers had been killed, 37 wounded. 26 officers out of 86 were killed, and 37 wounded. Only 30 men, and 3 officers were killed, of the French and Indians!

Upon Washington's return to Fort Cumberland (120 miles from the battle scene), he wrote a letter to his mother to alay any fears she would have, as news of the rout had preceded them. On the same day (July 18, 1755) he also wrote to his brother, John A. Washington:

"As I have heard since my arrival at this place [Fort Cumberland], a circumstantial account of my death and dying speech, I take this early opportunity of contradicting the first, and of assuring you that I have not as yet composed the latter. But, by the all-powerful dispensations of Providence, I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation; for I had four bullets through my coat, and two horses shot under me, yet escaped unhurt, although death was leveling my companions on every side of me!"

But wait, it gets even better. 15 years later, an old respected Indian Chief sought out council with Washington, when he heard that he was in the area. Through an interpreter he explained that he had set out on a long journey to meet Washington personally, and to speak to him about the battle 15 years earlier. He said:

"I am a chief and ruler over my tribes. My influence extends to the waters of the great lakes and to the far blue mountains. I have traveled a long and weary path that I might see the young warrior of the great battle. It was on the day when the white man's blood mixed with the streams of our forest that I first beheld this chief [Washington]. I called to my young men and said, mark yon tall and daring warrior? He is not of the red-coat tribe--he hath an Indian's wisdom, and his warriors fight as we do--himself is alone exposed. Quick, let your aim be certain, and he dies. Our rifles were leveled, rifles which, but for you, knew not how to miss--'twas all in vain, a power mightier far than we, shielded you. Seeing you were under the special guardship of the Great Spirit, we immediately ceased to fire at you. I am old and soon shall be gathered to the great council fire of my fathers in the land of shades, but ere I go, there is something bids me speak in the voice of prophecy. Listen! The Great Spirit protects that man [pointing at Washington], and guides his destinies--he will become the chief of nations, and a people yet unborn will hail him as the founder of a mighty empire. I am come to pay homage to the man who is the particular favorite of Heaven, and who can never die in battle."

http://www.therealamericanhis-story.com/gw



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2017 03:27PM by Amyjo.

I too believe in guardian angels, and believe that God favored and protected George Washington. But I absolutely GAG at the Mormon myth that the United States was created so that Joseph Smith could bring forth the "restored gospel". I do believe that God wanted this nation to be a shining example of religious freedom, and George Washington very much wanted it too. But Mormons don't really believe in religious freedom, even though they swear that they do. If they could get away with it, they would send Danites after us.

That's because to them we're as good as sons of Perdition.

Apostates for leaving the Mormon fold.

Never mind it was religious freedom that allowed for Mormona to be born on American soil.

The same religious freedom is what led our forebears into the Mormon fold. And the same freedoms we cherish and honor that allowed us to exit it.

For that I can add a "Glory, glory Hallelujah!"

;)

Spiritual/supernatural experiences violate nature. Violations of nature are falsehoods. Falsehoods are lies. Therefore, spiritual experiences are simply lying to yourself.


HH =)

Maybe there is some "generic" source for spiritual experiences that transcends the specific settings/organizations/people/etc. in which the experiences manifest. But the persons having the experiences tend to associate them with those specific settings, organizations, or people.

On the other hand, the Bible says that Satan can transform himself into an "angel of light" and possibly even "deceive the very elect." So if that is true, some of your wonderful spiritual experiences might not be so wonderful after all, but actually could be deceptive way-marks on the pathway to Hell!

I don't know how to start..

so there was a missionary who stole my heart. I know me and missionaries right but I was 19 when I joined and when I got back home they were my age and I would do splits with female missionaries, when they got home and I tried to stay in contact I was the devil though, not so much the female ones.. anyway story about the one I did have feeling for...Is long!

He asked me to go out there but my very wise ( he was) bishop told me straight out if you go to Utah you won't make It. It was just not going to fit who I am as a person. I didn't go and for years I wondered about it.

New member Joined my church (Not LDS) and I said hello and was friendly but didn't really know her. Well I was home that week and this image of her on a bench in this beautiful long flowing gown popped into my mind out of no where. She was stunning, her neck slightly stretch like her was looking for someone, waiting. I went and sat nice to her in church the next week and she said she had come back from Utah. I told her my story and she said " That is interesting, I told my husband if we left here and moved to Utah we'd end up getting divorced, and that is exactly what happened!" I won't put words in anyone's mouth, but I think God, the Universe, whatever word you want to use here is always talking to us. I think its more about being opened to it...



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2017 01:41PM by seamaiden.

Going against my heart! If I didn't feel it, it was 'the spirit'. Nothing ever felt right because my heart is NEVER wrong

The same way I explain my current spiritual experiences as a Unitarian humanist. Because the exact same thing that I would have described as "the spirit" when I was mormon happens to me now, in fact, much more now. Incredible serendipitous things that almost seem impossible to chalk up to coincidence happen to me still. One is unfolding in my life right now and it gives me goose bumps to think how everything has come together to make a bad situation as good and hopeful as it possibly can be.

People have tried since the beginning of time to explain these kinds of things. They come up with supernatural explanations as well as metaphysical ones. They create gods and goddesses and spiritual beings to explain them. But they just ARE. To me now, I just call it the mystery, the spirit of life, the forces of nature. I don't worry about what to chalk it up to. I just enjoy it and thank the universe for its magic.

The most powerful "spiritual experience" I ever had was during a
Unitarian church service.

It was a return on my investment into the religion, and a matter of interpretation of events and feelings. I have had other similar feelings with no association to Mormonism. As a TBM, anything that produced certain feelings or benefits was attributed to Mormonism. I was to "Thank God" for anything good that happened.