Did anyone else hear voices?

[stuck]

Early in my faith transition, my wife agreed to listen to all of the critical arguments regarding church history etc. This seemed quite stressful to me and I was thinking about whether to go through with it. Then I heard a voice say, "It's the spirit that matters most". I took this as an answer from the Lord and told my wife about it when I got home and felt good about it for awhile and this kept me in the church until I realized that it didn't make sense. I think I may have heard that voice because I was under alot of stress at that moment and when researching critical information about church history I didn't have a good feeling. This is probably because it was negative and was attacking my "cherished beliefs" right?

Anyway, I realized this later and thought to myself that perhaps feelings aren't good indicators of whether or not something is true.

Did anyone else have a similar experience? I googled hearing voices or having auditory hallucinations and it brought up a lot of stuff about schizophrenia which was scary. But I haven't had that experience since and so I figure it must have been the stress of the moment that caused it.

[A New Name]

I attended a leadership meeting the Boyd Packer back in the 1980. The only thing that I still remember was him saying he had never seen a Heavenly being, and had never heard an audible voice in response to his prayers. The point he was making was that we should just go with our feelings (Holy Ghost) , and not wait for a miraculous revelation.

[Red Ryder]

I’m wondering if your subconscious was trying to tell you to take it slow explaining your faith crisis to your wife. It’s the spirit that matters could mean the tone of your expressions of disbelief. The most important thing NOMs can do is to take things slow. Perhaps your conscious knew this and that’s the voice you heard? Who’s knows?

For the record, If I’m working late and mentally tired after a few weeks of hectic busy season I often hear Wanda Sykes talking to me in my head.

Now, to be fair it could be the Holy Ghost too… assuming he mimics black comedic women.

[stuck]

I attended a leadership meeting the Boyd Packer back in the 1980. The only thing that I still remember was him saying he had never seen a Heavenly being, and had never heard an audible voice in response to his prayers. The point he was making was that we should just go with our feelings (Holy Ghost) , and not wait for a miraculous revelation.

Yeah and when I was single I remember talks given where they would say if you pray to know if you should marry someone and you don't receive an answer then go ahead unless you get a "no" answer. So it seems that getting answers to prayers or feeling the Spirit are often difficult to interpret and doesn't seem to be a good indicator of what the truth is. I also prayed to know if I should marry someone and felt the spirit, but she didn't feel the same way.

[stuck]

I’m wondering if your subconscious was trying to tell you to take it slow explaining your faith crisis to your wife. It’s the spirit that matters could mean the tone of your expressions of disbelief. The most important thing NOMs can do is to take things slow. Perhaps your conscious knew this and that’s the voice you heard? Who’s knows?

For the record, If I’m working late and mentally tired after a few weeks of hectic busy season I often hear Wanda Sykes talking to me in my head.

Now, to be fair it could be the Holy Ghost too… assuming he mimics black comedic women.

I think that phrase that I heard is what Pres. Benson said, "The spirit matters most." There is a lot of stuff we have to take apart and analyze when we lose our faith in Mormonism right

[2bizE]

No voices that I remember

[Angel]

Early in my faith transition, my wife agreed to listen to all of the critical arguments regarding church history etc. This seemed quite stressful to me and I was thinking about whether to go through with it. Then I heard a voice say, "It's the spirit that matters most". I took this as an answer from the Lord and told my wife about it when I got home and felt good about it for awhile and this kept me in the church until I realized that it didn't make sense. I think I may have heard that voice because I was under alot of stress at that moment and when researching critical information about church history I didn't have a good feeling. This is probably because it was negative and was attacking my "cherished beliefs" right?

Anyway, I realized this later and thought to myself that perhaps feelings aren't good indicators of whether or not something is true.

Did anyone else have a similar experience? I googled hearing voices or having auditory hallucinations and it brought up a lot of stuff about schizophrenia which was scary. But I haven't had that experience since and so I figure it must have been the stress of the moment that caused it.

This is the big video going around that explained it for me: https://youtu.be/UJMSU8Qj6Go

As well as this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevation_%28emotion%29
"It is experienced as a distinct feeling of warmth and expansion that is accompanied by appreciation and affection."

In short, we are herd animals - how do birds coordinate migrations with one another? How do wolf packs bond? How did Heaven's Gate, Children of God, The Unification Church members bond with one another? Why did it take 2 nuclear bombs for those in Japan to stop believing their emperor was half God (on his mom's side, twice removed).

That said, yes, I have heard a voice. It was not angelic - they say we are communicated with in our own language, and my language is very informal and relaxed - no prissy thee's or thou's - .... so I had graduated with BS, had a few different roads to choose between, was in the shower - nice quiet place to meditate and think things over, was tossing around the idea of grad school, kicking myself around that I would not make it through - and a voice said "You'll make it." → scared the CRAP out of me, I was but n*** in the shower, it sounded like someone was in the room with me. I grabbed towel, jumped out, looking around, heart racing, scared out of my wits.... yea, no privacy for either body or mind - reaching inside my head, horrible experience.... anyways, I made it. I'm currently stomping around with my "calling" of educating the masses with that degree. Make of it what you will. That was the only time I heard a voice. As a kid I had a few demonic experiences - out of body stuff, baaaad dreams, shawdows at night, wake up with hands grabbing me, just horrid nightmares but never a voice. I've been through a few things, but I do make a living with my brain so.... I tell myself I am ok. Better now that I am out of the church than when I was in it.

[stealthbishop]

I have never felt or heard an audible voice. I have had strong "spiritual" experiences of precognition a few times and also synchronicity a few times. I don't think these phenomenon are completely uncommon for humans. I think Bill Reel when he was active and trying to stay in the church and on the NOM 1.0 board had said that he had heard an audible voice. I could be wrong, but if I'm right, I'm not sure how he would frame that now.

When someone hears voices or has visions and it's benign or uplifting it is called a "spiritual experience" but when it is harmful or disabling it is seen as psychotic.

I think these things have been going on with human beings for quite some time. In the past, individuals who had these experiences, would be shamans or the spiritual leaders of their tribes who could communicate with the gods. People have used and continue to use substances that can more easily generate these phenomenon. Prayer and fasting and meditation can also do it.

Is it external to us and some sort of connection with a higher power or divine being(s)? Is it purely internal and more of a psychological, physiological, and/or chemical issue? Is it some sort of quantum entanglement that we just don't understand at this point? I don't really know. But what I do know is that these things can cut both ways and lead to positive outcomes and also negative outcomes. They are very difficult to measure like most private experiences (thoughts, feelings, memories, sensations, urges, etc.).

[stealthbishop]

I attended a leadership meeting the Boyd Packer back in the 1980. The only thing that I still remember was him saying he had never seen a Heavenly being, and had never heard an audible voice in response to his prayers. The point he was making was that we should just go with our feelings (Holy Ghost) , and not wait for a miraculous revelation.

Good to see you again A New Name!

When I was at the MTC, David B. Haight spoke to us, and shared that while he was very sick in the hospital, he had a vision of JC's life, ministry, atonement and resurrection. It fit the narrative of the NT gospels. I relied on that testimony as part of mine for many years. I know it was obviously a sacred thing for him and for many of us who heard him share it.

Interesting thing is, obviously the earliest followers of Jesus, came to have some type of spiritual experience and/or vision as well that caused them to believe that JC had been raised from the dead by God. These are not completely uncommon experiences for lots of human beings Christian or not. But not for BKP who probably fits into the majority I would say.

[Hagoth]

I attended a leadership meeting the Boyd Packer back in the 1980... and had never heard an audible voice in response to his prayers.

So Stuck is a superior revelator to BKP. Good for you, Stuck!

I have read that just about everyone will experience hallucinations at some point in their life, particularly when they are under stress. I heard a voice once when I was a teenager, but it seemed like it was more ghost than Holy Ghost. It seemed very real, but I have no doubt it was a hallucination.

An extreme example is Third Man Syndrome, which is when you experience the apparent physical presence of another person while you are under extreme stress. One of the International Space Station astronauts insists that his dead father appeared on the ISS and talked him through a life-threatening technical problem. Joshua Slocum, the first solo circumnavigator, claimed that the captain of one of Columbus' ships showed up and sailed his boat through a storm. I think this could also account for many angelic and demonic visitations.

I wouldn't worry about schizophrenia unless you start hearing voices frequently and consistently. If you get too stressed about it you might start hearing voices!

[wtfluff]

I have read that just about everyone will experience hallucinations at some point in their life

What's the difference between a hallucination and a dream?


And as to the thread topic: I've never heard voices, never seen ghosts, holy or friendly; Never been visited by any dead people.

[Hagoth]

What's the difference between a hallucination and a dream?

If you're hearing and seeing stuff that's not there when you're walking around I think that pretty neatly fits the definition of a hallucination. However, there are two kinds - probably the most common - that happen in a sleep state when people think they are awake. Hypnogogic hallucinations happen as you're falling asleep, but think you're still awake. Hypnopompic hallucinations happen as you are waking up but think you're already wide awake. Both can be visual hallucinations but are more commonly sounds, often voices.

Come to think of it, I have experienced both of those. They can be spooky if you don't recognize what they are. Mine took the form of someone whispering in my ear, which was kind of scary, and someone kissing me on the cheek, which was very pleasant.

[fetchface]

I never heard actual voices, but I think that it is certainly possible for the human mind to conjure them if you are in enough distress.

I find it very difficult to get into the spiritual answer mode in general. I only ever had the "Holy Ghost" prayer experience once. I said a prayer and received a very strong warm feeling of peace accompanied by a very strong sense of certainty on an answer. The only problem is that I was praying about Joseph Smith and the sense of certainty was that Joseph Smith was a fraud.

I love sharing this with Mormons who try to rescue me. They really have to tie themselves in knots to try to explain it.

[wtfluff]

What's the difference between a hallucination and a dream?

If you're hearing and seeing stuff that's not there when you're walking around I think that pretty neatly fits the definition of a hallucination. However, there are two kinds - probably the most common - that happen in a sleep state when people think they are awake. Hypnogogic hallucinations happen as you're falling asleep, but think you're still awake. Hypnopompic hallucinations happen as you are waking up but think you're already wide awake. Both can be visual hallucinations but are more commonly sounds, often voices.

Come to think of it, I have experienced both of those. They can be spooky if you don't recognize what they are. Mine took the form of someone whispering in my ear, which was kind of scary, and someone kissing me on the cheek, which was very pleasant.

Yeah, I guess I'll just have to type: I don't see the difference between a hallucination when you're awake, or half-awake, or half-asleep or completely asleep. They're all hallucinations. So yes, I think dreams are basically the same as hallucinations. All of them are something that isn't real created by your mind.

So I guess I also have to type: All of that is to say that I can't understand why people use a religious dream (hallucination) as personal revelation and do drastic things to change the way the live their life based on that religious dream (hallucination.) Yet all of the other dreams (hallucinations) they have are "just dreams" and get are just basically ignored.

That being said, my rant about dreams (hallucinations) is basically no different than getting a "burning bosom" at church and using that to prove "the church is true" but the "burning bosom" at the Iron Maiden concert is "The Adversary™."

The contradictions... They're Everywhere!!!


Ok, dream-rant over. Back to your normally scheduled voices (in your head?)

[Hagoth]

That being said, my rant about dreams (hallucinations) is basically no different than getting a "burning bosom" at church and using that to prove "the church is true" but the "burning bosom" at the Iron Maiden concert is "The Adversary™."

I agree that it's important to prioritize possibilities according to available evidence. Like, for instance, this genuine photograph of a supernatural entity:

[wtfluff]

I agree that it's important to prioritize possibilities according to available evidence. Like, for instance, this genuine photograph of a supernatural entity:

EDDIE! (You don't know how much I love that rotting corpse of a mascot. )

Did you know that this album featured a slightly mis-quoted scripture from Revelations? (Kinda, sorta like a previous album... )

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more Death. Neither sorrow, nor crying. Neither shall there be any more brain; for the former things are passed away.

It also included some blatant, deliberate back-masking as a joke to poke fun at all the crazy "PMRC" whack-job critics.

Ah, the good old days.


And... There I go again with a major tread-jack. Hagoth made me do it.

[alas]

What's the difference between a hallucination and a dream?

If you're hearing and seeing stuff that's not there when you're walking around I think that pretty neatly fits the definition of a hallucination. However, there are two kinds - probably the most common - that happen in a sleep state when people think they are awake. Hypnogogic hallucinations happen as you're falling asleep, but think you're still awake. Hypnopompic hallucinations happen as you are waking up but think you're already wide awake. Both can be visual hallucinations but are more commonly sounds, often voices.

Come to think of it, I have experienced both of those. They can be spooky if you don't recognize what they are. Mine took the form of someone whispering in my ear, which was kind of scary, and someone kissing me on the cheek, which was very pleasant.

Yeah, I guess I'll just have to type: I don't see the difference between a hallucination when you're awake, or half-awake, or half-asleep or completely asleep. They're all hallucinations. So yes, I think dreams are basically the same as hallucinations. All of them are something that isn't real created by your mind.

So I guess I also have to type: All of that is to say that I can't understand why people use a religious dream (hallucination) as personal revelation and do drastic things to change the way the live their life based on that religious dream (hallucination.) Yet all of the other dreams (hallucinations) they have are "just dreams" and get are just basically ignored.

That being said, my rant about dreams (hallucinations) is basically no different than getting a "burning bosom" at church and using that to prove "the church is true" but the "burning bosom" at the Iron Maiden concert is "The Adversary™."

The contradictions... They're Everywhere!!!


Ok, dream-rant over. Back to your normally scheduled voices (in your head?)

No, dreams ARE different than hallucinations and hallucinations do not just happen when you are either going to sleep or waking up, so those two types of hallucinations are not all of what hallucinations can be.

My brother has hallucinations, (well actually past tense, he had hallucinations before they finally invented the right anti depressant) his were both visual and auditory. But he had them wide awake, in fact, once he told me that the voice was talking to him as we were talking. I asked how he knew the difference between reality and the voice, and he said that sometimes they “feel” different, but sometimes he knew because the voice was talking nonsense. So I asked him what and he said that the voice was arguing that he shouldn’t have dark hair on his arms while the hair on his head was white.

I also asked him if hallucinations were like dreams and he said no, very different, but had a hard time articulating what the difference was. It was a difference in experience, like describing what salt tastes like.

[wtfluff]

I also asked him if hallucinations were like dreams and he said no, very different, but had a hard time articulating what the difference was. It was a difference in experience, like describing what salt tastes like.

Yeah, so in essence: Dreams are a "different form" of hallucinations.

Got it!

[alas]

I also asked him if hallucinations were like dreams and he said no, very different, but had a hard time articulating what the difference was. It was a difference in experience, like describing what salt tastes like.

Yeah, so in essence: Dreams are a "different form" of hallucinations.

Got it!

Well, no. Because dreams are normal and necessary and hallucination are abnormal and an indication that your brain chemistry is screwed up. If you can’t comprehend that difference, well, then I guess your brain chemistry is screwed up.

Dreams are REM sleep, a normal part o f the sleep cycle for all mammals. There is no sleep and no REM with real hallucinations. There is a difference with the hypnogogia and such, which are *really* waking dreams and *not* *hallucinations* at all. Big difference, but lay people usually don’t understand the difference. One is pathological, the real hallucinations, means you are crazy. Another is sorta pathological in that it 90% of the time is when you are sleep deprived, those hypnogogia type dreams. And the third is necessary or you go crazy, because lack or REM sleep screws up your brain chemistry.

Psychologists and psychiatrists differentiate between hypnogogia and hallucinations and tell you do get more sleep if you are having hypnogogia and put you on serious drugs if you are having hallucinations.

So, there is more difference than just that you can tell the difference. But I thought you understood that real hallucinations are a sign of mental illness.

[alas]

Getting back to the original topic.

Yes, I have heard voices. But it is too sacred to talk about.

Couldn’t resist that one.