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Letter: Letter

Published 12 May 2001

From Dave Skinner

In spite of the title of your article, “In search of God”, I would suggest
that your reporters sought religious experience, not God
(21 April, p 24).

St Paul, whose religious experience on the road to Damascus is one of the
best known, had much to say about the truth of God and the resurrection of Jesus
Christ but was rather scathing about religious experiences, in spite of his own.
His first letter to the new Christians in Corinth aimed to shift their focus
from “religious experience” to the truth of God’s love. The problem with
“religious experience” is that it can be very self-centred, the very antithesis
of Judaeo-Christian teaching.

The core of teaching in the scriptures is the character of God and man’s
need. This is something you won’t understand from an out-of-body experience.

Germany

Issue no. 2290 published 12 May 2001

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