Mysticism is the idea that spiritual reality is found by looking inward. Mysticism is perfectly suited for religious existentialism; indeed, it is its inevitable consequence. The mystic disdains rational understanding and seeks truth instead through the feelings, the imagination, personal visions, inner voices, private illumination, or other purely subjective means. Objective truth becomes practically superfluous. Mystical experiences are, therefore, self-authenticating; that is, they are not subject to any form of objective verification. They are unique to the person who experiences them. Since they do not arise from or depend upon any rational process, they are invulnerable to any refutation by rational means. Arthur L. Johnson writes, The experience convinces the mystic in such a way, and to such a degree, that lie simply cannot doubt its value and the correctness of what he believes it says. ...In its crudest form, this position says that believing something to be so makes it so. The idea is that ultimate reality is purely mental; therefore one is able to create whatever reality one wishes. Thus, the mystic creates truth through his experience. In a less extreme form, the view seems to be that there are alternate realities, one as real as another and that these break in upon the mystic in his experiences. Whatever form is taken, the criterion of truth is again a purely private and subjective experience that provides no means of verification and no safeguard against error. Nevertheless, it is seen by the mystic as being above question by others. The practical result of all this is that it is nearly impossible to reason with any convinced mystic. Such people are generally beyond the reach of reason. Mysticism is, therefore, antithetical to discernment. It is an extreme form of reckless faith Discernment depends on a knowledge of Scripture. Those who are content to listen gullibly to some voice of human authority rather than hearing Gods Word and letting it speak for itself cannot be discerning. Theirs is a reckless, irrational faith. John MacArthur
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 16:33:30 +0000
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