The Paradox of Personal Experiences
Personal experiences are inherently unfalsifiable. Emotions have the ability to alter our perception of reality, often in ways that blur the line between the internal and external. For instance, thinking intensely about a former partner might cause someone to believe they can hear their voice or even see them. Similarly, if a person closes their eyes for 10 minutes and visualises a blonde woman, they might momentarily perceive such a figure upon opening their eyes.
While it is theoretically possible that visions or experiences of this nature are genuine, they present a paradox. For example, Sophie may claim she spoke with Jesus, while Daniel insists he spoke with the God of a contradicting religion. Both accounts cannot logically be true at the same time. Perhaps they are both genuinely experiencing Jesus, and Daniel is mistaken about his interpretation. Alternatively, Sophie may be deluded; she may not be hearing Jesus at all, but instead, the indigenous God of the Hawaiian islands, whom she misattributes as Jesus.
So perhaps you felt Jesus, or maybe you just felt a release of serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins—chemicals your brain naturally produce during moments of intense emotion, relief, or spiritual euphoria, which you then interpreted as divine presence because of your existing beliefs.
Alternatively, it is possible that you are genuinely experiencing the indigenous Hawaiian God without realising it.
While personal experiences can be paradoxical and open to interpretation, they remain deeply powerful. They have the ability to provide comfort, inspire positive change, and foster connection with something greater than ourselves. My aim here is not to undermine their value but to highlight the complexity and paradoxical nature of how they are understood and interpreted.