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From: Sam Dodsworth <sam@aristos.demon.co.uk>

Newsgroups: alt.books.cs-lewis

Subject: Re: Difficulties with "Miracles" - no quantum mechanics

Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 16:32:29 +0000

Organization: Annexia Free Press

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In article <E5F6uD.274@nonexistent.com>, AHNEMANN

<ahnemann@cybernex.net> writes

>

> How would  the materialist explain personal numinous sensations, such as 

>cause emotion enough to weaken the knees?  I've heard too many men say, 

>"It doesn't affect me... affect me... affect me... affect me..."

>

        I take it you do mean to be gender-specific here? I'm inclined

to agree that it's mostly men who do this, just as men often deny their

aesthetic responses because they've been taught that it's "not manly".

Obviously, I think this is a Bad Thing.

        I think I've had experiences you would call numinous, but I'm

hampered by my not having read Lewis' remarks on the subject. If they're

short enough I'd be grateful for a post or an email... As to how I

explain them, I suppose I'd say that the feelings come first and then

the experience, in the same way that the world seems different when

you're in love. Feelings are real experience and can change you, but the

primary source is internal, not external. All of which reminds me of

"The Abolition of Man". Lewis criticises the writers of a textbook for

saying that all we me by "this is sublime" is "I have sublime feelings".

I suppose that I would say "I feel this is sublime": I'm percieving

something, but the perception might only be true for me. Hmm...more on

this when I've had some more time to think, maybe.



Sam Dodsworth (sam@aristos.demon.co.uk)

"I think there should be more sex and violence on television, not less. 

 Both are powerful catalysts of social change, at a time when change is

 desperately needed."

                        -J.G. Ballard