i will say YES I have met Him, I would also say Borg is wrong in his estimate, its much higher than that

I've felt a "spirit" at times, but I've never felt it was specifically Jesus. More like God's presence in the world. I suppose one could describe it as the post-Easter Christ, but it certainly didn't manifest in any way that led me to think of it as being the "spirit of Jesus".

Mendalla

I have felt Spirit, but not Jesus.

I've met the spirit of  Cú Chulainn, which is one of the "Christ" equivalents in my faith.

The experience is one of the markers in our belief system.

Fortunately in our culture, talking about conversations with spirits of Gods and Ancestors is not considered unusual, so I don't have any difficulty talking about it in Church.

I think that is the new brave frontier for Christianity.

It has just unravelled the layers put on the historical Jesus, using the social sciences.

The next task is understanding the limits on spiritual reality the Empire system imposed on the spiritual reality the historical Jesus was walking in. 

Perhaps that is the Church's 21st century quest.

Hi Gray Owl,

I wonder how Borg defines an actual "meeting?"

I also wonder how Borg arrives at those figures.

Well either I am very fortunate to have met him or average in that I haven't.  The numbers don't lead me to conclude that I am better or worse than any other.

I've met someone.  I just stayed with God rather than sitting down and reasoning which of the Trinity it was properly called.  One is as good as any of the others.

No.

Grace and peace to you.

John

I suppose I would call it the Holy Spirit. Sometimes...yes....not a ghost of any kind but the feeling of a presence.

I feel it in this song: (close your eyes)

Hi RevJohn, 

I tend to pray to God, strive to follow Jesus, and believe I encounter the Holy Spirit from time to time.  But you are probably right . . . they might be more interchangeable than I have been thinking. 

Thanks for the idea . . . P3

I'd like to know just how Borg is defining the term "actual 'spirit' ghost if you will, of Jesus of Nazareth." If he means the Holy Spirit, I most certainly do believe I've encountered him. I believe he called me to salvation. I believe he empowered me so that I could choose to accept Christ and be born anew. I believe he baptized me, and now indwells me.

I, too, am wondering about this "actual ghost" business, and how Borg came up with his figure. 

Maybe we need a fuller quote to understand the context of Borg's remarks.

P3

Maybe Borg means what he says as in "ghost".....lol...a real ghost?  Or perhaps "ghost" is Gray Owl's terminology?  Yes, we could use some clarity. Wherefore art thou Gray Owl?

Mystical experiences are highly subjective and can't be objectively verified. Whether or not one has met the "spirit of Jesus" in a mystical experience is up to one's interpretive framework or belief system.

But I'd say, yes, I have met the spirit of Jesus.

It has turned my life around. I was not afraid to mention it to my congregation.

That's what I was wondering. In which case I'd answer no.

Well, I'm not sure where Borg gets his estimate from.  And I'm not sure of his definition.  He mentions it in one of his videos.  I guess the whole spectrum of what 'presence' is, perhaps the actual 'ghost' of Jesus, or just His consciousness, or some sort. 

People feel far more comfortable in the UCC if you say 'Spirit' and leave it at that.  If you say you met the actual 'soul' of Jesus, personality and form and all, then you fall in the fundie category, and there is a fear/assumption that this person is now a convert who feels special and wants to lord it over others with their specific experience.  It's code for oppressive, and perhaps inadequacy on our part.  Why didn't we get to 'see' actual Jesus, and they did?

But I think that kind of specific experience is far below Borg's statistic.  He was saying it in the context of the bodily resurrection.  It didn't matter if the corpse of Christ rose.  People actually experienced Jesus after His death.  That was the point Borg was making.  Pretty standard, modern interpretation, and hey, blessed are those who don't see the wounds on Jesus' side, and still believe... that's far more difficult to do.  After you have met the ghost of Jesus, you don't have any excuses to doubt.

Anyone guilting of lording it over is making a big mistake. It was God who gave us the gift of salvation. We didn't give it to ourselves. And God offers the gift to everyone. One and all are free to accept it. There is no room for boasting.

Quite right.

The trick is 'seeing' the Kingdom of God right in front of our face.

Hi paradox3,

You are welcome.

Trinitarian thought postulates that there is one God and that this one God has expressed God's self through three distinct personalities.

When confronted with this presence what impressed upon me the most was not a specific personality.  I was not mentally telling myself, "oh this is the Holy Spirit, or Jesus or the Father" and yet, I knew that I was in the presence of the divine.

The peacefulness which cut through the deepest fearfulness I have ever known was as present for me as flesh and blood has ever been.  It wasn't quite euphoric though it was both invigorating and calming.  In the presence of that grace I was able to find my footing,  square my shoulders and confront that which moments earlier had me on the verge of panic and flight (two activities to which I am not predisposed).

That was not the first time I had experienced such contact though my recollection of both meetings shows that each time this being brought something different.  Each time, as I reflect, what was brought was what I had the greatest need of.

First time out it was direction and purpose.  I responded to that call and hold the office of Ordained Minister as a result.  The second time out I was grounded and now, no matter the circumstance I find myself in I know that my footing is sure.

By contrast I have also felt a presence which is the polar opposite.  One which gave me a new perspective on the presence and power of hate.

I believe that I have experienced close encounters with the holy and the unholy.

I find pretty much everyone I meet to lie somewhere in between those two extremes.

Grace and peace to you.

John

Amen, exactly how i feel with His Presence , no matter what, in the end of it all, i know i have Him

yes I have experienced this also, Manny Manny times in my Yong age.

I have seen and experienced demonic presence

I have also seen the Holy Spirit on one occasion , eyes wide open, i saw a dove , transparent flying around in my room and flew through my window (window was shut) and out .

This vision was an answer to a prayer when i was a brand new Christian 8 yrs ago, i prayed for confirmation , i was so brand new , I still had milk dripping from my mouth :)

Well, my first encounter was more of a 'Damascus Road' experience.  It wasn't a pleasant, airy-fairy feel good type of encounter.  It was more along the line of Jonah or the apostle Paul with God isolating me from my distractions and having a show down at high noon.  My excuses for avoiding Him or ignoring Him were reduced to ashes.  (I can be a bit of a hard case, believe it or not , and I tend to shoot straight from the lip).  That's the reason I did futher study in Christian Apologetics.  I've worked within different denominations and even independent ministries as He's opened the doors.  People run from God, people hide from God (even some clergy and laity 'hide' out in the open; that is, in the Church), and people deny Him altogether.  BTDT.  I get impatient with people who 'play games'; even myself when applicable.  He's like a 'hound of heaven' who nips at your heels until you either accept His call and presence, or you shut the door on HIm altogether.  Any way, the responsibility for the choice is ours and ours alone. 

Interesting choice of words. That's one of the  titles of Cú Chulainn. In ancient Irish his name literally means "hound of Culainn"