Chapter 4 examines the phenomenon of neurologically generated religious visions among epileptics, beginning with a history of societal reactions to the affliction that labeled them as being either demonically possessed or supernaturally inspired. Epileptics often have auditory and visual seizure experiences that they interpret religiously, as probably was the case with the creator of Church Universal and Triumphant (Elizabeth Clare Prophet). Her seizure experiences likely contributed to the content of messages that she believed were coming from Ascended Masters. In the ancient world, the Hebrew Bible prophet Ezekiel may have been epileptic, but a competing interpretation is that he was schizophrenic. This chapter lays out both positions, while acknowledging that the two afflictions could have been comorbid. Evidence about St. Paul’s epilepsy is much clearer (although also not certain) because he reported what appears to have been epileptic auras, had auditory hallucinations, fell to the ground from a seizure, suffered temporary blindness, was hyperreligious, experienced forced thinking and forced acts, showed anger and aggression against perceived challengers, had altered sexual interest (i.e., celibacy), and demonstrated hypergraphia. Paul’s spiritualized interpretation of his (probable) epilepsy likely impacted subsequent Christian theology.

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A Neurological Disorder Often with Religious Manifestations: Epilepsy

  • Stephen A. Kent

摘要

Chapter 4 examines the phenomenon of neurologically generated religious visions among epileptics, beginning with a history of societal reactions to the affliction that labeled them as being either demonically possessed or supernaturally inspired. Epileptics often have auditory and visual seizure experiences that they interpret religiously, as probably was the case with the creator of Church Universal and Triumphant (Elizabeth Clare Prophet). Her seizure experiences likely contributed to the content of messages that she believed were coming from Ascended Masters. In the ancient world, the Hebrew Bible prophet Ezekiel may have been epileptic, but a competing interpretation is that he was schizophrenic. This chapter lays out both positions, while acknowledging that the two afflictions could have been comorbid. Evidence about St. Paul’s epilepsy is much clearer (although also not certain) because he reported what appears to have been epileptic auras, had auditory hallucinations, fell to the ground from a seizure, suffered temporary blindness, was hyperreligious, experienced forced thinking and forced acts, showed anger and aggression against perceived challengers, had altered sexual interest (i.e., celibacy), and demonstrated hypergraphia. Paul’s spiritualized interpretation of his (probable) epilepsy likely impacted subsequent Christian theology.