I really don’t understand the problem here. In between “fantasies made up out of whole cloth” and “genuine communication with a deity” there is a broad range of possibilities, and I think the truth lies in that range rather than at either extreme. Spiritual experiences are real experiences, and they can feel like a genuine encounter with a deity without actually being a genuine encounter with a deity.
I really don’t understand the problem here. In between “fantasies made up out of whole cloth” and “genuine communication with a deity” there is a broad range of possibilities, and I think the truth lies in that range rather than at either extreme. Spiritual experiences are real experiences, and they can feel like a genuine encounter with a deity without actually being a genuine encounter with a deity.