Religious Experience

Is this evidence of a God?

Religious Experiences Obj: to know about religious experiences to decide how they may lead to a belief in God

Why Religious Experiences may lead to a belief in God. A person may believe that during a religious experience they have had direct contact with God. If people have a vision or dream where God is talking to them it can make them believe God exists. The experience feels very real and no normal explanation seems to be adequate. God is the only possible cause.

Types of Religious Experience 1 Religious Experience: An Experience that conveys a sense of the presence of God. There are 4 types. Conversion Experience Numinous Experience Miracles Prayer

Task 1 Cut out and match the correct heading, picture, and description. Stick them into your book Leave enough space under or beside each one to write 3 bullet points.

Conversion Experience Numinous Experience Transferring faith from one religion to another, or from non-belief to belief in God An experience that conveys a sense of awe and wonder.  

Communicating with God – usually using words but also by meditating. Prayer Miracles Communicating with God – usually using words but also by meditating. An event that violates the laws of nature. A wonderful work done by the power of God.  

Examples of Religious Experience What type of experience is this? Numinous Experience A photograph of a nebula taken by the Hubble Telescope. Do you think it was caused by God? Why may this experience lead to a belief in God? What other explanations are possible?

Examples of Religious Experience What type of experience is this? Conversion Experience (St Paul on the Road to Damascus) The conversion of Saul (St Paul) is the best-known and most widely represented of the Pauline themes (Acts 9:1-9). On the road to Damascus, where he was going to obtain authorization from the synagogue to arrest Christians, Paul was struck to the ground, blinded by a sudden light from heaven. The voice of God, heard also by Paul's attendants, as artists make clear, said, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' They led him to the city where, the voice had said, he would told what he had to do. According to a tradition, connected with the medieval Custom of representing pride as a falling horseman, Paul made the journey on horseback. He lies on the ground as if just thrown from his horse, prostrate with awe, or unconscious. He may be wearing Roman armour. Christ appears in the heavens, perhaps with three angels. Paul's attendants run to help him or try to control the rearing horses. Do you think it was caused by God? Why may this experience lead to a belief in God? What other explanations are possible? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q29YR5-t3gg&feature=list_other&playnext=1&list=AL94UKMTqg-9DHKaFY9gNIjPHBRF79QbbS

Yusuf Islam – Cat Stevens Who is he? What has he done in life? What made him convert? What is he up to now? He has been given several awards for his work in promoting peace in the world.

Examples of Religious Experience What type of experience is this? Do you agree with God? What does he mean when He says ‘Be the miracle.’ Why do people expect a miracle… Miracle Jesus – walking on water Do you think it was caused by God? Why may this experience lead to a belief in God? What other explanations are possible? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-m8Juz1gz4&feature=related

Examples of Religious Experience What type of experience is this? How does this relate to the idea of prayers? Get out your hankies… Lord, keep us safe this night, secure from all our fears. May angles guard us while we sleep till morning light appears. Should all prayers be answered with a ‘yes’? Do you think it is fair… That when prayers are not answered people tend to assume that God DOES NOT exist A Prayer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0cG11lTS1E&feature=relmfu Do you think it is good method of communicating with God? Why may this experience lead to a belief in God? Why may it not. What other explanations are possible? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6et2ZSodS0g&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68-AzAfLyvs&feature=related

http://www. youtube. com/watch. v=AjT0vv23ovg http://www. youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjT0vv23ovg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4vQLAZHzOE&;feature=related Bruce Video Clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-m8Juz1gz4&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhspI9D_Bn0&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0cG11lTS1E&feature=relmfu http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q29YR5-t3gg&feature=list_other&playnext=1&list=AL94UKMTqg-9DHKaFY9gNIjPHBRF79QbbS

Why Religious Experiences may not lead to a belief in God. There is not always enough proof that God could have caused the experience. There may be other explanations. Some religious experiences have been shown to be hoaxes. Some religious experiences seem to be too far fetched. If you haven’t had one you may find it hard to accept they happen.

Religious Experiences and Moral Argument Reasons Christians believe in God

‘Always let your conscience be your guide’ All of you are familiar with the story of Jimminy Cricket (Do you remember) who tells Pinocchio always to let his conscience be his guide. The wisdom of this advice hits people as they grow older.  So "What is your conscience?“  Write a definition http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOZzNOkcEgM

Moral Argument Christians may argue that all people have a basic understanding of what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ (conscience). If this is the case then where did this knowledge and conscience come from? The only answer to this must be from God. However, if everyone’s conscience comes from God as Christians argue, why do people have disagreements about what is right or wrong?

Conscience and the Bible New Testament – St Paul mentions conscience many times as: An awareness of good and bad Something that can be mistaken (1 Corinthians 8: 10 – 12) What does this mean?

Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939) The conscience is a “moral policeman” that controls human behaviour, rather than something God-given

Practice Exam Question Describe Christian beliefs about religious experience (6 marks). To get 3 marks you must make 3 points. (straight to the point) For example: you could say something like this: 1) Christians believe that our conscience is a gift from God. Numinous conversion Miracle prayer conscience