Examine Both the Main Characteristics of Both Visions and Conversion Experiences

Although not the first scholar to examine the idea of religion, Jones utilizes the concept from the study of Self Psychology in order to determine if “transformative religious experience is mature or unhealthy” (Jones 2002). In chapter 5 of his text, Jones

Most arguments for the existence of God are ‘a posteriori’, seeking to move from experiences within the world to the existence of God rather than relying on the definition of God to prove his existence. Religious experience is an interaction with God or a feeling of connection with a higher power. It is interesting to note that William James never spoke of ‘God’ but of the ‘spiritual’, ‘unseen order’ or ‘higher’ aspects of the world. Does a person have to be sure they encountered God rather than connecting with a higher power for their experience to be classed as ’religious experience’? The basic problem when trying to verify religious experiences is providing proof to show others that

As a response to Freud’s interpretation of the conversion of Saul/Paul, Nicholi then looks at the conversion of C.S. Lewis as well as several other students who each had experienced religious conversions of their own. Nicholi had conducted a study of said students in order to determine if their conversions were “[expressions] of pathology, i.e. isolating and destructive, or…adaptive and constructive? Did these experiences impair or enhance functioning?” (2002, Pg. 80). Nicholi’s findings were incredible, the lives of each and every convert, including Lewis, changes dramatically for the better. They experienced higher levels of self-esteem, more satisfying relationships with friends and family members, and “…a lessening of ‘existential despair’; and a decrease in preoccupation with the passage of time and apprehension over death” (2002, Pg. 80).

In William James’ 1902 book “The Varieties of Religious Experience” he opens with depicting the approach of his review. He clarifies that it would be of little advantage to construct the examination with respect to regular people who have bound religious encounters and emulate customs which have been passed on to them. Rather, he centers the review around 'religious virtuosos '. In addition, as he clarifies in his second address, the attention must be on individual religious experience instead of corporate, in light of the fact that it is more central. Actually, it is out of the extreme encounters of a little few that most religious developments (or "factions" as he terms them) have created. Part 3 builds up that individuals appear to have the ability to encounter the concealed furthermore an inclination to see it as being more genuine than things seen, listened, touched or tasted.

An example is the Cane Ridge revival and how thousands of people showed to hear the many different preachers day and night. This is where people felt like they have they have been rebirth,and happy to be back into religion again.

Newberg made a study of brain activity when an individual experiences “God moments.” For example, a genuine deep connection, while in prayer to God, shows a decrease of brain activity in the posterior superior parietal lobe, which is part of the brain’s top rear area. Here the connection is made interesting because in Dr. Newberg’s study of Pentecostal’s he saw a stronger relationship between religious experience and decrease of brain’s top rear area. He discovered that in the Pentecostal’s experience of “speaking in tongues” the brain activity of this top rear area decreases 9 – while the front area becomes almost non-existent. “Interestingly, Newberg found the same similarities between the action of the brain in relationship to sexual pleasure and self-transcendence.”

Religious experiences are experiences we have of the divine or God. These experiences may be Mystical experiences, conversion experiences or revelatory experiences. Paul Tillich states that religious experience is a feeling of ‘ultimate concern’, a feeling that demands a decisive decision from the one receiving it. He describes it as an encounter followed by a special understanding of its religious significance.

Prior to understanding and describing religious experiences, it’s important to define the terms and typology of religious experiences. A point of contention for theologians is whether or not mystical or out-of-body experiences are religious in nature. To understand what the role religion plays in these experiences, for this context, you must define and understand what religion is and the major components that make it up. James states that religion “cannot stand for any single principle or essence, but is rather a collective name” (35). If you were to ask someone about the essence of an object or a concept, different people would provide various components or parts of it. You would end up of with a list ranging from objective and subjective responses, but it would provide a better understanding of it because, like religion, no one thing or person can be summed up in a sentence or a word.

The spiritual experience is about the personality change that occurs in mind of an alcoholic. This change is the ultimate key that unlocks the door to recovery. Additionally, the appendix describes how the process of recovery is paved with religious experiences. It is believed that a religious experience must be sudden or spectacular. However, the appendix states that everyone's experience is personal and unique. However, this is a very difficult experience to embrace. This is the very element that forces alcoholics to finally confront and overcome their inner demons. Alcoholic's hopeless attempts to control his/her addictive behavior are made more difficult by his/her inability to become spiritually available. This phenomenon is very

At some point in her life, Grandin had experienced all of these, but after her medication affected her ability to feel religious feelings, her “belief in the afterlife was shattered” (Grandin, 1995 pg. 231). The alternative that Grandin ends up choosing is a more personal spirituality that she finds through her work, through building her Stairway to Heaven project and studying ritualistic slaughter (Grandin, 1995 pg. 231, 239). The advantage of deciding on this alternative is that it allows Grandin to develop her own spiritual resources in a way that’s compatible with her own life and with her logically-oriented mind (Moore & Asay, 2013 pg.

Most religions have some form of “rite of passage” to show some sort of transition from one stage of life to another. For example, in Judaism the Bar/Bat Mitzvah marks the transition from childhood to adulthood in the sense of being a full participating member of the community. Compare and contrast two similar rites of transition (e.g., Bar/Bat Mitzvah to Christian Confirmation), describing how they are alike, how they are different, and what they signify within each religious community.

In The Varieties of Religious Experience, James tells us that the truth is as we experience it, and he argues that the truth as experienced by people like you and is way more significant in the long run, and it also has a greater impact in our life, than the "universal" scientific facts we are told. He investigates religious accounts as they were experienced by the people who had them. His main method for this is to review many accounts of experiences told by people, and then looking for common aspects and patterns between their stories. James identified several of these common aspects and patterns, then he organized lectures around them. Each lecture talks about some different aspect of a religious experience, such as “Conversion” "The Reality of the Unseen," "Philosophy," and "Mysticism." In each lecture we

Based on the aftereffects of a religious near death encounter, Cashwell and Young (2011) report the client senses a biological, psychological, social, and spiritual atmosphere. In regards to senses this spiritual atmosphere, the client begins to manifest changes that evolve around their spiritual awakening such as gaining a fascinating impulse to research the religious/spiritual philosophy and participate in the practices (Cashwell & Young, 2011, p. 107).

Some believe there are two ways of interpreting the religious proposition of mysticism. One is the indirect experience of God. It takes the form of reported mystical experiences, which are believed to be the experiences of the foundations for what a mystical experience is all about. The other is the intellectual aspect. Individuals believe that as a result of the mystical experience, a better knowing and revelations are attained from the mystical experience.

For example, William James studied religious experience and suggested that the spiritual process works to curtail people's negative behaviors (James, 1936). For James, spirituality helps individuals recognize their own earthly suffering as either a consequence of individual pathology or addictive behavior, or both. When people begin to criticize or consciously reject problematic individual behaviors as a permanent way of being, then they become open to the possibility of rising to a higher awareness. This higher awareness of his or her own behavior is then integrated as a part of the person's psychology. James was already considering the role religion plays in a person's consciousness early in the twentieth century.