Religious Experiences are in the Mind of the Believer Essays

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

The numinous religious experience is connected to acknowledging the fact that there is a supreme power above oneself and that this power makes us insignificant in comparison. For example, in Christianity when Christians pray they are acknowledging the existence of the supreme power above them, God. Also, when Christians read the Bible they are interpreting the words of the supreme power above them as a guide to be more like God. A numinous religious experience can be described as being a mysterious spiritual awareness of something which surpasses comprehension and understanding. Meanwhile, the mystical religious experience is the complete opposite. In the mystical religious experience one acknowledges that there is not a supreme power

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.

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.

Which parts of the brain can produce a religious-like experience(s). Explain and name the different parts of the brain and what kind of experiences might be produced.

In an effort to explain the meanings and differences that exist between spirituality, theology and psychology, the author

Joshua 1:9; "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

In the book ‘the varieties of religious experience’, James concluded that religious experience testifies that “we can experience union with something larger than ourselves and in that union find our greatest peace”.  He defined such experiences as “experiences of the divine” and believed that religious experience was at the heart of religion. For James, religious teachings, practices and attitudes are second hand religion, which later develop as individuals reflect on their common experience. It is the actual experiences that directly point to God. However this theory does little to prove religious experiences simply because many of his claims do not stand up to critical analysis.

Religion is a guideline for social conduct; additionally one may conclude of the gospel, and superstitious practices are the closest perceptible occurrence humans can term ‘magic. ' There are several definitions of the word religion because no one seems concise. One proper definition, according to Merriam-Webster, is “Religion is a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices” (Merriam-Webster, 2015). One might think that this distinguishing definition is most suitable for the purpose of this assignment. This paper will discuss the interviews of three different people who associate themselves with a particular religion. Hiawatha Macomb, Maxine Hawthorne, and Christian X will answer questions about their beliefs concerning religion, spirituality, faith, and perceptions about religion. In brief, the participants will have honest discussions about their beliefs in God and the supernatural.

Although Katz does not deny the existence of mystical experiences, he suggests that there is no scientific evidence upon which to classify and categorize experiences. Katz uses constructivism to argue his analyses. The concept of constructivism maintains, “people construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world, through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences” (Educational Broadcasting Corporation). Moreover, Katz suggests, “all experience is processed through, organized by and makes itself available to us in extremely complex epistemological ways” (Katz, 26). Essentially, Katz insists that people do not have mystical experiences that differ from their spiritual or religious beliefs and practices. Katz states, “…in order to understand mysticism it is not just a question of studying the reports of the mystics after the experimental event but of acknowledging that the experience itself as well as the form in which it is reported is shaped by the concepts which the mystic brings to, and which shape his experience” (Katz, 26). For Katz, this argument denies claims of mystical experiences any reliability. Therefore, one may question how

Chapters three, four, five and six of World Views by Ninian Smart speaks to the duality of religion in the dimensions of experimental, mystic, doctrinal and ethical. In the realm of experimental she uses two examples. One being the Roman Catholic Church and the other being the Buddhist religion. Throughout this essay I will use these two examples while addressing the experimental, mystic, doctrinal and ethical dimensions.

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.

Moreover, Durkheim compares religion to society. He says that society is the cause of the unique sensations of the religious experiences, so called “sui generis” (Ritzer, 84). This concept