The Argument From Religious Experience - 1460 Words

The Argument from Religious Experience The argument for God, based on personal Religious experiences, is an argument that cannot be refuted by others. While others may not have the ability to prove the existence of God, through another’s experiences, they also cannot disprove this existence. A person’s personal experiences are something that no other person can determine, nor argue. My experiences are my interpretations for the occurrences within my life, therefore, another person cannot determine what my true experiences are, or how they make me feel or believe. Kreeft points out that there really is no need for an argument for the existence of God, based on these personal experiences, since another person cannot determine another’s†¦show more content†¦These experiences cannot be argued by anyone, since the person in which it occurred, is the only one with the ability to provide the reality to others. While a person may not have the ability to argue the experiences of another person, one can certainly argue the differences in these reported experiences. Accounts from different people, who cite various experiences, creates an argument against the existence of God, based on religious experiences. Utilizing these inconsistencies, people attempt to refute the existence of God by outlining these inconsistencies with various reports of the people claiming to have received these experiences (Holt, 2008). Persons who are skeptical of the religious experiences to support God will look to find inconsistencies within the stories of those reporting these experiences. However, to the believer, variances are a way of action for God. None of the miracles performed within the Bible were performed in the same manner. While the overall miracle may have been the same, the manner in which it was performed may vary. As an example, Jesus healed two blind men in vastly differing ways. One man, Je sus spat in the dirt to create mud, then rubbed the mud on the man’s eyes and instructed him to wash in the pool of Siloam, to which the manShow MoreRelatedAnalyse the Argument of the Existence of God from Religious Experience1171 Words   |  5 Pagesi) Analyse the Argument for the Existence of God from Religious Experience (18) The argument for the existence of God from Religious Experience is a simple one, with only two premises. The first being that some people have, or have had a religious experience, the second premise is that these are only explicable though God, thus leading to the conclusion that God exists. This leads us to question, what exactly are religious experiences? Theologians have struggled for centuries trying to defineRead MoreThe Argument for the Existence of God Essay1159 Words   |  5 PagesThe Argument for the Existence of God It is an undisputed fact that some people claim to have experienced God. It is these religious experiences that have been used by philosophers to argue for the existence of God. The main way of expressing the argument from religious experience is as follows: P1 Someone experiences an entity C1 The entity exists P2 Someone has experienced God C2 God exists Those who champion the argument seek to differentiate ordinary Read MoreExamine some of the key principles of the argument for the existence of God based upon religious experiences765 Words   |  4 Pagesprinciples of the argument for the existence of God based upon religious experiences 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. Read MoreThe Existence of God Essay1498 Words   |  6 PagesGod What we call religious experience can differ greatly. Some reports exist of supernatural happenings that it would be difficult to explain from a rational, scientific point of view. On the other hand, there also exist the sorts of testimonies that simply seem to convey a feeling or a peace of oneness- something which most of us, religious or not, may possibly relate to. Firstly, I will consider the nature of an experience. Experience involves encounters whichRead MoreCritically Asses, with Reference to William James, the Arguments from Religious Experience.1699 Words   |  7 Pages‘the varieties of religious experience’, James concluded that religious experience testifies that â€Å"we can experience union with something larger than ourselves and in that union find our greatest peace†.   He defined such experiences as â€Å"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 actualRead MoreThe Argument For The Existence Of God1674 Words   |  7 PagesI do not find the three arguments I analyzed satisfactory for the existence of God. The existence of God simply cannot be proven. Regardless of how strong a person’s faith is, or how many miracles they claim to have witne ssed, God can only ever be a possibility. First, I will discuss why Pascal’s wager is not a satisfying argument for the existence of God. I will then examine C.D. Broad’s â€Å"Argument for the Existence of God†, and why it is also not a satisfying argument for the existence of GodRead MoreKey Concepts of Religious Experience as an Argument for the Existence of God707 Words   |  3 PagesKey Concepts of Religious Experience as an Argument for the Existence of God The argument is of an a posterioi nature, therefore it is inductive. This means the argument uses data and evidence from which conclusions are drawn. The argument of experience must involve a sense of encounter, the experience of the encounter therefore has been seen, felt and sensed and therefore making the experience exist to us (Hume). These experiences seem to be widespread throughout societyRead MoreDoes God Exist?1366 Words   |  5 Pagesexists. Depicted in the painting there is a higher being or God watching over Jesus and his disciples. There are many arguments and ideas for the existence of a higher being or God, some of the main ones are; Pascal’s Wager, the Ontological argument, the Cosmological argument, the Teleological argument, the Moral argument, and the argument from religious experience. A classic argument that is used a lot is the first cause that states †all events in the natural world must have a cause therefore God mustRead MoreThe Challenges Posed For Religious Believers By Religious1713 Words   |  7 PagesThe challenges posed for religious believers by Religious diversity will be discussed in this paper. First, one must understand what Religious diversity is. Religious Diversity refers to religions making mutually exclusive claims that contradict one another. For t his discussion, Religious Diversity will focus on contradictory claims on reaching salvation and connecting with god depending upon ones personal religion. This discussion pertains to all major western religions like Judaism, Islam, andRead MoreThere Be Dragons : Effects Of Unexplored Religion On Nurses Competence1425 Words   |  6 Pageswriting to create a persuasive argument. Pesut uses an appeal to intellect through diction, and deductive reasoning, as well as several strong appeals to emotion to create an effectively convincing argument; however, an account of her own experiences would have strengthened her argument further through ethos and pathos. First, Pesut uses the arrangement of her ideas to appeal to the audience’s intellect. The article is arranged through deductive reasoning from broad to more specific, as she first