Religious Experience

Question 1

Religious Experiences are at the heart of all religions, give 2 examples:

Answer 1

Judaism: God revealed himself to Abraham, God said to Abraham “I will make you father of a great nation.”
Christianity: Jesus performed miracles etc.
Islam: Muhammad - revelation in cave, Jibreel appears to Muhammad, tells him to read when he couldn’t.
Sikhism: Guru Nanak - disappeared for 15 days, when he returned, he said he had communicated with God.

Question 2

What is William James’ four criteria:

Answer 2

P - Passive: experience happens to a person; the person doesn’t make the experience happen.
I - Ineffable: beyond language and cannot be put into words or described.
N - Noetic: some sort of knowledge or insight is gained.
T - Transient: the experience is temporary.

Question 3

What does James define a religious experience as? (Quote)

Answer 3

“Defies expression, that no adequate report of its contents can be given in words.”

Question 4

What are the examples that James uses and why?

Answer 4

Music or love.
Both are ineffable (beyond description) and therefore has to be directly experienced to be appreciated. If someone has never felt love or heard music,