The Existence of God - Religious Experience

Question 1

Give examples of religious experiences.

Answer 1

Conversions, mystical experiences, visions, religious ecstasy, Pentecostalists and Glossolalia, worship and sacraments.

Question 2

What can conversions do to new Christians?

Answer 2

• Adopt a belief in God

- Give them a new sense of direction, to change their behaviour and choices they make.

Question 3

Define mystical experiences.

Answer 3

Overwhelming awareness of the presence of God leading to feelings of awe and wonder.

Question 4

What can mystical experiences do to Christians?

Answer 4

• Make the believer feel a sense of peace and to be at one with God.
• Powerful and genuine experience that the person is led to believe God is 100% real
• Usually occur when meditating.
• Strengthen faith personally, not to other people.

Question 5

What can visions do to Christians?

Answer 5

• Believers claim then can see something supernatural.
• Only visible to themselves
• Inspire them to believe in God more, they may be a voice and a message given to them.

Question 6

What is religious ecstasy and what are examples of it?

Answer 6

• Glossolalia, Slain in Spirit (charismatic churches)
• Intense religious feeling, emotion and spiritual feeling of God
• Trance-like state entered with visions and hands on foreheads falling back.

Question 7

Why do some Christians disagree with religious experiences?

Answer 7

• No Apostle, Prophet or neither did Jesus place hands on someone and they fell back.
• Slain in the Spirit is an act of God, questioned.