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463

2 Jan 2023

2 pages

Why People Have Religious Feelings: How They Affect What We Believe

user profile picture

Niamh R

@belro2967

Religious experiences and their psychological explanations are explored in this... Show more

RESPONSE TO RE AS UNION
Religious experiences are different
to ordinary experiences. They are
not empirical but are usually
private to the i

Corporate Experiences and Objections

This page continues the discussion on religious experiences, focusing on corporate experiences and objections to their validity. It also explores the challenges in interpreting religious experiences and their impact on personal beliefs.

Corporate experiences are described as religious events involving large groups of people. Examples include:

  1. Fatima: In 1917, a crowd of over 30,000 in Portugal claimed to witness the sun "dancing" in the sky.
  2. Medjugorje: In 1981, six children reported visions of the Virgin Mary over several days.
  3. Toronto Blessing: A 1990s phenomenon involving uncontrollable laughter, crying, and other physical manifestations attributed to the Holy Spirit.

The text then presents objections to corporate experiences:

  1. Mass Hysteria: The possibility that large groups can generate physical symptoms in response to psychological stimuli, potentially explaining some corporate religious experiences.
  2. Trivial Acts: Concerns about the seemingly trivial nature of some claimed acts of God in corporate experiences.
  3. Individual vs. Shared Experiences: The difficulty in determining whether these are truly shared experiences or multiple individual experiences occurring simultaneously.

The page also addresses the challenges in interpreting religious experiences:

  1. Conflicting Truth Claims: Different religions interpret similar experiences in vastly different ways, leading to conflicting beliefs.
  2. Particularity: The theological question of why God would choose some individuals for experiences and not others.
  3. Logical Problem: The challenge of comprehending a God who is "wholly other" to human beings.

Definition: Mass Hysteria - A phenomenon in which a group of people collectively manifest similar physical or emotional symptoms, often triggered by a perceived threat or belief.

Example: The Toronto Blessing, where participants experienced uncontrollable laughter and other physical manifestations, is cited as an example of a corporate religious experience.

Vocabulary: Numinous - Describing a spiritual or supernatural quality, especially one that inspires awe and reverence.

The page concludes with a list of key terms related to religious experiences, including ineffable, noetic, transient, passivity, pragmatism, empiricism, pluralism, mystical experience, numinous experience, conversion, corporate experience, and self-surrender.

RESPONSE TO RE AS UNION
Religious experiences are different
to ordinary experiences. They are
not empirical but are usually
private to the i

Religious Experiences: Psychological Explanations and Validity

This page explores the nature of religious experiences and various perspectives on their origins and validity. It delves into psychological explanations for religious experiences and methods for evaluating validity of religious experience claims.

Religious experiences are described as distinct from ordinary experiences, being private and non-empirical. Peter Donovan's distinction between 'feeling certain' and 'being right' is highlighted, suggesting that claims of knowing God through religious experience may simply indicate a feeling of certainty rather than objective truth.

The text presents several psychological and physiological explanations for religious experiences:

  1. Ludwig Feuerbach's view that the idea of God is a human invention, projecting human qualities onto a divine being.
  2. Sigmund Freud's argument that religious behavior stems from childhood insecurities, with religious experiences being hallucinations caused by subconscious desires.
  3. William James' perspective that psychological explanations don't necessarily rule out supernatural ones.
  4. Carl Gustav Jung's idea of a collective unconscious containing an archetype of God.

The validity of testimonies regarding religious experiences is discussed, with Caroline Franks Davis arguing for a more critical assessment of such claims due to their significance. William James emphasizes the importance of examining the after-effects on character and lifestyle rather than relying solely on testimony.

Quote: "William James argued that even if RE have a psychological explanation, this does not mean that a supernatural explanation is ruled out."

Vocabulary: Empirical - Based on observation or experience rather than theory or logic.

Highlight: The text emphasizes the importance of critically evaluating religious experience claims, considering factors such as the individual's reputation, state of mind, and potential biases.

The page concludes by introducing the concept of corporate experiences, such as the events at Fatima and the Toronto Blessing, which involve large groups of people claiming to have shared religious experiences.



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4.9/5

App Store

4.8/5

Google Play

The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user

The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user

 

Religious Studies

463

2 Jan 2023

2 pages

Why People Have Religious Feelings: How They Affect What We Believe

user profile picture

Niamh R

@belro2967

Religious experiences and their psychological explanations are explored in this summary, discussing the impact of religious experiences on personal beliefs and methods for evaluating validity of religious experience claims.

Key points:

  • Religious experiences differ from ordinary experiences, being private... Show more

RESPONSE TO RE AS UNION
Religious experiences are different
to ordinary experiences. They are
not empirical but are usually
private to the i

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Corporate Experiences and Objections

This page continues the discussion on religious experiences, focusing on corporate experiences and objections to their validity. It also explores the challenges in interpreting religious experiences and their impact on personal beliefs.

Corporate experiences are described as religious events involving large groups of people. Examples include:

  1. Fatima: In 1917, a crowd of over 30,000 in Portugal claimed to witness the sun "dancing" in the sky.
  2. Medjugorje: In 1981, six children reported visions of the Virgin Mary over several days.
  3. Toronto Blessing: A 1990s phenomenon involving uncontrollable laughter, crying, and other physical manifestations attributed to the Holy Spirit.

The text then presents objections to corporate experiences:

  1. Mass Hysteria: The possibility that large groups can generate physical symptoms in response to psychological stimuli, potentially explaining some corporate religious experiences.
  2. Trivial Acts: Concerns about the seemingly trivial nature of some claimed acts of God in corporate experiences.
  3. Individual vs. Shared Experiences: The difficulty in determining whether these are truly shared experiences or multiple individual experiences occurring simultaneously.

The page also addresses the challenges in interpreting religious experiences:

  1. Conflicting Truth Claims: Different religions interpret similar experiences in vastly different ways, leading to conflicting beliefs.
  2. Particularity: The theological question of why God would choose some individuals for experiences and not others.
  3. Logical Problem: The challenge of comprehending a God who is "wholly other" to human beings.

Definition: Mass Hysteria - A phenomenon in which a group of people collectively manifest similar physical or emotional symptoms, often triggered by a perceived threat or belief.

Example: The Toronto Blessing, where participants experienced uncontrollable laughter and other physical manifestations, is cited as an example of a corporate religious experience.

Vocabulary: Numinous - Describing a spiritual or supernatural quality, especially one that inspires awe and reverence.

The page concludes with a list of key terms related to religious experiences, including ineffable, noetic, transient, passivity, pragmatism, empiricism, pluralism, mystical experience, numinous experience, conversion, corporate experience, and self-surrender.

RESPONSE TO RE AS UNION
Religious experiences are different
to ordinary experiences. They are
not empirical but are usually
private to the i

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Religious Experiences: Psychological Explanations and Validity

This page explores the nature of religious experiences and various perspectives on their origins and validity. It delves into psychological explanations for religious experiences and methods for evaluating validity of religious experience claims.

Religious experiences are described as distinct from ordinary experiences, being private and non-empirical. Peter Donovan's distinction between 'feeling certain' and 'being right' is highlighted, suggesting that claims of knowing God through religious experience may simply indicate a feeling of certainty rather than objective truth.

The text presents several psychological and physiological explanations for religious experiences:

  1. Ludwig Feuerbach's view that the idea of God is a human invention, projecting human qualities onto a divine being.
  2. Sigmund Freud's argument that religious behavior stems from childhood insecurities, with religious experiences being hallucinations caused by subconscious desires.
  3. William James' perspective that psychological explanations don't necessarily rule out supernatural ones.
  4. Carl Gustav Jung's idea of a collective unconscious containing an archetype of God.

The validity of testimonies regarding religious experiences is discussed, with Caroline Franks Davis arguing for a more critical assessment of such claims due to their significance. William James emphasizes the importance of examining the after-effects on character and lifestyle rather than relying solely on testimony.

Quote: "William James argued that even if RE have a psychological explanation, this does not mean that a supernatural explanation is ruled out."

Vocabulary: Empirical - Based on observation or experience rather than theory or logic.

Highlight: The text emphasizes the importance of critically evaluating religious experience claims, considering factors such as the individual's reputation, state of mind, and potential biases.

The page concludes by introducing the concept of corporate experiences, such as the events at Fatima and the Toronto Blessing, which involve large groups of people claiming to have shared religious experiences.

Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.

Students love us — and so will you.

4.9/5

App Store

4.8/5

Google Play

The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user

The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user