The argument from religious experience states that if we can experience God, then surely God must exist because what we experience must be real. There are many philosophers that try to explain this but the one I am going to focus on in this essay is William James. James defines religious experience as though it should be the primary topic in the study if religion rather than religious institutions, since institutions are merely the social descendent of genius. He also defines a religious experience as, 'The feelings, acts and experiences of individual men in their solitude, so far as they apprehend themselves to stand in relation to whatsoever they may consider divine.’ To James a prominent feature of religious experience is mysticism. He says, '...propose to you four marks which, when an experience has them, may justify us in calling it mystical...' The marks to which he is referring to are inefficiently, notices quality, transiency and passivity.
For example, on Damascus Road, Saint Paul’s religious experience transformed his moral outlook. It would appear that all religious experiences demonstrate a revelation of truth, but one could argue that this does not indicate they are true. As Freud would argue that religious experiences are a way of externalising deep, repressed personal truths. In such a view, religious experiences are unverifiable and cannot be thought to prove the existence of God, as they are merely manifestations of the human subconsciousness. A transient experience short, and cannot be sustained for a long duration of time.
They are interesting because evaluating whether they are legitimate requires one to be practical and attentive to each philosophical issue. They are important because of their significance in popular arguments for religious belief. The Bible teaches that everyone knows God because God has revealed himself to all (Romans 1:19). In fact, the Bible tells us that God’s existence is so obvious that anyone who suppresses the truth is without excuse (Romans
He means that if the venture needs you to be anyone else but yourself, it will lead to no good. This reveals to me that Thoreau believes strongly in the individual, being yourself, and seeking your own path. This quote is also applicable to modern life because many ventures nowadays require you to conform for some purpose. The second aphorism I remembered is “Our life is frittered away by detail...Simplicity, simplicity.” Thoreau means that our focus and attention to detail now in society and culture do nothing but to waste our lives away needlessly. He believes simplicity is the better choice.
Moral Living is like putting a jigsaw puzzle together having all the pieces in place so one can see the big picture. The puzzling part of moral living comes in thinking that all decision we make are separate and unrelated, but actually are part of our personal integrity. In catholic moral thinking, one critical element is the process called discernment. In our faith we believe that God sees the world in terms of the big picture at all times. God wants us to see the world the same way in so far as we can; but sin distorts our vision.
Certainly no one wants to go to Hell. So, the Puritans tried to better their lives, and go by rules or "resolutions." They believed if they followed these resolutions, even though God predetermined their fate, they could live a life of good and maybe prove they are meant to go to Heaven. One of the many detailed resolutions they had to follow was "To think much, on all occasions, of my own dying and of the common circumstances which attend death." I certainly would be frightened to think
Spiritual health is believing and living for something that helps you succeed in life. The main thing that will lead your life in success and in the after life is Jesus Christ. Not many believe and it is a shame but Jesus died for our sins and is here to help us and teach us to do good. Everything that is good and that people teach us today in there own way comes from the
Bill Maher is a smart individual but an agnostic can only promote what they know which means not very much when it comes to religion. Bill Maher said “Rational people, anti-religionists, must end their timidity and come out of the closet and assert themselves. And those who consider themselves only moderately religious really need to look in the mirror and realize that the solace and comfort that religion brings you actually comes at a terrible price.” To me having a meaning and a reason to
Henceforth, nothing happens by chance except for everthing happens intentionally. Through the occasions God demonstrates his anger or prize. Moreover, they trusted that they are God's picked individuals and that they are a sparkling case for whatever is left of the world. Consequently, they needed to make a model religious government in America. Nobody could know regardless of whether he is predestinated for salvation, yet when one complies with God's will and succeeds throughout his life he most likely is.
Often the term "myth" is being misused to mean a supposedly dead religion and its teachings along the lines of saying that Zeus is a myth and Jesus is not, when Zeus is just as real to his worshippers as Jesus is to his. It has become a way to say, your religion is less valid than mine. I guess it's the way someone looks at religion in order to say all religions are a myth. No, I don't think all religions are a myth, because one has to be the truth. I'm catholic, and I really hope mine is true religion.