'Conversion experiences are the strongest evidence for the existence of God' Summer 2012

?

'Conversion experiences are the strongest evidence for the existence of God' Summer 2012

Similarities

  • St Paul went from persecuting Christians to becoming a missionary whilst on the road to Damascus after having a religious encounter with God.
  • CS Lewis stated that the presence of God made him convert to Catholicism.
  • Swinburne believed that a good God would seek to interact with his creations
  • William James: Conversion happens when we least expect it to- can be subconscious or divine intervention. Two types of conversion: Volitional: voluntary experience- person decides to make spiritual changes to their life e.g. may study the Bible if they wish to convert to Christianity, and then feel a deep connection to God. Or there is the self-surrender type, which is when someone feels that they have done all they can and leave it to God

Differences

  • Freud may argue that people convert to religion to escape the horrors of the outside world.- religion is a security blanket, psychological approach
  • Marx would argue that  the ‘opium of people’ and so people turn to it to escape the misery caused by a capitalist state - comfort.
  • Wiles - why would an all loving God only help some but not others?
  • What about free will? Conversion&Religious experience takes this away

Overall comparison

The for is a weaker/less coherent argument because it does not prove existence of God - the idea of it being a placebo or defence mechanism is more valid. 

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Philosophy resources:

See all Philosophy resources »See all Religious Experience resources »