“God has whacked me!”

1. LO: I will know about the religious experiences of seeing visions “God has whacked me!”

2. Are there any criteria for distinguishing between his experiences as a schizophrenic and those of religious believers? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqj1DhUKJco A beautiful Mind - Video clip

3. There are a number of good examples of visions in the Old Testament. • Grab a Bible. • What characteristics can be found in the visions of: • Exodus 3:1-17 • 1 Kings 19:1-18 • Ezekiel 1:1-28 • Amos 7:1-9 • Mark 9:2-13, • Luke 24:13-35 ??? Visions – Task 1

4. Visions occur in a variety of forms and in various faiths. For example… Visions

5. The Muslim celebration of Lailat-ul-Qadr (Night of Power) remembers the experience of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) who had a vision of the Angel Jibril. The Angel gave messages to recite and proclaim to the people of Makkah. This vision gives Muhammad a purpose and calling. Muhammad’s Vision

6. Proclaim! In the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created – Created man, out of a clot of blood. Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful – He who taught the use of the pen – Taught man that which he knew not. Surah 96:2-5

7. Some types of visions are ‘inner visions’ as described by St Teresa of Avila (1515-82). St. Teresa’s Vision • ‘I saw Christ at my side – or, to put it better, I was conscious of Him, for neither with the eyes of the body or of the soul did I see anything’.

8. Some thinkers refer to these as intellectual visions. The vision is not the same as seeing an external object with the eyes. It is instead a clear vision in the mind’s eye. Religious believers who have these types of vision would argue that they are far too profound to be confused with the imagination. Visions TASK - To be written down: Come up with 3 points that an Atheist might say to criticise the idea that these visions came from God Once you have done that, come up with 3 more points to say how a theist might respond.

9. What have you learnt today? Plenary

10. LO: I will know about the religious experiences of hearing voices Hmk: Research some examples of visions and voices and produce a short article reporting the event. You may wish to put in quotes from expert witnesses such as Freud, James, Kirkwood or anyone else who is relevant. “God has called me!”

11. Types of Visions • Corporeal visions – as of a physical object. An experience where some kind of knowledge is gained. • Imaginative visions – visions that happen in dreams (may give messages, communicate knowledge) • Intellectual visions – an experience rather than an observation as of a physical object.

12. ‘It isn’t possible to defend an argument that fails to make a distinction between “feeling that I am right” and “actually being right.” And that is because most of us at various times in our lives have had the experience of feeling certain about something and then subsequently discovering that we were completely wrong (e.g. feeling that someone is attracted to you when in fact they can’t stand the sight of you).’ Supporters respond by saying that this “certainty” is of a special kind, e.g. compulsive, ineffable etc. Kirkwood thinks this is ‘an example of language going on holiday.’ Conclusions made by Robert Kirkwood

13. If a friend tells you that he hears voices which tell him things about the future, how would you react? How would you respond to your friend? Would you be concerned that your friend was mentally ill? Would you think that your friend had received a message from God? Hearing Voices

14. The conversion of Augustine is an unusual example of voices. Augustine’s experience

15. “I was asking myself these questions, weeping all the while with the most bitter sorrow in my heart, when all at once I heard the sing-song voice of a child in a nearby house… it repeated the refrain ‘Take it and read, take it and read.’ At this I looked up, thinking hard whether there was any kind of game in which children used to chant words like these. I stemmed my flood of tears and stood up telling myself that this could only be a divine command to open my book of scripture”. Augustine, Confessions. • The voice may have been the natural voice of a child playing (even Augustine is uncertain), however Augustine interprets this to be a means of God communicating with him. This shows that religious experiences may not always be supernatural. • Can we really qualify this as a religious experience?

16. Analyse Paul’s conversion from Acts 9. St. Paul

17. Are visions and voices genuine religious experiences? • How might one prove that an experience is from God? Remember The Beautiful Mind clip. Some schizophrenics might even believe they have a message from God to kill people. BIG PROBLEM! • St. Teresa of Avila offered two tests to determine whether the experience was genuine. • Does it fit in with Christian teaching? • Does the experience leave the individual feeling at peace? How might an atheist respond to this? How might a theist respond to this?

18. Voices – 3 ASPECTS • Revelatory – the voice reveals something about God • Authoritative – to those who have the experience the message communicated has God’s authority • Disembodied – the voice appears to come from no particular body

19. The very fact that there are many different religions in the world proves that religious experiences are not authentic. Religious experience is emotional and therefore is not valid. Statements to discuss

20. http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/in-the-news/nightline-satan-debatehttp://www.marshillchurch.org/media/in-the-news/nightline-satan-debate The Spiritual realm – Does Satan exist?

21. Critical Analysis • In what sense are we talking about a ‘vision’ is it is not as of a physical object then it what sense is it a vision? If it is as of a physical object then why can’t it always be publicly seen? • How can we establish that the voice/vision was from God? • Psychological explanations – hallucinations, willing it, interpretative issues, schizophrenia Reply – Teresa of Avila – has to fit with church teaching, has to leave the person feeling at peace