Value of Religious Experiences - A02 Question

• Bernadette Soubirous

  She had a series of visions of the Virgin Mary near Lourdes, France. Immaculate conception was built.
• What is the value of Bernadette Soubirous' religious experience?

  Lourdes became a place of pilgrimage. Spring from the water is believed to possess healing properties. 67 miraculous healings recognised by the Catholic Church. Many that visit Lourdes are looking for a renewal of faith.
• Challenges to Bernadette Soubirous' religious experience - Persinger

  - agrees that the temporal loves have a significant role in religious experiences, argues that religious experiences are no more than the brain responding to external stimuli - god helmet: simulates religious experiences. Weak magnetic fields produced specifically in the temporal lobe- 900 people taken part- when under influence of the helmet, brain is deprived of the self stimulation and sensory input that is required to define itself as being distinct from the rest of the world, the brain defaults to a sense of infinity.- sense of self expands to fill whatever the brain can sense, it senses the world, so the experience of self expands to fill the perception of the universe
• Julian of Norwich - hazelnut


  Had an intellectual vision - held a small hazelnut (insignificant part of nature) - important because she wants to know why God revealed this to us. It represents every part of creation. God still loves it no matter how insignificant or how small it is - just like us. We have all been created because of God's love.
• What is the value of Julian of Norwich's religious experience?

  Helps people strengthen and renew their faith as it reminds them that God loves them. Also shows that every individual person, as insignificant as they may feel, is important and necessary in this world. Reminds us of God's benevolence
• Challenges to Julian of Norwich's religious experience - Freud - Wish Fulfilment

  - when wishes can't or wont be fulfilled out in our waking lives, they are carried in our dreams.- we feel panic and helplessness when confronted by natural forces - religion fulfils our wishes for someone to look after us in a harsh world- stops us fearing death- ethical demands of religion are nothing more than rules to control people and make us feel happy about God- this leads us to believe that God speaks to us- claims that the religious person is projecting his ultimate fears about suffering, helplessness, guilt and separation along with salvation and hope