To use media clips to understand the different

To use media clips to
understand the
different types of
religious experience
and how these
support or lead to a
belief in God.
GRADE C
All – Will be able to correctly
define the different types of
religious experience.
GRADE B
Most – Will be able to explain
how having a religious
experience might lead to or
support a belief in God.
GRADE A/A*
Some – Will be able to
evaluate their own, and
different peoples beliefs
about religious experiences.
THIS WILL TAKE 2
LESSONS!
Using your mini
whiteboards decide
whether you think
the following are a
MIRACLE or NOT.
You must be prepared
to justify your
response!
Clearwater, Florida, U.S.A
An image resembling the Virgin Mary is
seen in the reflection of a building in
Clearwater. The image photo below is
from 1999. It has been damaged in the
past by someone throwing a corrosive
liquid at it, but the image later returned.
After seven months of a difficult
pregnancy, Laura Turner looked anxiously
at the latest ultrasound picture of her
unborn son.
She was reassured to see not just the
baby sucking his thumb - but what she
believes is an image of Jesus watching
over him.
The 20-year-old nursery nurse was so
amazed that she decided to give her son
the Biblical name Joshua.
The most well known sighting is the
Virgin Mary grilled cheese sandwich
found by Diana Duyser of Florida. Mrs.
Duyser claims to have kept the sandwich
on her nightstand for over 10 years,
during which time she had excellent luck
at the casinos. The fact that the
sandwich has remained mold-free is
considered, by some, to be proof of the
sandwich’s miraculous nature. In 2004
the grilled cheese sandwich was listed
for sale on Ebay, where the partially
eaten sandwich was bought by Golden
Palace Casino for $28,000.
In 2003, BBC reported from Bangladesh where a statue of the Virgin Mary was
showing visible tears of blood. This was the first account of a crying statue in
Bangladesh, and the people believed it was a sign that the Virgin was in dismay over
the recent outbreaks of violence that were occurring in the country
Miracles are just one
way a person might
experience God or
have a religious
experience.
Can you think of any
others?
You have 2 minutes to
jot down any ideas in
the back of your book.
How else might
someone experience
God?
What is a
RELIGIOUS
EXPERIENCE?
A RELIGIOUS
EXPERIENCE is
when someone
claims to have
felt God’s
presence.
Look at the
picture clues to
work out the
different ways
someone might
experience God
(have a religious
experience).
Have a guess
using your mini
whiteboards.
RELIGIOUS
EXPERIENCE
How / Where ?
To use media clips to
understand the
different types of
religious experience
and how these
support or lead to a
belief in God.
GRADE C
All – Will be able to correctly
define the different types of
religious experience.
GRADE B
Most – Will be able to explain
how having a religious
experience might lead to or
support a belief in God.
GRADE A/A*
Some – Will be able to
evaluate their own, and
different peoples beliefs
about religious experiences.
THIS WILL TAKE 2
LESSONS!
There are 6 mains types of religious
experience...
MYSTICAL
NUMINOUS
CONVERSION
MIRACLE
PRAYER
NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE
Match each of these to their definitions on
the sheet you have been given.
Religious believers
who have had a
religious experience
will find that the
experience will make
their belief in God
stronger because
they feel they have
had direct contact
with God.
Those who have a
religious experience
and were not
religious will often
be converted and
claim that this
contact with God is
proof of his
existence.
Over the next two
lessons we will look at
the different types
of religious
experiences.
We will look at how
they might support or
start a belief in God
You will be asked to
give your opinion on
these – Are they valid
(real)? Do they prove
that God exists?
This is a biblical story that is
important to many Christians.
There are a number of examples
of religious experiences featured
in this story.
Look at for an example of...
CONVERSION
A MYSTICAL experience
A MIRACLE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l
NKyJiE6Wp4&feature=related
This is a ‘real life’ story of an
American former crack dealer
who changed his ways because he
had a religious experience.
There are a number of examples of
religious experience featured in
this story.
Look at for an example of...
CONVERSION
A MYSTICAL experience
A NUMINOUS experience
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i
JbhJlY40i8
This is a ‘real life’ story from the
90’s. A young man’s life is
changed after a simple shopping
trip out with his parents.
There are a number of examples of
religious experience featured in
this story.
Look out for an example of...
A MIRACLE
PRAYER
A NUMINOUS experience
Another ‘real life’ story of a
woman who is pronounced
clinically dead comes back to
life claiming to have
experienced the afterlife.
Think about
What she claims to have seen?
What does this prove – if
anything?
http://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=WOhtjodjiQE&feature=rel
ated
Numinous
This experience leaves the believer feeling that there is something greater than them, which
they to be God. Such a feeling is likely to support or start a belief in God.
Conversion
This experience leaves the believing feeling God is calling them to do something for him. Such
a feeling is likely to support or start a belief in God.
A Miracle
When something breaks the laws of nature you will look for an explanation. If the only
explanation is its a miracle, you will start believing in God.
Prayer
If the person praying feels like someone is listening they are likely to believe that God exists.
Also an answered prayer can lead to belief in God.
Mystical
This experience is simple – seeing is believing – If someone feels they have had a vision of God
or something religious they are likely to start believing in God.
Near Death Experience
If someone believes they have had a glimpse of the after life this may lead to a belief in God
as the two are often seen to go hand in hand.
Many holy books have many examples
of religious experiences in them. Can
they all be wrong?
If you cannot explain something that
breaks the laws of nature using
science, the only other explanation is
God.
Many peoples prayers are answered –
this is proof that God must be
listening and acting.
All miracles can be explained using
logic (e.g. Jesus wasn’t really dead
when taken down from the cross)
There are more unanswered prayers
than answered ones.
Many people in lots of different religions
all claim to have had religious experiences.
However, they cannot all be experiencing
the same God, as different faiths tend to
teach different things about who or what
God is, and our relationship with God.
Read the following descriptions
carefully.
Using your mini white boards decide
whether you think it is a…
MIRACLE
NUMINOUS experience
MYSTICAL experience
CONVERSION
PRAYER
NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE
It can be more than answer!
The oddest thing happened… The
doctors say I was dead for 3
minutes. I could see myself on the
operating table, then I saw a
bright light pulling me closer. I was
suddenly pulled back to my body.
It happened about 20 years
ago when I was on a hike with
some friends. I got to the
top of the mountain and the
view was amazing. I suddenly
felt like there must be a
creator, there must be
something more powerful
than me. I was left with a
sense of wonder and awe.
I’m sure God is listening, I
wouldn’t waste my time doing
it if I didn’t. I was very ill a
few year back, the doctors
said I didn’t have long to live.
I asked for help….I ended up
making a full recovery. The
doctors were amazed.
I never believed there
was such a thing as God. I
committed a lot of crimes
and treated people like
dirt. Until I saw Him, He
spoke to me and told me
to change my ways. I have
now devoted my life to
Him.