The document discusses different types of religious experiences that can lead people to believe in God. It defines religious experiences as direct contact with God, such as conversions where one's life is changed by committing to God. Miracles are unexplainable events that seem to break scientific laws. The numinous is a feeling of something greater during awe-inspiring moments. Prayer is attempting contact with God through words. The document gives examples of conversions and miracles and explains how religious experiences can strengthen existing beliefs in God or induce new beliefs for those previously unconvinced.

1. RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE

2. Key words
Religious
Experience
An event where people believe
they have had direct contact with
God.
Conversion
When your life is changed by
giving yourself to God.
Miracle
Something which seems to
break a law of science and
makes you think only God could
have done it.

3. Numinous Feeling of the presence
of something greater
than you.
Prayer Attempt to contact God
usually through words.

4. NUMINOUS
• When in a beautiful
place or looking at the
stars people might be
filled with an awareness
of something greater
than them. Some feel
that this is God.

5. CONVERSION
•Some have an experience of
God and are moved to change
their life and commit themselves
to God. This process sometimes
gives the feeling of being ‘born
again’.

6. CONVERSION
TO ISLAM
• Cat Stevens – Yusuf
Islam

7. MIRACLES
• Believers think miracles are examples of God acting on earth because they can
not be explained by science. Those witnessing the miracle have had direct contact
with God.
• Man stabbed in the head survives!
• Pregnant woman survives after parachute fails!
•

8. HINDU MILK MIRACLE

9. Prayer
Religious believers think they can
contact God through prayer. They can
be formal e.g. in temple, or informal e.g.
in private.
If they feel God is listening then
some class this as a religious
experience.

10. How do religious experiences
lead to a belief in God?
•An atheist seeing a miracle
may look for a natural
explanation. If they can’t find
one they may start to believe in
God.
•Through a conversion
experience they may feel that
God is calling them to do
something for him and so
believe in him.

11. •Any religious believer who has a
religious experience will use it as
evidence to support their belief in
God and make it stronger.
•If a prayer is answered whether
they are religious or not may lead
to them believing in God.
•Through a numinous
experience they might feel that
God is real.