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Single Idea 20711

[filed under theme 28. God / B. Proving God / 3. Proofs of Evidence / d. Religious Experience ]

Full Idea

Maybe someone who believes in God can be regarded as experiencing everything as something behind which God lies. Believers see the world as a world in which God is present.

Gist of Idea

A believer can experience the world as infused with God

Source

Brian Davies (Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion [1982], 7 'Experiencing')

Book Ref

Davies,Brian: 'An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion' [OUP 1993], p.138


A Reaction

[Attributed to John Hick] This would count as supporting evidence for God, perhaps, if seeing reality as infused with God produces a consistent and plausible picture. But seeing reality as infused with other things might pass the same test.


The 13 ideas from 'Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion'

'Natural theology' aims to prove God to anyone (not just believers) by reason or argument [Davies,B]
One does not need a full understanding of God in order to speak of God [Davies,B]
Paradise would not contain some virtues, such as courage [Davies,B]
Can God be good, if he has not maximised goodness? [Davies,B]
The goodness of God may be a higher form than the goodness of moral agents [Davies,B]
How could God have obligations? What law could possibly impose them? [Davies,B]
A distinct cause of the universe can't be material (which would be part of the universe) [Davies,B]
If God is an orderly being, he cannot be the explanation of order [Davies,B]
The universe exhibits design either in its sense of purpose, or in its regularity [Davies,B]
Maybe an abnormal state of mind is needed to experience God? [Davies,B]
A believer can experience the world as infused with God [Davies,B]
The experiences of God are inconsistent, not universal, and untestable [Davies,B]
God is 'eternal' either by being non-temporal, or by enduring forever [Davies,B]