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Religion as Mysticism

By Scott S. Forster.

Influenced by Rudolf Otto's idea of the holy and William James' varieties of religious experience, as

well as transcendentalism, Schleiermachers defences of religion etc...

It seems to me that Religion should and,is more based on a set of experiences and feelings rather than

creed or dogma. While meanings and factual claims are derived from these experiences and emotions

and are used to interpret them, I don't think it's central to religion. Mysticism, pantheism,

panentheism, deism , etc. are closer to a true religion it seems than institutionalized organized dogma

ones.

All religions which are institutional and organized with a set creed, seem to me to be attempts to

prove a backstory or impose a theory upon a set of experiences and emotions as well as add an

implied morality which is said to follow from it.

How would I describe religion then? it is a set of experiences and emotions which involve a set of

beliefs and a sense of meaning about the world. Religion is not as commonly supposed a set of

beliefs(though it does involve them of course) or a certain attitude to some task or subject which is

consistent and profound so that you dedicate your life to it - that is devotion .Religion is closer to JohnHick's concept of experiencing-as than a bundle of theories. Religion it appears can either be

naturalistic or supernatural. Naturalistic religion derives it's meaning from the natural and limits the

cause of the religious experience to the naturalistic only. It does not allow for a supernatural realm.

Such a religion would be I think suitable for an agnostic or atheist. The current movement of religious

naturalism(e.g. Ursula Goodenough) whereby meaning is found in for example evolution and the

interdependent web of life is an example of how this is possible.

The supernatural branch of religion seeks to explain the experiences in a cause outside of the known

natural world and finds value and meaning from this source. While I consider this branch to beunviable(since it seems to me that the term 'supernatural' lacks any possible meaning and so is

subsumed under the term natural) ,it should be included in the definition because it exists in the

world. Supernatural religion covers classical deism, classic theism, the Abrahamic religions etc.

What do I consider a religious experience? It goes by various names and labels and the experience

may be said to be of God or from God. Maslow calls it Peak experience, Otto calls it the Numinous, it

has been called Mysticism, "union with god", "oceanic feeling", transcendence, "communion with

nature", mystical experience, unification, "divine presence," cosmic consciousness" etc. I exclude here

however claims to have experienced specific entities.

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