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REVELATION (General revelation:
God becoming known through ordinary…
REVELATION
General revelation:
God becoming known through ordinary common human experiences or natural means. It is indirect and available to everyone.
IN THE PRESENCE OF NATURE:
The beauty and power of nature, the complexity of the human body and the creation of new life are thought by many religious to be proof that god is immanent in the world.
IN THE HOLY BOOKS:
In some religions the book is believed to be the actual words of their God, in Islam it's the words of Allah. In other other religions the words of their holy book are inspired by God so by reading them they hope to have a better understudying of the teachings of the religion.
IN WRITINGS OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS:
Help believers to understand the nature of God, some write explanations of sacred writings to help people understand what the texts reveal about God.
IN THE LIFE AND WORK OF OTHER PEOPLE:
Sometimes someone has behaved extraordinary in their life and work that religious believers feel that God has guided them. By studying these people's life and work religious leaders think this can reveal things about God. It shows us how God wants us to behave and that he does exist.
GOD'S CHARACTER REVEALED THROUGH REASON, CONSCIENCE AND FAITH:
Our ability to reason tells us about God, the fact that we have conscience and can feel guilty shows the existence of God, the desire to worship God is evidence in itself.
THROUGH PRAYER AND WORSHIP:
Can be special and general revelation, peoples desire to take part in acts of worship is general revelation
Special revelation:
When God is believed to have spoken directly to an individual or a group of people. It is not a general everyday experience , it is specially for a group or person .
ENLIGHTENMENT:
Buddhists do not believe in God and so they seek understanding of what is true and what is not. Buddhists are seeking how to end suffering and achieve happiness by breaking he cycle of birth and death.
HEARING GOD'S CALL:
The founders of all religions believe that God has directly spoken to them. The message received may result in the individual changing their ways or beliefs, they may experience a conversion. Many people see a conversion as evidence that God has spoken to them.
EXPERIENCING VISIONS OR DREAMS:
People who have heard the voice of God often hear it during a vision or dream. In a vision people see holy people, angels or hear messages from God. In dreams people believe they have had a direct revelation from God.
THROUGH MIRACLES:
When a person recovers from a serious illness or disability which science cannot explain, an amazing recovery like this convinces people that God has intervened.
THROUGH PRAYER AND WORSHIP:
When a worshipper believes that God has communicated with them directly during worship.
WHAT IS LEARNT ABOUT GOD
There is only one God who is the creator, controller and maintainer of the universe. God has power over all things and is almighty.
Christianity: there is the God the Father, God the son, God the Holy spirit. God has revealed himself through the Old and New Testament.
God is: Omnipotent, omniscient and benevolent, he can also be both transcendent and personal/impersonal
God is seen as impersonal, people can prey to him however God is beyond human understanding. However many Christians believe that they can speak with God and have a personal relationship with him. And so he is both impersonal and personal
REALITY OR ILLUSION
Special: Happens to an individual person and so they're subjective and difficult to prove, cannot be proven through scientific methods
General: There are conflicting interpretations of them between different religions, not possible to decide which one is true
REALITY:
- When a revelation corresponds with things in the real world, for example a place which actually cures people.
- If the revelation fits in with earlier revelations, it may be true.
- If it changes one from a atheist to a agnostic it may be true.
- If it converts someone from one religion to another.
ILLUSION:
- Person may have taken drugs or alcohol.
- The believer is so desperate to have a revelation that they believed they had one, wishful thinking.
- The person may have a mental illness.
- Their mind may be playing tricks on them.
- The fact that there are conflicting revelations between different religions shows that they are not true.
The power of revelation
Providing proof of God's existence or belief
The fact that we experience emotion and is proof of God, miracles are proof.
helping to start off the religion
If founders of religions had not believed they received a message there wouldn't be the religion
helping people to know what they must do to live as God wishes
Provides a new insight into what God is like and how the believer should respond
When something about God, the way in which God wants people to behave or the meaning of life becomes clear or visible.
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IMPACT OF REVELATION
- Change ones religion
- The way in which people live their lives, what they eat/drink and dress.
- The way they worship and their understanding of their God.
- Some believe they must withdraw from everyday life and give their full attention to God.
STRENGTHS OF GENERAL
- It is indirect and available to everyone, whereas special revelation is only for an individual. Everyone has access to sacred texts.
- It is available at all times and in all places.
- It is continuous and ongoing.
- Conscience is available to all religious believers, so this guides people in right and wrong way of understanding revelation
STRENGTHS OF SPECIAL
- It is direct and as it is received first hand is stronger and has a more immediate impact.
- People who experience special revelation possess authority and confidence that enables them to lead others, now through general revelation
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REVELATION EXAMPLES:
- A direct meeting, dream or vision.
- Nature
- Worship
- Prayer
- Scared writings
- People
- Miracles
- Conscience
- Belief
Why revelation is accepted:
- The fact that millions of people follow the major religions and are willing to die suggests the revelations genuine.
- If there is no doubt in what the person is saying why reject what they are saying.