visions

the nature and importance of visions

* God can use our mental faculties to communicate truths and messages to humans through visions
* visions are religious experiences
* visions revel gods nature for Catholics :
* %%immanence%% - God is still at work in the world intervening to help us
* %%benevolent%% - god carws for his creation enough to communicate with humans

different types of visions

* %%corporeal visions%% - the visionary physically sees something whilst awake
* %%imaginitve visions%% - the visionary sees something whilst in a dream or trance
* %%auditory visions%% - the visionary hears the voice of a religious significant figure

Biblical examples of visions

* %%Genesis%% : “ the word of the lord came to abraham in a vision” - %%Abrahams auditory vision led to the start of the Abrahamic covenant%%
* %%Matthews Gospel%% - At the Transfiguration, 3 of Jesus’ apostles had a corporeal vision of Jesus dazzling white, speaking with apparitions of 2 important Old Testament prophets and an auditory vision of God’s voice revealing Jesus’ divine identity.

non biblical exampples of visions

* %%Joan of Arc%% - had a vision of St Micheal , St Catherine and St Margaret. The 3 saints told her she must force the english from her french homeland.

why visions lead people to believe in God

* They might know the visionary well enough to trust their testimony
* %%Changes to the visionarys actions or behaviours mean only God is responsible.%%
* The details of the vision provided are so in detailed and specific that they are convincable
* The message recieved by the vissionary makes the realise it must have come from God

non religious arguments against visions

* visions can be %%scientifucally expalined%% - for example if the person has %%mental illness , or theyre known to take drugs%%
* visions are too i%%nfluenced by pre existing faith and images people have seen%%

catholic responses to the non religious argument

* The Church %%authenticates visions%% to ensure they provide strong and reliable evidence for Gods existence

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SOWAS

%%“ God never ceases to draw man to himself “%% - Catechism