Key Difference Between Religious Beliefs And Religious Experiences

A key difference that I see between religious beliefs and religious experiences is the notion of subjectivity. This idea of subjectivity is related to both the mind and belief. Meaning, that when one believes in something or someone, their mind and thought process are center upon that belief. Each individuals mind and thus beliefs are different from any other person they mean know or encounter throughout life. Thus, these notion of subjectivity in religious belief is created, due to the notion that beliefs are formulated by the individual rather that universal experience. In relation to experience, a experience can be felt, seen, or expressed by groups of people. Take going to church or passion conference for example. Hundreds or even thousands of people can go feel, seen or express that religious express, while all having a different religious belief. To summarize the first into simpler terms, beliefs is more on a person by person scale where as experiences can be universal.

Though state above, this notion that religious beliefs were subjective in nature does not make them immune to outside factor such as, family and culture. Family and culture are the two most prominent factors to an individual due to that they are shaping each individual as soon as they are born. Whether this influence is direct or indirect upon the individual is slows shapes over time how we see or believe what is true in the world, specifically religion. Individuals can experience similar things without the influence of family and culture, while one can not believe in the same things in the same nature if family and culture are excluded. Thus, why I believe that religious beliefs are influence by family and culture