CIRCUMSCRIPTION OF THE TOPIC – William James
Now in these lectures I propose to ignore the institutional branch entirely … and to confine myself as far as I can to personal religion pure and simple.
SAINTLINESS – The Varieties of Religious Experience
Speaking generally, our moral and practical attitude, at any given time, is always a resultant of two sets of forces within us, impulses pushing us one way and obstructions and inhibitions holding us back. “Yes! yes!” say the impulses; “No! no!” say the inhibitions.
THE SICK SOUL – The Varieties of Religious Experience
With such relations between religion and happiness, it is perhaps not surprising that men come to regard the happiness which a religious belief affords as a proof of its truth. If a creed makes a man feel happy, he almost inevitably adopts it.
OTHER CHARACTERISTICS -The Varieties of Religious Experience
In this lecture we must revert to description again, and finish our picture of the religious consciousness by a word about some of its other characteristic elements.
MYSTICISM – The Varieties of Religious Experience
Mystical conditions may, therefore, render the soul more energetic in the lines which their inspiration favors. But this could be reckoned an advantage only in case the inspiration were a true one. If the inspiration were erroneous, the energy would be all the more mistaken and misbegotten.
REALITY OF THE UNSEEN – Varieties of Religious Experience
Like all positive affections of consciousness, the sense of reality has its negative counterpart in the shape of a feeling of unreality by which persons may be haunted