SORTS OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE 41of discerned difference in experiential kind.^3 Recognition of
phenomenological differences, of course, is not limited to noting
differences in sensory content.
Descriptions
It may be helpful here to have some descriptions of religious experiences to
hand before offering what is a more helpful criterion than Criterion 1a. The
descriptions indicated by an asterisk seem more clearly first-person reports,
and those not so designated seem more a matter of comments about what is
true of a sort of experience particularly prized by the tradition in question,
though it is very likely that these comments themselves are affected by
reports by people who claim to have had such experiences.
Experience 1*: Moses, tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro,
sees a bush that apparently is burning and not consumed
by the fire. Then, the text of Exodus tells us: And Moses
said, “I will turn aside and see this great sight, why the
bush is not burnt.” When the Lord saw that he turned
aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses,
Moses!” And he said, “Here am I.” Then he [God] said,
“Do not come near; put off your shoes from your feet, for
the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And
he said, “I am the God of your Father, the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.” And Moses
hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
(Exodus 3: 3–6)
Experience 2*: In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord, high
and holy and lifted up; and his train filled the temple.
Above him stood the seraphim; each had six wings: with
two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet,
and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is
full of His glory.” And the foundations of the thresholds
shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was
filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost;
for I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of
a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the king,
the Lord of hosts!” Then flew one of the seraphims to
me, having in his hand a burning coal which he had