Argument from Religious Experience

1. Religious people sometimes have mystical experiences, such as the feeling of being overcome by the presence of the God.

2. There are four possible explanations of mystical experiences: Psychological causes, physiological causes, the act of God, or the act of some other supernatural creature, such as the devil.

3. The best explanation of mystical experiences is the act of God.

4. Therefore, God is the cause of mystical experiences. (Inference to the Best Explanation, 1-3)

5. If an effect exists, then its causes must exist.

6. Therefore, if mystical experiences exist, then God must exist. (Barbara, 4, 5)

7. Mystical experiences exist.

8. Therefore, God exists. (Modus Ponens, 6, 7)