What is the problem of religious language and religious mysticism?

The problem of religious language and religious mysticism revolves around the difficulty of expressing and understanding religious concepts and experiences.

One aspect of the problem is that religious language often relies on metaphorical and symbolic expressions, which can be subjective and open to multiple interpretations. Religious concepts, such as God, the soul, or salvation, are abstract and transcendental, making it challenging to convey their meaning accurately through ordinary language. This leads to ambiguity and confusion when attempting to communicate religious ideas.

Furthermore, religious language often refers to experiences that are deeply personal and subjective, such as mystical encounters or divine revelations. These experiences are often described using poetic and metaphorical language, which can be difficult to grasp for those who have not had similar experiences. This raises questions about the reliability and universality of religious language, as it seems to be limited to the individual's personal understanding and cannot be easily shared or verified.

Another problem arises when trying to reconcile religious language with empirical evidence and logical reasoning. Religious claims often make assertions about the existence and nature of supernatural entities or events that cannot be empirically observed or scientifically tested. This creates a tension between religious beliefs and the standards of rationality and evidence-based reasoning.

Additionally, religious language can be seen as inherently paradoxical or contradictory. For example, religious texts may describe God as both transcendent and immanent, or as both all-loving and all-powerful, which can be logically problematic. These contradictions raise questions about the coherence and consistency of religious language and the concepts it seeks to convey.

In the case of religious mysticism, the problem lies in the ineffability of mystical experiences. Mystics claim to have direct encounters with the divine or ultimate reality, which they often describe as beyond words and concepts. This poses a challenge for religious language, as it seems inadequate to capture and communicate these ineffable experiences. Mystical experiences are often described as a union with the divine or a dissolution of the self, which goes beyond ordinary language and rational understanding.

In conclusion, the problem of religious language and religious mysticism stems from the difficulty of expressing and understanding religious concepts and experiences. It involves issues of ambiguity, subjectivity, metaphorical language, empirical evidence, logical reasoning, paradoxes, and the ineffability of mystical encounters. These challenges raise questions about the nature, reliability, and limitations of religious language in conveying religious truths and experiences.