March 28, 2002
11:58 AM Subscribe
Religious worship can keep you sane, say Canadian psychiatrists. But how do these results help explain some of these folks?
This post was deleted for the following reason: Poster's Request -- Brandon Blatcher
Great logic ed! And how do all those studies about the health benefits of exercise explain atheletes who die of heart disease?
posted by straight at 12:27 PM on March 28, 2002
posted by straight at 12:27 PM on March 28, 2002
Can you say placebo effect? A sugar pill labeled as medicine, can cause you to get better because you believe it will help. So can religious belief, even though it probably does nothing physical to help you.
posted by jeblis at 12:31 PM on March 28, 2002
posted by jeblis at 12:31 PM on March 28, 2002
jeblis: I'd disagree -- the health, in this case, is mental. A rigorous mental discipline seems it is an active agent in creating a healthy mind, in the eyes of the psychiatric community. The fact that there exist several such disciplines, ready made, just makes it easier to implement them.
If we were talking religion as a tool to reduce swelling of turned ankles, perhaps I'd agree. But, for matters of the mind, I suggest that a different standard is required.
posted by dwivian at 12:41 PM on March 28, 2002
If we were talking religion as a tool to reduce swelling of turned ankles, perhaps I'd agree. But, for matters of the mind, I suggest that a different standard is required.
posted by dwivian at 12:41 PM on March 28, 2002
this study failed to account for the more outre emotional states that led to the religion-oriented massacres linked above
Well since the number of religious people who commit massacres compared with the number of religious people who don't commit massacres is miniscule, it seems unlikely that religion is the most important variable in explaining such events.
You might as well complain that a study touting the benefits of Kool-Aid fails to account for the Jonestown massacre.
posted by straight at 1:14 PM on March 28, 2002
Well since the number of religious people who commit massacres compared with the number of religious people who don't commit massacres is miniscule, it seems unlikely that religion is the most important variable in explaining such events.
You might as well complain that a study touting the benefits of Kool-Aid fails to account for the Jonestown massacre.
posted by straight at 1:14 PM on March 28, 2002
Casting this idea as science may be new but the idea is not. AA has successfully dealt with an otherwise intractable psychological malady through spiritual enlightenment since 1935.
Well since the number of religious people who commit massacres compared with the number of religious people who don't commit massacres is miniscule, it seems unlikely that religion is the most important variable in explaining such events.
Violence in the name of religion is an anomoly that is no more spiritual then saying "God dammit!" when you get mad at something. This study is identifying what is probably for these patients a newfound sense of well-being achieved by accepting spiritual belief (whether this belief is true or not is irrelevant).
posted by plaino at 1:58 PM on March 28, 2002
Well since the number of religious people who commit massacres compared with the number of religious people who don't commit massacres is miniscule, it seems unlikely that religion is the most important variable in explaining such events.
Violence in the name of religion is an anomoly that is no more spiritual then saying "God dammit!" when you get mad at something. This study is identifying what is probably for these patients a newfound sense of well-being achieved by accepting spiritual belief (whether this belief is true or not is irrelevant).
posted by plaino at 1:58 PM on March 28, 2002
I think they have a point. I know I shouldn't, but often I 'fall back' to religion in bad times, and it really does help. I try to keep practicing all of the time, but in the bad times, it really does come in handy.
posted by wackybrit at 1:58 PM on March 28, 2002
posted by wackybrit at 1:58 PM on March 28, 2002
Interesting to have medical science looking at this ... though the idea is not completely new. Jung, Campbell, and a number of others have pointed out that religion is one of the very few really universal things in our species - in that it seems to appear in the earliest civilizations known to archeologists, has arisen in virtually every culture in earth's history, and shows absolutely no sign of weakening in modern times. While there certainly can be dispute about the validity or positive effects of any particular religion, it is a phenomena that plays a not inconsiderable role in a pretty large percentage of our race - and probably delivers some sort of beneficial effect or evolutionary advantage.
No clue what that might be though. (Curiously, another universal that seems to be almost more powerful than religion is art - it's appearance pre-dates even religion ... ).
posted by MidasMulligan at 5:21 PM on March 28, 2002
No clue what that might be though. (Curiously, another universal that seems to be almost more powerful than religion is art - it's appearance pre-dates even religion ... ).
posted by MidasMulligan at 5:21 PM on March 28, 2002
I doubt GW Bush would have kicked his drug habits
he's cleaned up? what evidence do you have to back up such an outrageous implication?
posted by quonsar at 9:02 PM on March 28, 2002
he's cleaned up? what evidence do you have to back up such an outrageous implication?
posted by quonsar at 9:02 PM on March 28, 2002
Oh come on, we all know that religion is the sorce of all the problems in the world.
posted by ncurley at 10:21 PM on March 28, 2002
posted by ncurley at 10:21 PM on March 28, 2002
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by bittennails at 12:14 PM on March 28, 2002