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Religion and self-control (view source)
Revision as of 18:30, March 10, 2025
, 18:30, March 10, 2025no edit summary
[[Image:Prayer.jpg|thumbnail|right|300px|Praying Hands.
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The [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]] [[Gary Habermas]] wrote: "Double-blind prayer experiments: three ... that have indeed worked were cases of orthodox-Christians praying for the sick."<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-apologist-10-reasons-for-the-fall-of-atheism-106531/ Christian Apologist: 10 Reasons for the Fall of Atheism] by [[Gary Habermas]]</ref>]]
Engaging in virtuous behavior and quenching temptations to engage in immoral behavior requires self-control.
According to the abstract of the 2021 journal article ''Does religion make people more self-controlled? A review of research from the lab and life'' published in the journal ''Current Opinion in Psychology'': "We do find evidence, however, that rituals (most notably, [[prayer]]), along with exposure to religious environments and institutions in the real world (e.g. religious schooling) influence self-control on the scale of weeks, months, and years — a conclusion that is also supported by rigorous longitudinal research."<ref>[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352250X20302116#:~:text=Engagement%20in%20religious%20rituals%20such,to%20increases%20in%20self%2Dcontrol. Does religion make people more self-controlled? A review of research from the lab and life], ''Current Opinion in Psychology'', Volume 40, August 2021, Pages 167-170</ref>
In the journal article ''Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: Associations, explanations, and implications'', psychologists McCullough and Willoughby theorize that many of the positive links of religiousness with health and social behavior may be caused by religion's beneficial influences on self-control/self-regulation.<ref>[http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/Relig_self_control_bulletin.pdf Religion, Self-Regulation, and Self-Control: Associations, Explanations, and Implications]</ref><ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19210054 Religion, Self-Regulation, and Self-Control: Associations, Explanations, and Implications]</ref> Furthermore, a 2012 Queen's University study published in ''Psychological Science'' found that religion replenishes self-control.<ref>[http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2012/05/02/0956797611431987.abstract ''Religion Replenishes Self-Control'', ''Psychological Science'', June 2012 vol. 23 no. 6 635-642, Kevin Rounding, Albert Lee, Jill A. Jacobson and Li-Jun Ji at Queen’s University]</ref><ref>[http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/qu-qsf012412.php Study finds religion helps us gain self-control]</ref>
=== Research of Andrew Newberg M.D. related to intense prayer ===
Research indicates that 12 minutes of daily intense prayer over an eight-week period can change the brain to such a degree that it can be measured on a brain scan. This method of prayer appears to increase activity in brain areas associated with social interaction and compassion/thoughtfulness. In addition, it increases frontal lobe activity as focus and intentionality increase.<ref>[http://drleaf.com/blog/how-prayer-affects-the-brain/ How Prayer Affects the Brain]</ref><ref>[https://www.amazon.com/How-Changes-Your-Brain-Neuroscientist/dp/0345503422 How God Changes Your Brain: Breakthrough Findings from a Leading Neuroscientist]</ref><ref>How God Changes Your Brain: Breakthrough Findings from a Leading Neuroscientist– March 23, 2010 by Andrew Newberg M.D, Mark Robert Waldman. Pages 26,27</ref>
In the journal article ''Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: Associations, explanations, and implications'', psychologists McCullough and Willoughby theorize that many of the positive links of religiousness with health and social behavior may be caused by religion's beneficial influences on [[self-control]]/self-regulation.<ref>[http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/Relig_self_control_bulletin.pdf Religion, Self-Regulation, and Self-Control: Associations, Explanations, and Implications]</ref><ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19210054</ref> Furthermore, as noted above, a 2012 Queen's University study published in ''Psychological Science'' found that religion replenishes self-control.<ref>[http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2012/05/02/0956797611431987.abstract ''Religion Replenishes Self-Control'', ''Psychological Science'', June 2012 vol. 23 no. 6 635-642, Kevin Rounding, Albert Lee, Jill A. Jacobson and Li-Jun Ji at Queen’s University]</ref><ref>[http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/qu-qsf012412.php Study finds religion helps us gain self-control]</ref> Also, numerous studies indicate that those who engage in regular spiritual practices have lower mortality rates.<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10868765 Religious involvement and mortality: a meta-analytic review. McCullough ME, Hoyt WT, Larson DB, Koenig HG, Thoresen C., Health Psychol. 2000 May;19(3):211-22.]</ref><ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1305900/ ''The role of spirituality in health care'', roc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). 2001 October; 14(4): 352–357.]</ref>
In the journal article ''Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: Associations, explanations, and implications'', psychologists McCullough and Willoughby theorize that many of the positive links of religiousness with health and social behavior may be caused by religion's beneficial influences on [[self-control]]/self-regulation.<ref>[http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/Relig_self_control_bulletin.pdf Religion, Self-Regulation, and Self-Control: Associations, Explanations, and Implications]</ref><ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19210054</ref> Furthermore, as noted above, a 2012 Queen's University study published in ''Psychological Science'' found that religion replenishes self-control.<ref>[http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2012/05/02/0956797611431987.abstract ''Religion Replenishes Self-Control'', ''Psychological Science'', June 2012 vol. 23 no. 6 635-642, Kevin Rounding, Albert Lee, Jill A. Jacobson and Li-Jun Ji at Queen’s University]</ref><ref>[http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/qu-qsf012412.php Study finds religion helps us gain self-control]</ref> Also, numerous studies indicate that those who engage in regular spiritual practices have lower mortality rates.<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10868765 Religious involvement and mortality: a meta-analytic review. McCullough ME, Hoyt WT, Larson DB, Koenig HG, Thoresen C., Health Psychol. 2000 May;19(3):211-22.]</ref><ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1305900/ ''The role of spirituality in health care'', roc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). 2001 October; 14(4): 352–357.]</ref>