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→Positive personality changes and religious conversion
''See also:'' [[Change in personality traits due to religious conversion]]
''See also:'' [[Change in personality traits due to religious conversion]]
== Personality changes due to religious conversion ==
''See also:'' [[Conversion]]
[[File:Accademia - St John the Baptist by Titian Cat314.jpg|right|thumb|250px|[[John the Baptist]] appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “[[Repentance|Repent]], for the kingdom of heaven has come near." - Matthew 3:1-2 (NRSV)]]
[[Jesus Christ]] said: "You shall love the Lord your [[God]] with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:36-40 NRSV). In addition, the Bible says to be holy and zealous in [[Works (theology)|good works]] and to not be lukewarm (Revelation 3:16).
As far as the [[New Testament]], according to the Greek Orthodox Diocese of America:
{{Cquote|The Greek term for [[repentance]], [[metanoia]], denotes a change of mind, a reorientation, a fundamental transformation of outlook, of man's vision of the world and of himself, and a new way of [[Love|loving]] others and [[God]]. In the words of a second-century text, The Shepherd of Hermas, it implies "great understanding," [[discernment]]. It involves, that is, not mere regret of past [[evil]] but a recognition by man of a darkened vision of his own condition, in which [[sin]], by separating him from God, has reduced him to a divided, autonomous existence, depriving him of both his natural [[glory]] and [[freedom]]. "Repentance," says [[Saint Basil|Basil the Great]], "is [[Salvation|salvation]], but lack of [[understanding]] is the death of repentance."<ref>[https://www.goarch.org/-/repentance-and-confession-introduction Repentance and Confession - Introduction], Greek Orthodox Diocese of America</ref>}}
Repentance is primarily a change of the heart and [[mind]],<ref name="KeyBibleConcepts">{{cite book |title=Key Bible Concepts |author=David W. Gooding & John C. Lennox |publisher=The Myrtlefield Trust |place=Coleraine, N. Ireland |year=2013 (1st Edition 1997) |chapter=8.Repentance |pages=65–73 |isbn=978-1-874584-45-2 |url=https://www.keybibleconcepts.org |quote=The very first public announcement by Christ was this:...}}</ref> or rather a change in the mind (Greek ''metanoia''—meta "change" + noia "mind"); a personal [[metamorphosis]]. This is what repentance means in the context of salvation: Luke 13:1-5 "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." [[Jesus]] is telling the people they need to change the way they think. In this context, a change of mind represents also a reversal of one's previous moral judgment, a repudiation of one's previous behavior.<ref name="KeyBibleConcepts"/>
There is a command to believe: "Repent ye, and believe the gospel" ([[Mark]] 1:15). How can anyone believe in Christ if they don't change their thinking? No one naturally sees themselves as a sinner; when you repent, you know and realize you're a sinner. You change from thinking "I'm a basically good person." to "I'm a sinner; I need Jesus." That is the third definition of repentance. "Behold, thou art made whole; sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee." John 5:14. "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." John 8:11. "Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance" Matthew 3:8. (See [[Corporal and spiritual works of mercy]].)
Repentance is a turning away, to cease. Example: Revelation 2:16 "Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth."
Personality changes due to religious [[conversion]]:
{{Cquote|Religious conversion is one of the life events most strongly associated with personality change, because it often reshapes someone’s [[Identity (psychology)|identity]], daily [[habit]]s, [[values]], and [[Social influence|social world]]. But the magnitude of change is usually not unlimited—it tends to be moderate rather than extreme, and uneven across the Big Five traits.
Average change: Studies suggest that religious conversion or increased religiosity is associated with about 0.3 to 0.7 standard deviations of change in certain traits over time.
Maximum documented change: In rare, profound cases (e.g., dramatic “born-again” conversions or entry into highly structured religious orders), people can shift by 1+ standard deviation on some traits, but that’s exceptional.<ref>[https://chatgpt.com/share/68a59e81-ff58-800a-a18e-a4e0bfa3ed2d How big of personality changes are possible via religious conversion?]</ref>}}
There is a significant amount of [[history|historical]] and [[Science|scientific]] evidence that [[Bible]] reading has greatly increased human flourishing such as people's physical health, psychological well-being, [[character]] and [[virtue]], and social connections (See: [[Bible reading and human flourishing]])
The [[Big Five personality traits]] change due to a person becoming more mature, efforts to change the [[personality]] traits or a major life change (See: [[Neuroplasticity and the ability of individuals to change their personality]]).
The [[Big Five personality traits]] change due to a person becoming more mature, efforts to change the [[personality]] traits or a major life change (See: [[Neuroplasticity and the ability of individuals to change their personality]]).