Psychology Of Religion

Psychology Of Religion
Ludwig Feuerbach and Sigmund Freud were similar in that both were reductionists who saw God as somewhat of a "false projection of the human
mind," so both offer a psychology of religion, but that is also the ending of their similarities. Feuerbach, for example, saw religion as the consciousness
of God being merely the projection of self–consciousness; as Feuerbach puts it, "Such as are a man's thought and dispositions, such is his God"
(Feuerbach, p.139). And Feuerbach found that studying religion was beneficial to understanding humankind and did not need to be destroyed or
dismantled, which is why he proposed the idea that "Theology is Anthropology" (Feuerbach, p.141). Freud, on the other hand, saw religion as a form of
neurosis stemming from ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
138). Self–consciousness to God consciousness is an idea in which one projects their values and ideals onto the created deity in order to give oneself
a moral guideline to live up to, theoretically. And while in most religions it may not be the individual's moral ideals, but those adopted from the
religion they are surrounded by or have chosen to ascribe themselves, the same general idea would still apply as it would be the collective projecting
of the self–consciousness into God consciousness. While Feuerbach does not necessarily see a benefit to following any religions and believing in
any god or gods, he does not decide to call for there to be an end to such deities or religions, as he does not see any harm stemming from the belief
in them; rather, he believes that religious gods give a way of studying the people that worship them. The idea of studying a religion to understand
the people that follow or believe said religion is a concept that Feuerbach coined as "Theology is anthropology" (Feuerbach, p. 141). This idea is
exactly what one would expect it to be, as the study of the religion or the god(s) of the religion is really the study of the believers of that religion.
Similarly one can study "the Greek, the Roman, or any other pagan god" in order to
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Relationship Between Science And Religion
What is the relationship between Science and Faith? There is a clear relationship between science and faith in all the readings. The relationship has
been rocky from the beginning, but it began with the philosophers. Galileo brought forth the idea that science and religion were forms of knowledge
that came from the same foundations (Harrison, 2010). At the time, which Galileo lived, there was a power struggle between the church and science.
Not causing conflict between science and religion, but rather the definition of science. According to a great philosopher Thomas Aquinas, came the
Thomisitc view, which stated that intelligence does not oppose faith and reason, but views it as a sanctified knowledge which complement one other
for search of truth (Polkinghorne, 2009). Through these two views alone comes an understanding collaboration, science and religion work together to
help individuals find their truth. Presently individuals like Jones and Meyers present similar ideas and definitions on how science and religion relate.
They mention this understanding of integration, which states that religion, does not offer all of the truths that will help people understand human
nature. Rather sciences, like psychology, help us further our understanding and improving human nature (Johnson, 2010). Integrating both faith and
science is very important because often times there are conflicts between whether to use a religious understanding or scientific. Jay Adams a theologian
believes

Parentice Vs Amontillado
The decision i made about the choice of Apprentice V.S Reality as the theme to analyze is the right decision because I'm very interested in
Psychology and i'm also interested in how people covers the deeper meaning in things. Like how Fortunato was lured into a false sense of security
and simultaneously talk about why Fortunato was fooled by Amontillado. Indeed this statement supports my claim because it talk about how Fortunato
was a psychopath and how people can cover up their intentions Psychology was a good topic to talk about Apprentice V.S Reality because it help me
see the bigger picture in the short stories. Like in the story "The Cask Of Amontillado" , I thought that Amontillado was a psychopaths because he had
trait like a psychopath. These traits are manipulativeness and lack of remorse. There is two examples of these traits in the book. One example of
manipulativeness was on page 288–292 when Amontillado lied to Fortunato about him getting wine and killing him . The second Example is " At
length i would be avenge;this was a point ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
These two examples show how Psychology help me under Amontillado was crazy. In another case Psychology help me in another short story called
"A Rose For Emily". Psychology help me during this story by helping me understand Miss Emily

Psychology, Religion, And Religion
Psychology and religion are two fields of inquiry that are intimately related despite not initially seeming so. Humans have been engaging in religious
thought for as long as we know, and possibly since we were first capable of thought. Likewise, psychology is a deceptively old field; although
psychology as so named is a recent invention, philosophers have been asking the same questions the modern field does for centuries. Furthermore, both
psychology and religion seek to address similar questions. The fields of psychology and religion are more than mere ships that pass in the night; they
are unlikely allies in the grand scheme of meaning. Some authors propose that religion is unnecessary. For instance, Sigmund Freud considered religion
the refuge of the infantile; he writes in The Future of An Illusion that religion grows from an attempt by early humans to establish a modicum of
control over an indifferent and sometimes cruel universe. Humans attribute the random nature of the universe to machinations of deities or Deity, and
then further presume to be able to influence said Deity into doing what is best for humans; at best, the Deity's goals are in–line with humanity's goals,
and at worst humans presume to be able to coerce the Deity into acting in their interests through prayer. Freud proposes that religion, then, is merely a
comforting illusion designed to assuage anxieties and existential dread. He then further extrapolates that, because religion is merely an illusion,

David Entwistle
Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity, written by David N. Entwistle, explores the many opportunities of interconnection of the two
principles; psychology and theology and how it can assist counselors during secular or Christian counseling. Entwistle (2010) breaks the analysis into
different sections to show the integrative approaches to psychology and theology from a realistic perspective. In the initial part of the book Entwistle
(2010) makes it clear that everything comes from God, there is theology and psychology because God has set the ground rules for these principles. He
looks into how civilization was initiated and how situations have made things evolve and how certain things have come into existences. In the second ...
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As a human being, I am aware that I am learning new things daily but as a trained counselor, I will have an open mindset to understand what
triggers people to act and behave a certain way, and the basis of my understanding will come from both theology and psychology. I must look
profoundly into the reasons as to why I picked a career that requires me to help others during their time of anguish. The reading puts into perspective
how I need to be able to assess my true values in regards to how can I set the balance between psychology and Christianity which will allow me to
intake my accomplishments and disappointments in life before I can start to counsel other people. Throughout the years, due to my surroundings and
lifestyle, I have lost my religious beliefs, but I have kept my religious

Ethics And Standards For Professional Psychology
The Ethics Behind a Spiritual and Religious Use in a Therapeutic Setting
Ophelia Lee
Kaplan University
Ethics and Standards for Professional Psychology
Professor Peter Lenz
May 4, 2015
This paper addresses the complexity of spirituality and religion in a therapeutic setting. This paper includes examples and information regarding
upholding the Ethics Code while using religion and spiritual reasoning in psychology. It addresses the issues of a multi–faith setting, information and
research on omitting religion and spirituality as well as the importance of maintaining a bias view of any and all religious and spiritual values. This
paper also identifies the benefits reported when using Secular and Theistic therapy. Religion and Spirituality is best used in therapy when
"Psychologists are aware of and respect cultural, individual, and role differences, including those based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity,
culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, and socioeconomic status and consider these factors when working with
members of such groups." ( APA, 2002, p. 4)" (Plante, "Four Steps to Improve Religious/Spiritual Cultural Competence in Professional Psychology
/ REFLECTIONS", 2014, pp. 288–292)
Religion and Spiritual concepts are more frequently being used in therapeutic settings. Previously these concepts were isolated, or left unspoken. To
maintain the integrity of the patient and clients

Religion and Psychology Essay example
Religious faith is important to most Americans, with approximately 95% of Americans reporting belief in God and about 50% being active in church
organizations (Gallup & Castelli, 1989). Despite the widespread prevalence of religious beliefs in society, some researchers have maintained that
religion and religious beliefs are often neglected in psychological research (Jones, 1994; Plante, 1996). This neglect stems from a couple of different
factors. First, it is difficult for psychologists to overcome the fact that believers in many religions claim to have unique access to the truth. Secondly,
truly theological questions such as the existence of God or the nature of an afterlife are often ignored by scientists. This may be in part a ... Show more
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For example, William James studied religious experience and suggested that the spiritual process works to curtail people's negative behaviors
(James, 1936). For James, spirituality helps individuals recognize their own earthly suffering as either a consequence of individual pathology or
addictive behavior, or both. When people begin to criticize or consciously reject problematic individual behaviors as a permanent way of being, then
they become open to the possibility of rising to a higher awareness. This higher awareness of his or her own behavior is then integrated as a part of
the person's psychology. James was already considering the role religion plays in a person's consciousness early in the twentieth century.
Alfred Adler, another pioneer of psychology, believed that our ideas about God are important indicators of how we view the world (Ansbacher H.,
& Ansbacher R., 1956). According to Adler these ideas have changed over time as our vision of the world and our place in it has changed. Adler
suggested religion was of importance because our view of God embodies our goals and directs our social interactions. Compared to science, Adler
believed that religion was more advanced because it motivates people more

William James The Varieties Of Religious Experience
In William James' 1902 book "The Varieties of Religious Experience" he opens with depicting the approach of his analysis. He clarifies that it wouldn't
be helpful to construct the examination with respect to regular people who have had religious encounters or to the customs which have been passed
down from generations. Rather, he centers his research around "religious geniuses". Actually, he clarifies in his second lecture; the attention must be on
individual religious experience instead of collective. It is out of the extreme encounters of the few that most religious sects or factions are created.
Chapter 3 explains that individuals appear to have the ability to encounter the unperceivable, external higher power. And have the tendency to see...
Lecture 19, aptly titled 'Other Characteristics', deals with a wide variety of subject matter, including institutional religion, prayer and the relationship
between religion and the subconscious. In terms of organized religion, James states that room must be given for personal religious experience, as it is
insufficient to provide adequate converts on its own. Prayer is deemed a fundamental aspect of practice utilised by those throughout the centuries who
have had direct religious experiences. In summarizing his series in the final lecture, James expressed the need for toleration of religious diversity and
allowance for individuals to pursue their course: 'some men have the completer experience and the higher vocation, here just as in the social world;
but for each man to stay in his own experience, whate'er it be, and for others to tolerate him there, is surely best'. This is necessary because the
intellectual underpinning is that there is something wrong with us and that this can be rectified by 'making the proper connection with the higher
powers'. For this reason, a higher value must be given to experience and feeling over thought. In terms of trying to make sense of how this union with
God takes place in a scientific context, James argues that the subconscious serves as a conduit through which 'the further limits of our being plunge, it
seems to me, into an altogether other dimension of existence from the sensible and merely "understandable" world'. For James, religious experiences
are a reality although they cannot be satisfactorily explained in wholly philosophical or scientific terms: 'The only thing that it unequivocally testifies to
is that we can experience union with something larger than ourselves and in that union find our greatest

Christian Psychology Division 36 Essay
1. Division 36 is part of the Society for the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. This division of the American Psychological Association promotes
"psychological theory, research, and clinical practice to understand the significance of religion and spirituality in people's lives and in the discipline of
psychology" (apadivision.org/division–36). This society is not specially a religious society, but instead a society that welcomes psychologists who
may or may not have religious beliefs but who are interested in the psychology of religion and spirituality.
2. The Society for Christian Psychology is founded on "using the Bible as a canon or standard for reflection" (christianpsych.org). This society believes
that science is intended to explore God's creation. Their belief is that "Christian psychologists need to look to the Bible and Christian traditions as
orienting guides". This society wants to promote Christian psychology based on Christian understanding of human nature.
3. Division 36 and the Society for Christian Psychology both promote a psychologist's understanding of religion and spirituality. The main difference
between these two groups is that Division 36 is not a specific religious society, but more of a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the Division 36 group, Christianity is not as important as empirical research on the construct of religion and spirituality. Division 36 publishes
"experimental and correlational methods, qualitative analyses, and critical reviews of literature" (apadivisions.org/division–36). On the other hand, the
Society for Christian Psychology believes that Christianity plays a major role in how psychologists should approach their studies. They believe that
Christians should "seek to produce distinctively Christian theories, research programs, and soul–care practice in areas that are more world–view
dependent, where a Christian perspective would be expected to yield qualitatively different ways of interpreting human beings"

Essay about Integrative Approaches to Psychology and...
4–MAT Review
Anita Cox
Liberty University
COUN 506 Integration of Psychology and Theology
September 7, 2012 Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity
David N. Entwistle
Cascade Books, 2010
Summary
Just as the title describes, Entwistle explains within the book the attempts and varied approaches of integrating both psychology and Christianity, two
entities which seem to have been at odds with each other since the time of Galileo. By explaining key historical conflicts, such as instances of friction
between religion and science, readers are able to understand how psychology and Christianity are intertwined, and how the same principles that hold
them together also seek to push them apart. As said best by Entwistle, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
As neutral parties, both psychology and Christianity recognize findings that are paramount between the two, however both are separated from one
another. And lastly, as allies the integration of both psychology and Christianity embrace the word and works of God and his ability to rule over both
disciplines. (Entwistle, 2010, p.154)
In conclusion, the road to integrating psychology and Christianity continues to be a long one. As Christians, we know that God is the creator of man
and that we are born in His image but have sinfully fallen short, and that Jesus died for our sins so we are able to seek forgiveness. The Bible
remains our guide for daily living. Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and our behaviors attempting to explain why we think and behave the
ways we do. "Rather, the task at hand is the difficult work of reading the psychological and biblical sources, checking the research and the
interpretations, and then asking how together they can help us attain a more complete picture of the human condition." (Entiwistle, 2010, p.267)
Concrete Response
In reading this book it triggered a memory from over ten years ago. In 2001, I lost my great–grandmother to heart related issues. For me her death
went farther than just losing a relative. As far back as I can remember my great–grandmother was a part of my daily life. My mother had me when she
was still in high school so naturally she still lived at home. My father was nonexistent in

Essay on religion vs. psychology
Spirituality and psychology are two complex subjects to discuss and they become even more complicated when you try to relate one to the other.
Psychology deals with the processes of sense perception, thinking, learning, cognition, emotions and motivations, and personality, focusing on the
behavior of individuals. Spirituality, on the other hand, is all inclusive. "Spirituality is living one's life from the realization that the body/mind/ego
personality we have been taught to identify with is just the tip of our iceberg, our little head sticking through the window of the senses into this world,
whereas our true body is the universe. It is recognizing that our perceived world is mostly an illusion, a shared ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
RET allows us to accept that we are fallible human beings and we are allowed to make mistakes. What is prevents us from doing is lingering on
those mistakes too long and from using them as excuses for not achieving our goals. It allows us to reward ourselves because of who we truly are, not
by what we do or who others may think we are. RET encourages straight thinking and rational living, two things that, by doing careful self analysis, can
be amazingly simple.
There is not one person alive who has not encountered a less than desirable situation in life. Nobody is flawless and everyone has made at least one
mistake that they wish they could take back. However, a problem many encounter is they worsen these mistakes by lingering on them instead of
learning from them. They worry that others may see them as less than they really are and that they are inadequate because they are not perfect. Albert
Ellis, the creator of RET, says people, "upset themselves about their seriousness upsetness. In fact, they may have biological tendencies that encourage
them to make a 'magical'...jump from 'I badly failed' to 'I am a failure–a bad person!'".
This type of thinking is both negative and selfish, putting everyone's focus on them and their problems. What the individual does not

Buddhism : The Philosophy And Religion
Buddhism originated 2,500 years ago in India and today – is the prevailing world religion in the East. There are more than 360 million followers of
Buddhism, including one million American followers. Buddhism has branched into a diverse selection of forms throughout its long history, however,
all methods of Buddhism share an admiration for the teachings of Buddha with the ultimate focus on ending suffering (Religionfacts.com, 2015). In the
6th century BC, Siddhartha or Gautama Buddha was born in a royal family in the hills of the Himalayas. Prince Siddhartha was constantly in search of
the origin of all sufferings and the path to end these sufferings. Practicing powerful meditation and freeing his mind from disturbing thoughts – ... Show
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The eight fold path incorporates eight practices which are all interrelated and nourish each other. These include: right view, right thinking, right speech,
right action, right livelihood, right diligence, right mindfulness and right concentration (Hanh, 1999). Right mindfulness is particularly significant
amongst the backdrop of Western psychology. Mindfulness refers to a kind of meditation involving a tolerance of thoughts and perceptions– an ability
to look at life in an objective way and eventually develop a fuller, richer awareness of life (Aich, 2013). This is the seventh step on the eight fold path
and plays a substantial role in meditation and Zen Buddhism.
A particular branch of Buddhism called Zen Buddhism has sparked an interest in psychologists with a focus on mindfulness, meditation and
non–violence (Berger, 1962). Zen Buddhism is a practice that was transferred from master to disciple and dates back to the spiritual awakening of
Siddhartha (Buddha). Zen means , quiet simply, meditation and the experience of living in the moment. The teaching of Zen Buddhism claims to be "a
special transmission outside the scripture, not depending upon the letter, but pointing directly to one's Mind to see into Nature itself and attain
Buddha–hood" (Suzuki, 1938). Berger (1962) described Zen as a form of Buddhism that originated in India and was introduced to China in the first
century A.D. The

Analytic Thinking, Religion, and Prejudice
The relation between and the intersection of religion and analytic thinking are complex and intransigently debated topic in the both social psychology
and cognitive science literature for a decade. Moreover, the idea that religions facilitate acts that cause the negative attitudes toward especially religious
out–groups has relatively a long theoretical and empirical history in social psychology (Allport & Ross, 1967; Altemeyer & Hunsberger, 1992; Spilka,
1986; Whitley & Bernard,1999) and is the main idea behind the evolutionary origins of religion (Atran & Heinrich, 2010; Bering, 2011; Norenzayan &
Shariff, 2008; Preston & Ritter, 2013; Rand et al., 2014; Shariff & Norenzayan, 2007; Sosis & Alcorta, 2003) which is... Show more content on
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In all experiments, those who primed with analytic thinking expressed less belief in a personal God: an average of about 41 on a 100–point scale for
experimental group as compared to an average of 61 for control group. Although this finding is robust in different demographic variations, little is
known about its applicability to different religions which have "Big Gods". (The term "Big Gods" refer to "omnipresent and omniscient moralizing
agent" (Shariff & Norenzayan, 2007) and this is unique to the three big religions: Christianity, Judaism and Islam). Moreover, although they noted that
the manipulations did merely a dip in religious beliefs of participants instead of an extreme change, it is unclear whether analytic thinking can decrease
religious beliefs of highly religious people. Nevertheless, between–subject design had no possibility to do that; therefore, a within–subject replication of
this effect is necessary to show its robustness.
Religion and Prejudice Cooperation requires acting and working together for the mutual benefits of the members of the in–group; that is, cooperative
intentions toward in–group members. Accordingly, it is generally thought that religiosity evolved with the object of constructing large–scale societies
where the anonymous interaction among genetically unrelated members of society is crucial (Norenzayan &

Paul Brandt Music Analysis
This essay is separated into four parts by the approach used to analyze the music preformed by Paul Brandt on April 5th, 2017 as part of a religious
studies course focusing on religion and music at the University of Calgary, RELS373. Scott provides a standard of music's role in cultures, explained
in lecture, culture is seen as a product of religion, geographic location, and language. The phenomenon of a spiritual experience due to music is
explained through the perception of William James. The metaphysical nature of music is analyzed philosophically, from the point of view of Rudolph
Otto. The experience of praise (to God) is analyzed with a doxological approach through the lenses of James Frazer and Dietterich.
Music is a critical part of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The role of music to Paul Brandt was to share his religion with others; similar to Scott who says it's to provide understanding to a culture's experience.
William James believes the strength of the musical experience is through the religion, which parallels with Brandts belief of phenomena of the positive
health benefits to singing and sharing praise to God. By involving religion into his music, Brandt doesn't only invite others to explore Christianity,
Rudolph Otto could say Brandt invites God to join his praise. James Frazer explores doxology bay including music is the most affective of the arts,
Dietterich adds on that the praise to god through music is a form of theology as doxology, and Paul Brandt said that music is what he uses to create
relationships with people and invite them to experience

Religion vs. Psychology
Spirituality and psychology are two complex subjects to discuss and they become even more complicated when you try to relate one to the other.
Psychology deals with the processes of sense perception, thinking, learning, cognition, emotions and motivations, and personality, focusing on the
behavior of individuals. Spirituality, on the other hand, is all inclusive. "Spirituality is living one's life from the realization that the body/mind/ego
personality we have been taught to identify with is just the tip of our iceberg, our little head sticking through the window of the senses into this world,
whereas our true body is the universe. It is recognizing that our perceived world is mostly an illusion, a shared dream we are asleep in, and that ... Show
"As Viktor Frankl and many other existentialists point out, humans are usually healthier and happier when they have a central meaning or purpose
in their life. Religion or spirituality may offer such a basic meaning or purpose." "Today, many advocates of what is В‘spiritual' are endorsing the
idea that people should preferably put a В‘real meaning' in their lives, such as devoting themselves to В‘unselfish' social interests,В…such as rearing
a family. This process of acquiring a heartful meaning and purpose in life and devoting themselves to community and social rather than purely
individualistic interests may be exceptionally helpfulВ…to the people with whom they live and to the human race as a whole." By refusing to let our
problems linger by using RET, one is given the opportunity to search for a deeper meaning and to devote themselves to the more important things in
life. Finally, once one has begun to rationally live their life through RET and by focusing on things that can better enhance their own spirituality and
meaning in life, they can spread this positive way of living to those around them. Your relationships with others will improve by taking this approach
towards them and they may learn from your actions. When people view others as the cause of their problems, it causes one to treat them poorly and to
hold a

The Between Mccutcheon, Marx, And Nietzsche 's Theories On...
Russell McCutcheon urges terms like "religion" and "religious" should not be used by scholars when referring to the study of religion. McCutcheon
even suggests these words should be abandoned and removed from our vocabulary all together. He claims studying social sciences like anthropology,
sociology, and psychology and using appropriate terminology will lead to a more accurate understanding of why we as humans are religious and how
our religion ultimately affects our behaviors. Feuerbach, Marx, and Nietzsche all suspect the study of religion is not about God at all, but rather the
people who believe or do not believe in God. In this essay, I will elaborate on the similar yet completely different ideologies of Feuerbach, Marx, and
Nietzsche and compare them to the argument made by McCutcheon.
In order to comprehend the connection between McCutcheon, Feuerbach, Marx, and Nietzsche's theories on religion a few terms must be defined.
Anthropology is the study of humans. Sociology is the study of social behaviors. Psychology is the study of behavior and the mind. These terms can
all be used to explain the reasons behind why people study religion and they also justify the belief that the study of religion is about the people and
not God. By studying the behaviors of humans we can psychoanalyze these behaviors and see how they relate back to their religious beliefs.
Understanding why people act the way they do in accordance with their beliefs reveals religious traditions which

Four Noble Truths
Four noble truths exist within Buddhism – all revolving around suffering (Duhka). 'Duhka' is a term commonly translated as 'suffering' in Buddhist
terminology. The term can mean 'pain', 'unease' or the 'ultimate unsatisfactoriness' of moments within human life (Kelly, 2008). Buddha preached that
life is full of suffering, there is a cause of the suffering, it is possible to stop suffering and there is a way to extinguish suffering (Aich, 2013). Kelly
(2008) describes the cause of suffering as a result of craving something missing from our lives (also translated as 'grasping' or 'attachment'). An earlier
description of the four noble truths was proposed by Mikulas (1978), suggesting suffering is caused by attachment, delusions or hatred and ... Show
Mikulas (2007) claimed Buddhism is often confused with religion or philosophy, yet it is in fact a form of psychology. Firstly, Buddha did not claim
to be a god – merely a human being. Furthermore, Buddhism does not involve rituals or worshipping intrinsic to many other religions; "rather it is a
set of practices and free inquiry by which one sees for oneself the truth and usefulness of the teachings" (Mikulas, 2007). Mikulas (2007) declared that
Buddha did not want to establish a religion – describing the Buddhist community as educational rather than religious. Moreover, Buddha even avoided
discussing metaphysical questions which were deemed "ethically useless and intellectually uncertain" (Aich, 2013). This is vastly different from
debates inherent to other religions such as life after death, the soul being opposed to the body and the eternalness of the world. The themes surrounding
Buddhism are very closely shared with those frequently propositioned within Western psychology. Topics such as "sensation, perception, emotion,
motivation, cognition the mind and consciousness" for example (Mikulas, 2007). Of all the existing world religions, de Silva (2000) suggests
Buddhism is the most concerned with and closely related to psychology with a great focus on looking "inwards to the intricate dynamics of our mental
and spiritual life". Further harmonies exist between Buddhism and Western psychology, including the shared concern with easing suffering, the
interpretation of the human condition as natural rather than religious, the importance of positive regard towards others and the functioning of the mind
at a conscious and unconscious level (Mikulas, 2007). Ultimately, whether Buddhism is considered a religion or not, the fundamental teachings of
Buddha run parallel with essential concepts of Western

The Psychology of Religion: Views from Sigmund Freud Essay
Sigmund Freud was a psychologist known as the 'father of psychoanalysis' who believed that our sense of moral understanding is a result of the
conditioning of a growing being. He argued the human mind or 'psyche' is split into three parts; the id, which contains basic and primitive, desires e.g.
hunger, thirst and lust; the ego, which involves perceptions of the external world that makes us aware of the 'reality principle,' one's most outward
aspect of our personality, and the super–ego, which contains the conscience that punishes bad behaviours with guilt, and the ego–ideal that praises
good actions. Freud reasoned that in order for the psyche to be healthy there must be balance between the ego and the super–ego, hence Freud claimed
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
An example of this is in his other book, Moses and Monotheism, Freud tries to apply his theory to Judaism and Christianity. According to Freud,
Moses was an Egyptian who forced his religion upon the Jews. The Jews, in a manic state, kill Moses on the mountain just outside of the Promised
Land. This created a large–scale sense of guilt, which created the need for salvation expressed by these religions: 'Remorse for the murder of Moses
provided the stimulus for the wishful fantasy of the Messiah, who was to return and lead his people to redemption.' Freud also goes on to say in
The Future of an Illusion that 'religion is the collective neurosis of humanity'. He notes that there are similarities to obsessive compulsions in
religion. For example, prayers/worship is to be performed exactly, repeated, anxiety if omitted and a sense of relief once ritualised. The sense of
guilt if these criteria are not met is parallel to the guilt held from killing the dominant male as primal hordes. Freud claims that religion protects us
from developing individual neuroses which may not be accepted by society. Because religion is a part of our culture and therefore accepted, it is not
seen as a defect. There is a need for protection from a father figure (infantilism), and in this respect Freud rebrands Feuerbach's theories of 'projection'
of the perfect being to 'wish–fulfilment', and of desired infantile protection. Freud says that the female counterpart to this

PSYCHOLOGY OF RELIGION AND MENTAL HEALTH: SACRAMENT OF...
PSYCHOLOGY OF RELIGION AND MENTAL HEALTH:
SACRAMENT OF PENANCE IN PERSPECTIVE
BY
OKOJIE EHINOMHEN PETER epo4escriva@yahoo.com January, 2014
INTRODUCTION
Between psychology and religion, any connection? For one who considers religion as having no manifest behaviour, the answer cannot be in the
affirmative. As far as can be chronicled of man's history,religion has always occupied and influenced human behaviour. Through history, we find
scholars who at one point or the other made allusion to this fact. Some have argued from various perspectives or disciplines that man is a by nature a
religious being. Karl
Marx is popular for his quote: "religion is the opium of the masses." Psychology as a systematic study of human and animal ... Show more content on
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"Given Freud's prolific scholarly output and his ability to shed light on nearly everything psychological, it is altogether striking that he wrote nothing
about forgiveness."4
These two highlighted behaviour patterns, namely, guilt and forgiveness shall form the basis for which the Sacrament of Penance shall be exposed.
Within the scope of this discourse in context, Freud is to be seen as having reconstructed the biblical history in accordance with his general theory and
also that he speaks of religion as an illusion; a fantasy structure from which a man must be set free if he is to grow to maturity.
Consequently, it is apparent that though Freud is in no way campaigning for religion, the very fact that he acknowledges the reality of religion as
being instrumental in human behavioural patterns particularly for those who are adherents of a said religion, gives the project of psychology of
religion a tenable footing. Notwithstanding, some have isolated the psychological dimension of religious experiences (the feeling of absolute
dependence; the experience of the Holy Spirit) and limited the nature and scope of religion accordingly.
Others make religion a mere projection of human wishes, a phenomenon that emerges at the point where human beings can no longer bear their poverty
and misery.5 But it is evident that

The Allies Model
The Allies model does not believe that psychology and Christianity are mutually exclusive, but believes that good psychology can be found in religion,
and that religion is more valuable than just expressing psychological truths and fostering psychological benefits (Entwistle, 2015). When used together,
psychology and theology can find connections on how they influence human behavior. The Allies model does not underestimate the importance of the
book of God's Word and the book of God's Works. This model believes that God's truths are revealed in the book of God's Word and the book of God's
Works (Entwistle, 2015). Psychology and theology can be integrated by taking the basic concepts of Christianity and engaging them with the discipline
of psychology. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Psychology focuses on the workings of God's world, meaning that humans can have a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of behavior.
Although psychological and theological understandings will not always match up, they can be used together to achieve the ultimate goal of
understanding humans and why they do the things they do. Like William Messner once said, "The greatest challenge to the Christian psychologists is
to shape a theory of man's psychological functioning which incorporates the data and insights of modern psychological understanding, and which is
also fully consonant with the penetrating insights of the Christian tradition". Integrating psychology and Christianity is not an easy task, but they are
both important concepts that can be used to benefit human beings to the fullest

Psychology And Religion : West And East
While preforming a psychoanalysis of religion and human development, Sigmund Freud questioned whether or not a person could be religious and
mature at the same time. In Future of an Illusion, Freud came to a conclusion that one cannot be religious and mature at the same time. Religion stunts
a person's transition of becoming a mature adult. Whereas in Carl Jung's Psychology and Religion: West and East, he believed that a person can be
religious and mature at the simultaneously. Opposing, to Freud's belief, Jung believes that religion can assist a person mature. I believe Jung makes
more of a compelling argument of maturity and religion. While Freud believes that religion traps a person in a pre–adult stage, I believe that religion
matures a person through the presence of archetypes. In Freud's perspective, he believed that the unconscious human mind desired a fulfillment for
knowledge. For instance, people were curious about where they went after they have passed. The people wanted to know where their soul would
reside after death. The source to fulfill this desire was in religion. Religion provided people with answers for their questions. They were told that after
death there would be some sort afterlife. The souls of these people would find rest in heaven. Freud believed that this idea of religion and its
knowledge distracted people from facing reality. People could not come to face death without knowing of what would happen to their soul after death.
Additionally, these

Hamlet : Jungian Perspectives On Psychology And Religion
Hamlet: Jungian Perspectives
The term consciousness refers to "your individual awareness of your unique thoughts, memories, feelings, sensations and environment" (Kendra Cherry,
http://psychology.about.com). Our unconscious contains thoughts, memories, and desires that are well below the surface of awareness but that
nevertheless have a great influence on behavior.
The influence of Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist Carl Gustav Jung's work in analytical psychology has never been more prominent in texts than
it is today. "Introversion and "extroversion" have become standard words. Most people are aware of the connection between the "individual psyche"
and the "collective unconscious." Many of us have secretly wondered about our own "complex neurosis." The influence of the darker "shadow" side of
life is the subject of concern as we seek to understand the apparent inhumanity of our species. All of this and more has come to us through the voice of
Jung who, perhaps more than any other single individual, has shown that psychology and religion can not only coexist peacefully together, but that
they can enhance, inspire, and perhaps even complete each other – and in the process help us complete ourselves.
In the gaze of the Jungian analyst, there are two forces that drive Hamlet. One is his anima; "the personification of all feminine psychological
tendencies within a man, the archetypal feminine symbolism within a man 's unconscious." (Barbara F. McManus, February, 1999

Similarities Of Buddhism And Religion
According to Kang and Whittingham (2011), Buddhism was founded in India 2500 years ago and has currently 376 million followers around the
world. It is listed as the fourth largest religion behind Christianity, Islam and Hinduism and Buddhism has grown into a variety of forms such as
religious rituals and worship of deities to pure meditation.
Buddhism is also often associated with philosophy and psychology.
Psychology is defined as a scientific study of the human mind and functions whilst religion is defined as the belief and worship of a superhuman
controlling power, a pursuit followed with great devotion.
Philosophy on the other hand is an academic discipline that studies the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence.
Although ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Instead, he made attributions to all his realizations, attainments and achievements to human endeavor and human intelligence.
This means that any individual can become a Buddha with the right practices, as there are no external powers facilitating the process. There is also a
degree of freedom in the Buddhist thoughts that is rare amongst religions. Therefore, it can be argued that Buddhism lean towards psychology rather
than religion. According to the Buddha, a man's emancipation is dependent on his own realization of the Truth and not the magnanimous grace of a
god or an external power as a reward for a good attitude in life.
The Buddha's approach to Buddhist teachings is argued to be empirical and scientific. It does not rely on dogma or philosophy but rather urges
people to decipher his words and teachings based on their own reasoning, experience and intuition. Unlike other religions, the Buddha also did not ask
for his claims to be received and explored on blind faith and believes that every individual have the seed to Enlightenment (New College University of
Toronto, 2011). This implies that Buddhism is not a

Psychology & Religion: The Spirtual Side to Counseling Essay
Abstract: In today's society the field of psychology and the study of religion have hardly ever set will with one another. New information is being
composed about the two fields working together, this paper is a brief description of those ideas and thoughts.
The psychological study of religion in the United States illustrates tensions and opportunities that exist between psychology and religion. It also
demonstrates the multifaceted views taken by psychologists as they address areas of living that have personal implications. Following the early period,
American psychology's push toward behaviorism resulted in the neglect of spiritual matters. The reductionism methods of ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Ralph Hood (1998), a major figure in American psychology of religion, suggests six psychological schools of thought regarding religion. The
psychoanalytical schools draw from the work of Freud, and attempt to reveal unconscious motives for religious belief. Although Freud reduced religious
belief to a natural, if ultimately flawed, attempt to cope with life's stresses; contemporary psychoanalytic interpretations are not necessarily hostile to
religious faith. Analytical schools find their inspiration in Jung's description of spiritual life. Most psychologists, however, consider such descriptions
to be undemonstrated by scientific research, and therefore it plays a limited role in psychology. Object relations school also draws from psychoanalysis,
but focus their efforts on maternal influences on the child. Each of these three schools rely on clinical case studies and other descriptive methods based
on small samples, which runs counter to the prevailing practice of psychology in America. Transpersonal schools attempts to confront spiritually
directly, often with the assumption that spiritual phenomena are real. They utilize a variety of methods in an attempt to study transcendent experience.
Phenomenological schools focus on the assumptions underlying religious experience and on the commonalties of the experiences. They favor
description and critical reflection over experimentation and measurement.

Class Of Religion And Psychology Essay
Linda Chacko
Class of Religion and Psychology
Professor Heaney–Hunter
Final Research Paper: Religion can be defined as a pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance. It contains a specific
fundamental set of beliefs and practices that allow its followers to live their life a certain way. The world consists of 19 major religions, which are
further subdivided into 270 larger groups. According to David Barrett et al, editor of the "World Christian Encyclopedia," there are 34,000 separate
Christian groups around the world. Just from those numbers alone, we can conclude that religion has a prevalent effect on people and society. Religion
is viewed as a positive influence on an individual both psychologically and physically. Throughout history we can study the various effects that
religion has on society. Studies generally provide great evidence in favor of religion having a positive effect on individuals and society as a whole.
There are many aspects of religion that causes positivity in the life of its followers. For one, religion is composed of a congregation of followers who
share the same faith and beliefs that unite them with one another. Studies show that people, especially those without a family, feel comfort in religion
because they feel welcomed by the members, along with being accepted by them. In many religions, members often gather together not only to partake
in religious activities but also to pray together in

The Psychology of Religion
In terms of the psychology of religion, many thinkers have commented about the origins of religious belief. Some of these support these religious
beliefs, some don't. However it is first appropriate to establish whether or not they are actually making a valid comment on the subject of religion or not.
Georg Hegel (1770–1831) was the initial scholar to step foot into this field. He redefined God by creating a character he often named 'Spirit'. He
attempted to make "God" sound theistic by giving God a mind. In some passages, this mind was made to resemble the transcendent mind of
Christianity's theistic God, although some interpreters recognised that 'Spirit's' mind was actually nothing but the collective psyche of man. For this
reason, and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
William James pragmatism hypothesis stems from religion's efficacy. If an individual believes in and performs religious activities, and those actions
happen to work, then that practice appears the proper choice for said individual. However, if no, there is no rationality to continue with the action. It is
possible that James was influenced but Epicurus "two sovereign masters".
In terms of critiques of w. James, he does not attempt to prove or disprove that God exiles, so his work is ambiguous and leaves his working
assumptions unexplored. Also, his work focused solely on mystical experiences and avoided the kind of public religious experiences Swinburne
would later consider. And, is pragmatism a good basis for religion? It ignores the religious teaching of the efficacy of suffering to transform the
character of the believer. For religion suffering is not the issue but sin. James never defines what he means by God and this casts doubt on the
significance of describing mystical experiences.
Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) was a psychologist who continued this area of study and had, in the opinion of many Scholars I had the most profound
impact upon it. He believed that our sense of morality is a result of behaviourist conditioning a growing being. His theory was inspired by works such
as Religion of the Semites, The Descent of Man and The Golden Bough. Totem and taboo explains the main components

Psychology Of Religion : The Mad, Holy And Demonic
VPR – 2209 Psychology of Religion: The Mad, Holy and Demonic
Assessment 1: Essay (3,000 words)
Question 4: What is the unconscious and what is its relevance in understanding religious belief or religious experience? Answer with reference to either
Jung or Freud, or to both Jung and Freud.
It is widely assumed that in the field of psychoanalytic theory there are only two major influential characters when discussing the effect and importance
of religion on the unconscious, these characters being Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. With marked similarities in definitions of the unconscious yet
obvious argument over religions place in the unconscious and its relevance to the individual, it makes for an interesting yet thought provoking
exploration of the inner psyche.
The definition of the unconscious mind as referred to by Sigmund Freud in his psychoanalytic theory of personality is understood to be a "reservoir of
feelings, thoughts, urges and memories that are outside of our conscious awareness." It is regarded that the majority of the unconscious is considered
to be inappropriate by the conscious mind and as a result is repressed. It harbours feelings such as anger, panic, discord, painful memories or trauma.
Freud believes that we are inherently influenced by our unconscious, it leaking into our behaviour and experiences although we are unaware of such an
occurrence.
Carl Jung similarly defines the unconscious, using the term "personal unconscious". Jung

What Is A Coherent Religion
Based on my responses to the belief quiz I was matched to the religion of Reformed Judaism. The results surprised me but after researching the
religion I can see why I was matched to it. Reformed Judaism is a modernized form of Judaism that withholds traditional aspects of the religion while
incorporating new ideas and beliefs. Unlike many other religions that follow scriptures and laws from centuries ago, Reformed Judaism recognizes the
world as it is today and shapes its practices around that. Reformed Judaists encourage diversity, equality of women, and support the gay community. To
keep tradition alive they continue to embrace God and his great gifts during good times and keep faith in Him during bad times. Reformed Judaists
believe we are partners with God and it is partly our job to better the world. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I believe in God, The Universe, angels, afterlife, and destiny. I believe acknowledgement of a higher power helps give us comfort as to who we are
and where we come from. Reformed Judaist acknowledge God during great times and seek Him during dark times. They show comfort in Him and
know that even when intangible, He is there – similar to what I believe in my God. I was pleased by the information I found on their beliefs on
homosexuality, abortion, and divorce. They have very modern opinions on these subjects that I can closely relate to and highly

Positive Interventions: Happiness Attained from Acts of...
Positive interventions have previously been shown to have a positive effect on those involved in these types of activities. This investigation
hypothesized that performing kind acts and noting gratitude would have a positive effect on happiness as measured by self–esteem. Further, it was
predicted that differences would be observed based on several factors: experimental condition, gender, and religious commitment. Participants (N=30)
from a large, northeastern, urban university participated in an experiment in which positive interventions were performed daily for one week. Pre–test
and post–test measures of happiness were obtained. The findings confirmed an increase in happiness following both interventions. However, the
differences ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Therefore, the current research aims to increase the knowledge base about the most efficient methods to increase happiness for a population that can
substantially benefit from the information.
Previous work has shown that performing positive activities, such as acts of kindness and the noting of gratitude, can positively affect well–being.
Buchanan and Bardi (2010) found support for increases in life satisfaction and well–being from performing acts of kindness. Emmons and McCollough
(2003) identified increases in positive affect and decreases in negative affect through gratitude listing. However, clear evidence in support of greater
beneficence in one of these methods over the other does not exist. In aiming to obtain this "crucial" evidence, the current study compares the changes in
happiness related to these two interventions.
Furthermore, evidence has been published that individual differences in those participating in interventions have an effect on the outcomes obtained.
Froh, Yurkewicz, and Kashdan (2009) obtained proof that adolescent males obtained more social benefit from gratitude than adolescent females. The
current study explores this relationship in older participants and extends the inquiry to see if differences exist due to gender in the outcomes obtained
from acts of kindness, as well.
The third aspect the current study investigates is the role of religion in happiness gains. Certain

Book Review of 'Integrative Approaches to Psychology and...
Book review Entwistle, David N. Integrative approaches to psychology and Christianity: An introduction to worldview issues, philosophical
foundations, and models of integration. Eugene, OR:Г‚ Cascade Books, 2010. Summary Many Christians fear that their faith is incompatible with the
discipline of psychology. Integrative approaches to psychology and Christianity by David Entwistle makes a persuasive case that the two disciplines
are complementary rather than polarized worldviews. Faith and reason (often represented as 'Athens' and 'Jerusalem') have actually served one another
over the course of church history. Ultimately, "there are many events which raise both psychological and theological questions and such events serve
as useful springboards to explore links between Christian theology and other disciplines" (Entwistle 2010: 8). Both psychology and religion try to
explain what it means to be human. Some Christians and some psychologists do view themselves as 'enemies.' These extremes are represented in
Christian 'combatants' who view all of secular culture as suspicious and militant atheists who see all religions as superstation. But even the American
Psychological Association demands that therapists honor and respect their patient's religious beliefs (Entwistle 2010: 137).Moreover, Christianity was
at the forefront of even the earliest movements to provide care for mentally ill people (Entwistle 2010: 37). As well as 'enemies,' the author suggests
and rejects

Compare And Contrast Integration And Integration
INTRODUCTION
For many years there have been debates going around with whether Psychology and Christianity can be integrated. In this research paper I will show
two models, for (of) integrations and two models against integration and my stance on it. I will also look at the different contributors to psychology and
show how their contribution has helped us to better understand this progress. I will share my personal view on this topic and give a few solutions to see
how integration can work. According the website searchcrm.techtarget.com states that integration means combining parts so that they work together or
form a whole. Christianity is a religion based upon the teaching and miracles of Jesus. According to the book Hilgrad's Introduction ... Show more
Some limiters of science maintain that certain areas of reality are not appropriate for scientific or on the other hand religious. These persons are
"Territorialists" who limits religion and science to different territories of focus. The limiters of science believe that there are certain areas that are
inappropriate for either scientific or religious study. Another set of individuals known as Perspectivalists on the other hand religion and science attempt
to explain the same aspects of reality but from different, independent

Psychology and Religion
PROJECT 6 Kaplan University
ABSTRACT
This deductive essay explores the relationship between and the practices involving psychology and religion in order to uphold the ethics code. There is
a sensitivity level that must be exhibited by psychology professionals that practice traditional psychology in order to make clients feel comfortable and
secure in the treatment setting. In addition, this essay explains the use of religion in non–traditional psychology and the professional manner according
to the ethics code in which using non–traditional approaches involving religion should be used.
In order to understand religion and psychology and how they correlate we ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It is important that psychologists obtain written authorization when consulting with clergy as well as abide by standards 4.01, 4.04 (Minimizing
Intrusions on and 4.05 (Disclosures) of the Ethics Code when addressing client issues with clergy (Fisher, 2009).
On the subject of avoiding secular–theistic bias Fisher emphasizes the importance of not trivializing a client's beliefs and not disputing a client's
religious preferences. By doing to this could the psychologists risks interfering with the client's foundation of family and community support.
Psychologist must present an critical understanding of religious beliefs in order to not undercut the client's treatment when it comes to
misunderstanding of religion and spirituality (Fisher, 2009).
The imposition of a psychologists' religious values on a client is something to be avoided at all costs and can hinder a client's mental progress by
making them vulnerable to coercion and violates their value of autonomy. This is especially important when dealing with client issues that may
conflict with religious and secular moral values these issues often include, divorce, end of life decisions, sexual orientation, etc (Fisher, 2009). In
addition it is important for psychologists to also recognize how culture and religion can be intertwined and how to be culturally sensitive as well, as
Joni, Heejung and Kim states "A cultural

Boundaries Of Philosophy: An Introduction To The...
VIDEO LECTURE OF INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
Hello! We welcome you to an Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion. The study of man and the society is incomplete without the study of religion,
for it plays a significant role in the development and sustenance human society.
INTRODUCTION
Boundaries of Philosophy
Philosophy of religion is not limited to mere collection of facts such as religious rites, customs, activities, beliefs, sentiments, aspirations of men and of
communities but goes beyond this periphery.
It is an intellectual inquiry of facts and penetrate into the ultimate meaning of facts. It seeks to apprehend its ultimate meaning, validity and ground by
envisaging the universe from the point of view of totality of interests ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The historic–sociological perspective studies religion as a social phenomenon. Its aim is to understand the social behaviour of human beings with
respect to religion. The philosophy of religion, on the other hand, seeks to understand the metaphysical, logical and epistemological grounds of those
behaviour. Thus these aspects are complementary to, and are incomplete without, each other. The historic– psychological aspects deals with the normal
and practical facts of human life, whereas the metaphysical aspect deals with the relation of religious experience to the real truth and nature of things.
It is not possible to seek or to discover some principles of classification and some law of religious evolution,without the necessary materials of
anthropology, sociology, history and comparative study of religion, the psychology of religion.
It means to arrange the perplexing mass of material in an intelligent form, so as to bring forth some sort of order, out of the apparent chaos of
incoherent facts. On the other hand, only mere gathering and arranging of the materials does not create a philosophy of religion. We have to interpret
and evaluate this complicated system of arranged facts and

Early Psychology And Religion Essay
Early psychology and religion did not mix very well together. Rather than working together, psychology tried to explain religion. Basically saying
that religion was a made up concept. Freud explained religion as a means for coping. The deity is a father figure to cope with the one that was lost so
long ago. Jung explains that religion was made up as a part of the collective unconscious. Fromm takes a different approach; he takes a common
element that is found between the both of the subject and explores it mainly through a psychological standpoint. All in all, early psychology does not
really work well with religion, the joining of the two was still an early concept.
Freud explains religion as a means for coping with a long standing internal damage that has been passed from generation to generation. Before the
origin of society started, Freud claims that people were gathered in groups where there would be an alpha male. This male was the leader, he was
able to procreate with the other females in their group. The other males had to either fight the alpha male for the title, or leave to find another group to
be apart of. Then there is this "one day" that happens. The brothers "come together, kill and devour their father and so made an end of the ... Show more
Religion wasn't entirely as scholarly subject as psychology was because religious views were hard to explain scientifically whereas psychology
could be explain through explanation and reasoning that could be backed with data. It is hard to explain how things work when your sources come
from one book. Early psychology didn't view religion as a real thing. It was something humans created as a means of coping or just simple came
forth from a group of repeated patterns that evolve and becomes what it is today. So psychology and religion didn't really work together, really
psychology was used to explain religion rather than both fields respecting each

Therapeutic Approach To Christian Psychology
Team C: Difference in Therapeutic Approaches
Christianity and psychology are like oil and water; many believe the do not mix. Many Christians view Christianity and the practice of psychology
with a negative perspective. Gary Collins, psychologist, educator, and author, practices with a Christian worldview. "As a Christian, psychology
professor Gary Collins notes, There can be no denial that much of psychology is more than indifferent to religion; it is opposed to religion." (Passantino
& Passantino, 2009, p. 15).
Compatibility between psychology and religion has been an issue argued for many years. However, men like Dr. William Backus developed a
counseling system that utilizes the secular aspects of this treatment. By redefining the aspects, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
& Passantino G. (2009), "While many Christians may contest the degree of success such Christian psychologists have had at bringing secular
therapies into a Christian worldview, it is at least logically possible to affirm that "a Christian psychologist can within limits practice any one of many
counseling techniques and approaches; and may choose ... to use several methods, depending o his skills and the particular problems of his clients" (p.
16).
In defense of the field of psychology, Gary Collins noted the reflections of many Christian psychologists. They understand "there is much that is wrong
about psychology–but there is also much that is sensitive, helpful, valid, and good. The best psychologists carefully sift the conclusions and evidence,
reject that which is invalid and make use of the rest." (Passantino & Passantino, 2009, p. 16).
In a review of the many therapeutic approaches practiced today, Arthur Hunter gives his personal evaluation of them and notes which ones he believes
presents to the Christian therapeutic approaches that are pro–Christian. According to Arthur Hunter (n.d.), "Gestalt psychology to me is one of the
strongest pro–Christian theories in secular psychology. It acknowledges numerous ineffable qualities of human existence." (Hunter, n.d., p.

Psychology Of Christianity : Religion And Spiritual Belief
Daniel Faulkner
English III AP
Mrs. Vicknair
13 April 2017
Psychology of Christianity Religion and spiritual belief have always been a part of human culture since the first people. Whether or not a god or gods
created them has influenced their choices of who, or what, to worship. Every human in history has given a spiritual act of worship to some person,
object, or higher being. Even atheism and agnosticism involves this worship because people put their trust in celebrities and would treat said people as a
god. In today's world, many people choose their spiritual belief based on culture and experiences, as well as personal gain. Background and culture
have a large effect on choices made dealing with spiritual belief. Take my life and... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This has led to many people turning away from their faith because they either do not know the answers or they do not want to know the answers to
answers to life's questions. To retaliate, some people created the "Prosperity" gospel to make it seem like God wants to make people successful.
The Prosperity Gospel uses God and Jesus Christ to tell people that they can be a wealthy Christian. Some Islamic churches focused less on their
scripture to seem more peaceful. All of these groups want more followers, and many of them will adapt to do so. Not only do they adapt to people,
but religious groups try to adapt their followers. Beth Azar wrote in an online article that using religion as a social tool makes religion endure (Azar,
2010). Many people in the South of the United States are known for their hospitality and friendliness to others. There also happen to be a
considerably larger number of churches and religious groups in the South than in the North. Steven Pinker also wrote that religion allows people to
be social. These groups bring people together in times of happiness and times of sorrow. These outreach events bring people together and give a
positive opinion to others about religious groups. When people who do not have a spiritual belief in anything are helped by those who do, they will
almost always have a polite attitude back. This desire not to hurt the feelings of others will bring them to a

Joan Of Arc Religion
When Joan of Arc was born around 1412, fifteenth century France was in chaos. The country was embroiled in bloody Hundred Year's War, and the
English had forcibly installed their allies, the Burgundians, onto the French throne. At age 13, Joan began to hear divine voices, telling her she was
France's savior, and for the time being to "be good [or pious], to go to church regularly" (citation). Her most famous mystical experience occurred in
her father's garden three years later, where Saint Michael, Saint Catherine, and Saint Margaret appeared to her and told her that God needed her to expel
the English and install Charles of Ponthieu on the throne, as France's rightful king. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to get an exact account of ...
James touches on this idea that organized structures, with the reason and rationality they impose, detract from mystical encounters with a higher
power. James writes, "The supernaturalism and optimism to which they (mystical states) would persuade us may, interpreted in one way or another,
be after all the truest of insights into the meaning of life" (327). What is experienced in mystical states is the purest form of truth and can unlock
the meaning of life, but institutions can stifle and corrupt these experiences. He writes that, "the immediate personal experience will amply fill our
time, and we shall hardly consider theology or ecclesiasticism at all" (32). James's definitions of religious mystical experience exist completely
outside of any standardized order. With organized religious institutions, singular mystical experiences can be warped into something less absolute
and truthful. Much of Joan's identity was warped to suit certain purposes. King Charles and his followers used the "Maid of Orleans" as a rallying
point when morale was low, and discarded her the second she was captured, allowing the enemy to burn her at the stake. Polish artist Jan Matejko's
also used Joan's experiences for his gain. His 1838 painting from

Integrative Approaches Of Psychology And Christianity
Summary "Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity, An Introduction to Worldview Issues, Philosophical Foundations and Models of
Integration" is a book written by David N. Entwistle that offers insight and awareness to the relationship between psychology and theology. Psychology
and theology share a common interest in the nature and purpose of human beings. This book introduces worldview issues and a philosophical source
that provides a framework of the relationship between the science of psychology and Christianity. This book increases awareness that the assumptions
we all make concerning both psychology and theology can led to misinterpretations and confusion. According to Entwistle (2010), the primary
intention of this book is to help readers understand the issues that form integration and how integration can be applied and experienced in individual
and corporate life.
Entwistle combines many concepts within the field of psychology and insights from Christian faith to develop a working definition of integration.
Integration begins with basic Christian assumptions and faithful worship of God (Entwistle, 2010). Integration includes developing a worldview based
on Christianity and an understanding of historical and philosophical foundations of psychology by utilizing different methods and source materials
(Entwistle, 2010). Together both psychology and Christian theology can provide a more complete and accurate perspective because both are concerned
with

Jeeves And Brown: Argumentative Analysis
The fields of neuroscience and psychology are progressing at a blistering pace. The exciting advancements pose interesting religious questions, and
scientists of varying beliefs have chosen to respond. The science and religion debate has fallen into two categories; they can be seen as enemies
(warfare) or as allies (partnership). Arguments concerning the relationship have not become recently popular, but has been the topic of discussion
throughout the history of neuroscience and psychology. Jeeves and Brown, in chapter two, explain how previous psychologists and neuroscientists
have wrestled with science and religion. After examining the history of the debate, Jeeves and Brown discuss recent controversial topics, specifically
the fields of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I found it interesting reading about the differing religious opinions of historically relevant psychologists. I found the correlation between their
religious stance and research to be quite interesting. Gaining perspective of the past is a useful tool for interpreting the present disagreement within
psychology and neuroscience today. The fields of neuropsychology and evolutionary psychology seem to be at the forefront of today's debate.
Jeeves and Brown mentioned, "This contemporary debate on whether belief evolved as a byproduct or as an adaptation reveals that adherents on all
sides do not fall neatly into religious and nonreligious outlooks" (Jeeves and Brown, 2010, p. 20). They were referring specifically to the debate
within evolutionary psychology, but I believe it can apply across the entire discussion. I have personally encountered others on Northwestern's campus
that hold similar religious beliefs, but have starkly different scientific convictions. I imagine many of these beliefs will lead to good dialogue on the
Day of Learning and Community. This is a testimony to the complexity of these questions. Thus, by using the past as a guide I believe I can better
learn how to wrestle with the questions facing neuroscience and

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