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Psychology of religion and spirituality
Religiosity and spirituality essay
Positive and negative effects of religion
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As a Christian, I go to church on Sunday and I believe in heaven as a holy place where I can meet God after my physical body dies. Every day I follow the Holy Spirit inside me, and I know I am forgiven for all of my sins as long as I act by the teachings of God. But besides all of these benefits for my spiritual body, what are some effects on my physical and mental health from religiosity? There are definitely effects on my well being from religiosity according to a study conducted by Yoshiomi Imamura and his colleagues researching the relationship between the belief after death and the well being in a group of elders in rural Japan. Many studies have been done in the Western hemisphere to show the beneficial relationship between religiosity …show more content…
Yes is 1 point and no is 0 point. This measure is predicted to be a possible confounder that might affect the relationship of religiosity and the state of well being. The last two measures Stable satisfaction and Positive Satisfaction have total of 10 questions that are originated from the something to live for and life satisfaction (SLLS) scale. These questions are graded on a 4-point scale, which 1 being ‘not at all’ and 4 being ‘very much.’ Through these two measures, the score reflects the well being of the individual; higher score means higher satisfaction of life. sMHPG is collected between 9 am to 3 pm using Salivette, and then analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The level of the sMHPG is expressed with the unit nanograms per …show more content…
I think the relationship of religiosity and the well-being of our lives are changing through time with us. Although this study only focuses on elders, I am connected with this paper because I hold belief in religion too. Ever since the babies start to learn how to speak, religions could have affected them in some way when they learn. However, through the development of our whole lives, the beliefs we hold affect us differently. For example, I might get more benefits for my health from my strong belief when I am older, but it might not be the case for another person who holds a belief in an equivalent strength as I do. The belief and its effect develop with our lives, so I think this study can be related to the area of developmental
In today’s society, there are roughly around 4,200 religions that exist on this planet. Some define "religion" as a cultural system of behaviors and practices that help people make important decisions in life. Out of the many religions, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism have many similarities that connect them to one another. Themes of morality, justice, love are found through both the Buddha's teaching and the Hebrew and Christian Bible.
There are many social institutions that have major impacts on society. One of the trickiest social institutions would have to be, religion. Religion seems to have a huge impact on a society even if it’s directly or indirectly. Why is that? Do we need it? Does it let us live a more fulfilled life? What effects does it have on society? Is it necessary for a functioning society? According to Dalton Conley (2013:611) sociology defines religion as being a unified system of beliefs traditions, and practices around sacred things; a set of shared “stories” that guide belief and action. Religion is a way for people to make sense of the world, it keeps society in line with expected behaviors. Without religion people would subside to create their own rules and would deem to follow a path that could harm a society and come to an end. Religion is necessary for a society to function, prosper, and for someone to learn how to be a well moral contributor to society.
According to the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, people who regularly practice religion possess a greater sense of personal well-being (Diener, Tay, & Myers, 2011). Now, during the self-evaluation, it becomes apparent that the employment of religious practices enables one to escape from their everyday woes of life to a state of nirvana. Additionally, the employment of religious totems during periods of reflections, often aids in allowing the beholder to experience a close relationship sensation to their divine power. Furthermore, the idea of a divine power and gateway totems affords a person the ability to analyze morale events and actions in a way that can result in the realigning of life ambitions. Consequently, spiritual reflection drastically increases during times of stress, uncertainty, and moral dilemmas offering as a sign of relief or guidance. Furthermore, considering this information in its entirety, it showcases why religion is prevalent throughout society during adverse conditions. Now, that there is evidence of religion 's ability to influence society during times of peril, let’s move onward to the stage
There are thousands upon thousands of theories about why human beings need religion, one of the most popular being that we are sheep and will always need a Shepard, leader or set of rules to follow. This theory was tested by a team of psychological scientists in Ontario, Canada, by assessing whether or not religious beliefs had an effect on ones self control. The results were somewhat
Sociology in its basic most broad definition is the study of society and social behavior. Which includes all variables that govern and affect how masses act and react under different circumstances. This includes values, traditions, morals, ethnic identity and most importantly; religion. Religion has been, for as long as humans existed on this earth, the foremost perception that controls society and govern its behavior. Some would even argue that religion is the source of human morals, traditions and values.
Participants increased their religious commitment (M = 29.95, SD = 6.73) as opposed to the faith Development Scale (M = 2.40, SD = 1.05). The standard error of measure was 27.5 (SE = 0.926) .The results of the paired sample t test were significant, 95% CI (25.67 to 29.423), t (39) = 29.749, p < .05, d= 4.70 and therefore reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternative hypothesis. The effect size was large. The independent variable was religious commitment and the dependent variable was faith development.
Scholars have been trying to come up with a well-founded, acceptable and universal definition of religion for years; however, none of these definitions so far are a perfect fit for all religions of the world. There are many things in our life that are well defined and well understood but, unfortunately, religion is not one of them. There is no common ground and understanding of what religion really means. Religion is what we make of it, so no one can truly define religion in a way that is meaningful across all borders as it is outside of the realm of reason and rationale and the definitions we give could be either too exclusive or inclusive.
Throughout history, religion has helped form the basic fabric of society. From an early age, religion provided the answers to any unexplainable natural phenomena. The question of why the world worked in a particular way was easily answered with “because [name of deity] made it that way.” Religion was everywhere; everyone had their own ideas about how the world worked and what their role was in the universe. Each likeminded group held that their religious beliefs were the root cause of their happiness and general satisfaction with life. Centuries of religious dominance eventually gave birth to a widespread idea that strong religious beliefs are essential to living a happy and fulfilling life. Even today, in a society dominated by scientific advances, religion finds a niche in catering to people’s spiritual needs. Indeed, despite the societal changes that have occurred in modern times, religion has remained largely unchanged since its early days. The belief that religion factors heavily into one’s life satisfaction and happiness has also remained much the same, despite today’s complex and ever-changing society. The problem lies where religion is viewed as a major way to achieve happiness, and this perspective can lead to blind acceptance of religion solely on the basis of its supposed universal benefits. Basically, a new way of looking at religion is needed: seeing it not as the end-all happiness tool, but as a small factor in a complex web of happiness and well-being.
What is Christianity and why has it been able to develop into a continuously growing and evolving religion?
As we all know, self esteem is an important aspect of living a happy and healthy life. Religion is one of the reasons that some individuals find peace and happiness within themselves, and gives them a heightened sense of well being (Fagan). Obtaining a membership within a religious organization has shown to decrease stress from work related problems, along with elevating a person 's coping skills. This is because they frequently join together in prayer, support of one another, and their religious practices, all while assessing their situations through a religious outlook
Kutcher, E., Bragger, J., Rodriguez-Srednicki, O, & Masco, J., (2010). The role of religiosity in
Religion itself can mean many different things and is interpreted differently by each group of people. The literal meaning of the word “religion” is “a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects.” Religion is divided into different secs such as Christians, Muslims, Jews, etc. Although religion is aimed to unite people and bring them together, I believe there are certain aspects that divide people or make them “different” from everyone else. The factors that have caused religion to divide are war and violence, the caste system, and rituals.
Throughout the world, there are many different religions. Religion is a major part of many people’s lives. Having as many religions as we do, gives us many perspectives and beliefs. In many ways, this can be beneficial, but it can also be harmful. People believe so strongly in their religions that they will do anything in order to follow it.
Spirituality can have many different definitions, depending on who is asked. It can be something as simple as looking for a higher meaning to life, or something so complex that one can base their beliefs, religion and overall life around it. There are several different ways to express one's spirituality; rituals, songs, dances, stories, and writings are all common methods of expression.
My definition of religion has mostly stayed the same, but my perception of it has changed. At the beginning of the class, I assumed religion was something you believed based on your moral principles. I now believe that those moral principles are based on the religion that you believe in. Your religion changes your perception of the world and how to go about in it. Your religion tells you what is right and wrong in the world and answers all of the big questions one asks. Religion according to our book is, “A pattern of beliefs and practices that expresses and enacts what a community regards as sacred and/or ultimate about life” (Van Voorst 6). That definition was one thing that really got me thinking about my own personal idea of what religion