> >> > Here is an interesting study ["Prayer may influence in vitro > >> > fertilization success"]. Based on its results, I wonder if the > >> > unwanted pregnancy rate could be reduced by invoking the power > >> > of prayer. > >> > >> Faith is surely a remarkable thing. It can contemplate a God who > >> is unmoved by the savagery that could destroy more than 5,000 > >> innocent lives, yet so responsive to human need as to boost the > >> in-vitro fertilization rate in response to a few impersonal > >> prayers in an experiment. I think Jim should pray that the > >> experiment is in error. > >> > >> -Stephen > > > >I just love the anti-religious bias that is so prevalent in psychology! > > > >Guess the ethics canon about respecting differences doesn't apply to religion. > > > >Gee, maybe God actually saved a lot of people, ya ever consider that? > >50,000 people worked in those buildings. 10% died. Not to mention the > >extraordinary relief that has been going on. God can't be behind that > >either, > >huh? > > > >This is a typical criticism of God -- He is expected to stay the heck out of > >our lives, our bedrooms, our classroom -- but boy He better show up when > >the poop hits the fan. > > No, I think that Stephen is saying (I certainly am) that there is something > unsatisfactory about a deity that decides who will live (be born) and who > will die based on the prayers of individuals who base those prayers only on > pictures that they have been shown. > One can believe in a deity without that kind of petty micromanagement. > > * PAUL K. BRANDON [EMAIL PROTECTED] *
Paul and Stephen (and others), I apologize for the sarcasm. As you can imagine, I've grown a little weary of the anti-religious sentiment that *seems* so prevalent in psychology. I don't mean to be rude, and I certainly believe others have the right to profess or not profess whatever they want about God and religion. While I thought the study was interesting, I'm not jumping up and down about it. And no religious person should get too excited about it. Prayer is not supposed to be some kind of magical incantation that always gets you what you want. This kind of study can unintentionally make people begin to see it as something very different than the way it is in religion. Interestingly, just after I read that study, I came across a neat book called "Seduced by Science" by Steven Goldberg. Has anyone read it? I'll admit I got it from the library looking for scientific support for fundamentalism. Instead, I got hit over the head by an apparently pro- religious person that religious types are harming themselves by trying to compete with science (and he uses the medicalization of prayer as a good example!). As best as I can summarize (I haven't read all but I think I got the gist...) He makes the cogent argument that since so many teachings and beliefs of religion are not testable (yes, I know, many of you have argued this before!) that religion is only going to lose when it plays in science's ballpark. Just as science cannot teach much about morality, religion cannot teach much about science. It doesn't mean they can't have some partnership, but not much of one. Another point I hadn't really considered is that people in the church will begin to believe that they need to test all religious teachings and empirically, and when they learn this cannot be done, they will likely become disillusioned and go away. Now he is not saying religious types shouldn't use their brains and think, but some extent faith and religion is not rational and it's pretty unempirical, so again, using scientific rules to judge the merits of religion is a losing proposition. I hope I haven't misstated his positions in any way. Again, if anyone else has read this book, please comment. It has really been one of the more beneficial books for me in quite a while. And to some extent I must tip my hat to the skeptics of religion for seeking it out. Have a good day ************************************************************************ Jim Guinee, Ph.D. Director of Training & Adjunct Professor President, Arkansas College Counselor Association University of Central Arkansas Counseling Center 313 Bernard Hall Conway, AR 72035 USA (501) 450-3138 (office) (501) 450-3248 (fax) "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14 ************************************************************************** --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
