Hi In browsing around looking for material related to the discussion of religion, I again came across religious writings that quite explicitly take issue with secular psychology, something that I had noticed several times in the past. Below are three examples. Perhaps particularly interesting at the present time is the third example, which comes from an Islamic site at which secular developmental psychology is identified as something diametrically opposed to Islam. We academics probably don't think of ourselves very often as one of the "external forces" being resisted in many parts of the world. With all of these examples, I think Linda's warning to not over-generalize needs to be heeded. I found it interesting, however, that there were at least some instances where a conflict between religion and science was identified quite explicitly by people on the religious side. The first is from an on-line Jewish magazine and written by Gold, who identifies himself as a psychotherapist who lives in Jerusalem. In short, secular psychology is on the side of death and despair.
http://www.jewishmag.com/29mag/gold/gold.htm "This is the choice between life and death with which we are all presented. It is the choice between a Godly reality, with a living, personal relationship to our surroundings, and an inert, indifferent reality, best dealt with from diffidence, impersonality and resignation. Caught in the flight from God, determined to achieve approbation as hard science, secular psychology is striving to choose death. That choice is a bad one, Torah counsels. It is based on pessimism, on surrender, covered with a veneer of sophistication and pseudo-optimism. It distinguishes between much of psychology, whose realm, too, really is the spirit, and mysticism. Deep down, we all know the right choice. Besides, what matter if factually, we err in choosing God? If we attain a life of genuinely experienced meaning and worthwhileness by pursuit of spirit, is that not better than being miserably correct? On a deeper level, indeed, this choice - and only this choice - brings us into the realm of the spirit. It is impossible to verify spirituality from a materialist vantage point because materialism can not grasp spirituality: spirit is life, and death can not grasp life. ... the dichotomy between choosing life or death underlies important differences between mysticism and psychology." >From the Bible Discernment Ministries, one reads: "17:17). The Scriptures are accurate and completely sufficient in all matters pertaining to life and godliness. Therefore, the theories offered by psychology to explain "the nature of man, how he should live, and how he can change" are totally unacceptable, since they argue against the sufficiency of Scripture, which gives God's answers to these questions. In short, the Bible is God's all-sufficient rule for faith and conduct through the power of the Holy Spirit to regenerate, sanctify, and equip the believer for life and service (2 Pe. 1:3; Heb. 4:12)." For the full statement on psychology and religion (including citations of such detractors of psychology as science as Sigmund Koch), see http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Psychology/psych.htm Here is the third example, from an Islamic site: http://www.islam-online.net/English/contemporary/psychology-2/psychology2.shtml "Modern developmental psychology is an integral aspect of mainstream modern Western secular psychology. By necessary implication, its fundamental paradigms and methodologies and its essential views of man are invariably materialist and secular, just like that of its mother body. Modern psychology has played a significant role in shaping Western man and Western society. As part of the overall product of modernity, the Western worldview is predominantly secular-characterized by atheism, agnosticism, and humanism. In line with this worldview, the dominant trend in Western intellectualism is similarly materialistic and secular. In modern psychology, man is treated and studied within the purview of the Western materialist worldview. Thus, he is seen and studied fundamentally as a material being. The spiritual entity or component in him is either less recognized or simply dismissed or dispelled completely. This dismissal of the spiritual component in man became necessary because its presence cannot be established with the standards of rigid empiricism, which came to hold sway over the behavioral and social sciences-the craze for scientific precision and accuracy. In a more apt sense this is called scientism-the mad worship of science. The Islamic worldview is diametrically opposed to this Western worldview. In the Islamic worldview, man and everything in the universe are a creation of Allah. He created the universe alone and solely sustains and governs it. Man's life has a divine and transcendental purpose because he shall be resurrected in a Divine world (the Hereafter) and shall be made to account for his life in this world. In the Islamic view, man is a creature made up of two components-matter and spirit. He should strive for he betterment of both in equal and balanced ways and manners. The Islamic Law (the Shari'ah), which governs man's life, has been Divinely formulated so that both components in man are catered to in a balanced way. A Muslim's life and by extension the life of the Muslim community is governed and patterned along this worldview, just as the Western community is governed by its worldview. Therefore, there are sharp differences between the Islamic and Western patterns of life. Similarly, and also necessarily, the patterns and processes of development (especially the moral, emotional, and social aspects of it) must be fundamentally and essentially different. Thus, it is also correct to say that a theoretical model of studying child development that has been conceived, formulated, experimented on, and applied in the West cannot necessarily be applicable for the same purpose in the Muslim world. The fundamental differences in worldview between the two worlds, which subsequently necessitate differences in child-rearing practices between the two cultures, vindicates this assertion." Obviously the third writer is unfamiliar with all the surveys showing the relatively high levels of religiousness/spirituality in at least the North American part of the West. Best wishes Jim ============================================================================ James M. Clark (204) 786-9757 Department of Psychology (204) 774-4134 Fax University of Winnipeg 4L05D Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2E9 [EMAIL PROTECTED] CANADA http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/~clark ============================================================================ --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
