Hey, Faith Works!

Good Stuff vs. Stinkin' Stuff: Hey, Faith Works!

So, faith really DOES work! So says a Stanford University anthropologist. Amazing, isn't it? Even someone inclined by education and environment (Stanford, one of the many centers of trendy atheism, filled with a faculty of doubting Thomases—Bible stuff, of course—and hotbed of anti-Judeo/Christian traditions) somehow has wandered down the path of those who have found faith to be energizing.

From "Religious faith can lead to positive mental benefits, writes Stanford anthropologist. Creating a relationship with a supernatural other takes effort that can lead to meaningful change, says Stanford anthropologist Tanya Luhrmann.

Be still and know, huh? Wonder if there's more good stuff amidst the Bible stuff?

"Research has repeatedly shown that people of faith report feeling better and healthier. One of the most striking findings in social epidemiology, Luhrmann notes, is that religious involvement with God is better for your body in terms of immune functions and reducing loneliness. One explanation for this, Luhrmann writes, is that for those with an intense faith, God becomes a social relationship. MRI results indicate that in terms of brain function, talking to God resembles conversing with a friend.

But the nature of that relationship is also key in terms of health. The more that God is seen as judgmental and negative, the more mental health symptoms are reported. In contrast, people who represent their relationship with God as being loving and satisfying pray more and report fewer mental health symptoms. “The data suggest that when it’s a good relationship, it’s better for the body,” Luhrmann said."

Be Still and Know: Psalm 46 and the Stinkin' Stuff of Life: Schwartz, Stuart H.: 9781666766400: Amazon.com: Books