April 27, 2009

• Faith breeds certainty

A drinker may engage in risky behaviour when his awareness of danger is limited by the effects of alcohol. Now comes a study which shows that drinkers are not alone. Religious believers have been found to have less anxiety than nonbelievers about making errors or facing the unknown. (The reason for this “calming effect” was not examined, though presumably it comes from the reassuring feeling of having a Powerful Friend.)
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Well, this certainly explains a lot about the previous president, doesn't it? Especially when the effects of both alcohol and religion are taken into account—not to mention cocaine. I assume there is a cumulative effect?
[Follow the title link to read the full article.]

5 comments:

jmsjoin said...

Alcohol and drugs when taken to excess are permanently mentally disabling. I have known a few totally retarded. I am not talking about Bush but he certainly qualifies.

libhom said...

I always found it interesting that people could find certainty from something as ephemeral as religion.

libhom said...

Also, I just zapped your blog with an award. I think these are great ways to promote solidarity.

two crows said...

true Jim--
I found this study interesting as it found a common factor between alcoholism and religion.

and, I believe in a deity-- kind of. so I'm not absolving myself from the study.

two crows said...

thanks for the award, libhom. I'll take a look.

and some folks don't perceive religion as ephemeral, I guess.

one thing I like about my "religion" is the fact that it asks its adherents to apply logic, not faith, and toss anything that doesn't stand up to scrutiny for THEM.

imo, faith asks people to check their brains at the door.

mebbe that's what the study discovered?