Article: Belief in a Caring God Improves Response to Medical Treatment for Depression

[ComradeMan]

Belief in a Caring God Improves Response to Medical Treatment for Depression, Study Finds


Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100223132021.htm

[Sean]

People with belief in a CARING god aren't as likely to succumb to depression in the same way that people who believe in a CARING world aren't.

People with positive outlooks - fictional or not - are more likely to be positive and recover from depression faster. That's all its really saying.

[Sasha]

Up Next; Water comes out as Wet

[Sean]

Up Next; Water comes out as Wet
But people who believe its blessed come out both wet and feeling slightly holier after having a bucket thrown around them.

[Misanthrope]

Up Next; Water comes out as Wet

If god doesn't exist explain water.

Theists: 1
Atheists: 0

[Sasha]

@ OP; that personal religous faith gives people things like comfort, an sense of purpose and support is one of the very few thing we dont challenge in the religious debate.

[ZeroNowhere]

In which case I suppose that belief in an uncaring god would lead to the opposite result. Conclusion: Lovecraft was right.

[ComradeMan]

@ OP; that personal religous faith gives people things like comfort, an sense of purpose and support is one of the very few thing we dont challenge in the religious debate.

No, I don't challenge that either. It was just interesting to find this article in a scientific review when the likes of Dawkins condemn religion as universally evil etc...

[Rafiq]

There is no such of a thing as "evil".

However, the orgins of Religion say it to be somewhat of a scam.

Religion was made, (not any of the 'holy men' were), to distract, and justify the actions of whom ever was in charge, or wanting to be in charge.

[ComradeMan]

There is no such of a thing as "evil".

However, the orgins of Religion say it to be somewhat of a scam.

Religion was made, (not any of the 'holy men' were), to distract, and justify the actions of whom ever was in charge, or wanting to be in charge.

Source?

What about the San people of Southern Africa or the Native Americans or the Australian Aboriginal people? Their belief systems probably represent some of the oldest surviving int he world and yet their societies, especially in the case of the first, were almost like anarchist societies/primitive communism.

[Sean]

There is no such of a thing as "evil".

However, the orgins of Religion say it to be somewhat of a scam.

Religion was made, (not any of the 'holy men' were), to distract, and justify the actions of whom ever was in charge, or wanting to be in charge.
Which has little to do with this however I'm not sure if people who love or fear god are correct, despite their mental health diagnosis and treatment, its all a little sketchy:

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. –Deuteronomy 6:5
Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” –Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27

Fear the LORD your God, serve him only –Deuteronomy 6:13
The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread –Isaiah 8:13
But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. –Luke 12:5
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. –1 John 4:18Goddamnit, bible. (stole these from here (http://thebeattitude.com/))

[ComradeMan]

Which has little to do with this however I'm not sure if people who love or fear god are correct, despite their mental health diagnosis and treatment, its all a little sketchy:
Goddamnit, bible. (stole these from here (http://thebeattitude.com/))

The word "fear" is a rather bad translation of the Hebrew ירא which rather means "to have awe or respect"- it doesn't mean and should not translate as being frightened of something.

I really think people should look at the original Hebrew and Aramaic words because so much has been mistranslated.

Another example-

"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live"- the Hebrew actually meant "poisoner".... the rest is history.

Damn those translators!!!

[Sean]

The word "fear" is a rather bad translation of the Hebrew ירא which rather means "to have awe or respect"- it doesn't mean and should not translate as being frightened of something.

I really think people should look at the original Hebrew and Aramaic words because so much has been mistranslated.

Another example-

"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live"- the Hebrew actually meant "poisoner".... the rest is history.

Damn those translators!!!
Sadly the Hebrew books written before mistranslation are wrong, only the King James translation is the actual word of God, appearantly.

[ComradeMan]

Sadly the Hebrew books written before mistranslation are wrong, only the King James translation is the actual word of God, appearantly.

Schmucks.
:lol:

[Rafiq]

Source?

What about the San people of Southern Africa or the Native Americans or the Australian Aboriginal people? Their belief systems probably represent some of the oldest surviving int he world and yet their societies, especially in the case of the first, were almost like anarchist societies/primitive communism.

keep in mind when people mention religion, they most likely think Abrahamic.

[ComradeMan]

keep in mind when people mention religion, they most likely think Abrahamic.

Well then they should be more careful with their choice of words and avoiding sweeping generalisations which are failures of argumentation.

[Sean]

I'm pretty sure given how its all about positive outlook that no matter what mumbo jumbo it entails, it can work both ways. I think most will agree that religious belief is a person's outlook on life and a reflection of them. I think its silly to assume that the tail of religion wags the dog of man on a personal, private basis, regardless of creed. I know its probably never happened that a nation has said "fuck it, god's NOT on our side, lets get occupied" but that's on a community level. When you're dealing with mental health we're talking about the individual here, not an electrified community.

There are surely plenty of buddhists out there who can hardly get their legs crossed in the morning because that fucking wheel keeps spinning. Many's a muslim headbutts the prayermat and thinks, "aaw why should I even bother getting up?". Personally, some days I can barely even sacrifice a goat to L Ron Hubbard (may he travel in space).

[Desperado]

You don't say.


Religion is...the heart of a heartless world

[Raúl Duke]

Belief in a Caring GodWho's to say that the Judeo-Christian god is a caring one?

I can assure you I was depressed even when I was religious; basically anything relating to positive outlooks is good for depression at some level; like being surrounded by optimistic friends or something.

But to say that the Judeo-Christian god, belief in that god, would be "good for depression" is ridiculous. We're talking about a god who didn't think twice to level entire cities in celestial beam holocaust and would send you to hell if you don't follow its rules. Only cherry-picking Christians, idiots, or ignoramuses would ever think that the Judeo-Christian god is a caring god.

Finally, what you post, proves nothing. It doesn't prove that god, of any religion, exist. We're not the kind of crowd who thinks it's ok to believe in imaginary things to feel good (that's what drugs are for); we want the truth.

If anything, you're link only shows what a grand opiate religion can sometimes be.

[ComradeMan]

But to say that the Judeo-Christian god, belief in that god, would be "good for depression" is ridiculous. We're talking about a god who didn't think twice to level entire cities in celestial beam holocaust and would send you to hell if you don't follow its rules. Only cherry-picking Christians, idiots, or ignoramuses would ever think that the Judeo-Christian god is a caring god.


talking about a god who didn't think twice to level entire cities in celestial beam holocaust and would send you to hell if you don't follow its rules.

It was actually an Egyptian pharoah, Ay.

Adonai is an Aramaic/Hebrew version of Aten-Ay, the uncle of Tutankhamen according to some rabbinical scholars. So as ignorant as many religionists are so are those who attack them on the level of their ignorance.

[Raúl Duke]

I'm referring to Sodom and Gommorah.


Adonai is an Aramaic/Hebrew version of Aten-Ay, the uncle of Tutankhamen according to some rabbinical scholars.Umm, what the fuck you on about?

Jews, Christians, and Muslims view that God/Yahweh/Allah destroyed those 2 towns.
Your obscure stuff, which is probably only accepted by a minority of rabbis (and not accepted by muslims and christians; and probably the majority of the jews) is not what is believed by current-day religious people.

Adonai means "lord" or "lords" in hebrew and such term was used because they consider yahweh/jehova a name to holy to utter.

Lastly, nothing you are saying discredits what I said in the last paragraph:


Finally, what you post, proves nothing. It doesn't prove that god, of any religion, exist. We're not the kind of crowd who thinks it's ok to believe in imaginary things to feel good (that's what drugs are for); we want the truth.

If anything, you're link only shows what a grand opiate religion can sometimes be.

[FreeFocus]

Religion acts as a mental crutch. This much is obvious. The article reinforces this fact.

[ComradeMan]

Umm, what the fuck you on about?

Ignorance of evidence is evidence of ignorance.

Secrets of the Exodus: The Egyptian Origins of the Hebrew People

Messod Sabbah (http://www.amazon.com/Messod-Sabbah/e/B001K77O9W/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1) (Author), Roger Sabbath (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_2?_encoding=UTF8&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books&field-author=Roger%20Sabbath) (Author)
Messod Sabbah (Author)
ISBN-10: 1581153198
ISBN-13: 978-1581153194

[Raúl Duke]

Ignorance of evidence is evidence of ignorance.

Secrets of the Exodus: The Egyptian Origins of the Hebrew People

Messod Sabbah (http://www.amazon.com/Messod-Sabbah/e/B001K77O9W/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1) (Author), Roger Sabbath (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_2?_encoding=UTF8&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books&field-author=Roger%20Sabbath) (Author)
Messod Sabbah (Author)
ISBN-10: 1581153198
ISBN-13: 978-1581153194

Again, you focus on some little insignificant point. Something from an obscure book detailing something that most believers of the religion in question do not believe at all, and by this is where my previous argument related to that is based on (the actual beliefs of believers). Ask any evangelical christian about the destruction of soddom and gommorah and they say that god, the judeo-islamic-chrisitian god, did it; not some egyptian god, royal member, or whatever. Are you too bone-headed to understand that from the beginning or what?

calling me ignorant only proves how full of yourself you are if you believe that you're wiser, when you've only shown you are none the wiser since you couldn't even understand me in the first place (i.e. I'm talking about the actual beliefs of believers, not what some research says or claims; research that is still just theory.) and went on on some unrelated stuff.

Lastly, you do not address this:


Finally, what you post, proves nothing. It doesn't prove that god, of any religion, exist. We're not the kind of crowd who thinks it's ok to believe in imaginary things to feel good (that's what drugs are for); we want the truth.

If anything, you're link only shows what a grand opiate religion can sometimes be. This point, the existence of god/supernatural, is more important than speculation over whether a likely non-existant god is good or not.