Christians and Psychology

[megan_26]

I am a Christian and I love psychology. I know that some Christians take offense to this, my own father included, and I'm curious why.

Why is it so controversial for a Christian to be interested in psychology? Is it somehow wrong for us to investigate how the brain works?

 

[dreadnought]

I am a Christian and I love psychology. I know that some Christians take offense to this, my own father included, and I'm curious why.

Why is it so controversial for a Christian to be interested in psychology? Is it somehow wrong for us to investigate how the brain works?

I disagree with the idea that a brain works this way or that. You want to understand what people are thinking. Psychology can be a tool in doing this, but it is nothing more than a tool.

 

[megan_26]

I disagree with the idea that a brain works this way or that. You want to understand what people are thinking. Psychology can be a tool in doing this, but it is nothing more than a tool.

What do you mean? It's been proven that the brain does work in certain, specific ways. Not trying to be argumentative, just genuinely curious about your take on this

 

[.Mikha'el.]

I am a Christian and I love psychology. I know that some Christians take offense to this, my own father included, and I'm curious why.

Why is it so controversial for a Christian to be interested in psychology? Is it somehow wrong for us to investigate how the brain works?

I'm all for this. The more we understand how His creation thinks and behaves, the better, imo. I really think your father needs to let you be.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I am a Christian and I love psychology. I know that some Christians take offense to this, my own father included, and I'm curious why.

Why is it so controversial for a Christian to be interested in psychology? Is it somehow wrong for us to investigate how the brain works?

According to some Christians, the field of psychology can intrude too far into the metaphysics of mind and thereby infringe upon Christian theology pertaining to the soul. And so you'll see some Christians take offense at psychology as a 'devil's tool.'

On the other hand, it's not that hard to find Christians who actually work in the field of psychology as either theorists or counselors and who aren't threatened by the various theories found therein.

Personally, I take a middle-ground approach to psychology, and I do so for various reasons, and by middle ground I mean that I'm not much on the earlier theorists like Freud or Jung and I pretty much ignore them. However, I still very much take seriously the biological side of psychology that studies not just behavior but the components of the physical brain, how it functions, and what happens when it malfunctions. This last part is relevant to me because my own mother had schizophrenia and it forced me to learn 'why' she had the perceptual and other cognitive problems that she did.

Peace

 

[NothingIsImpossible]

I almost became a psychologist growing up. I even studied but never ended up going for a degree. Theres nothing wrong with being a christian and a psychologist. Never really heard anyone say that at least.

Granted there are some issues people have with it. For example psychology will explain why humans believe in God, hence God isn't real. Its just a psychological issue that make people search for a "god". And there may be times when what a psychologist (at least by whats taught) will clash with your christianity. Good example being LGBT issues.

 

[megan_26]

According to some Christians, the field of psychology can intrudes too far into the metaphysics of mind and thereby infringe upon Christian theology pertaining to the soul. And so you'll see some Christians take offense at psychology as a 'devil's tool.'

On the other hand, it's not that hard to find Christians who actually work in the field of psychology as either theorists or counselors and who aren't threatened by the various theories found therein.

Personally, I take a middle-ground approach to psychology, and I do so for various reasons, and by middle ground I mean that I'm not much on the earlier theorists like Freud or Jung and I pretty much ignore them. However, I still very much take seriously the biological side of psychology that studies not just behavior but the components of the physical brain, how it functions, and what happens when it malfunctions. This last part is relevant to me because my own mother had schizophrenia and it forced me to learn 'why' she had the perceptual and other cognitive problems that she did.

Peace

I agree with you on this one. My dad has depression and I have an undiagnosed mental disorder, so this has pushed me to discover more about the brain. I see it like this: God created the brain and its many working parts. He also created us with a desire to learn and a burning curiosity. So I don't see anything wrong with investigating as long as I don't let it shake my faith

 

[Abaxvahl]

I am a Christian and I love psychology. I know that some Christians take offense to this, my own father included, and I'm curious why.

Why is it so controversial for a Christian to be interested in psychology? Is it somehow wrong for us to investigate how the brain works?

It's not wrong at all, I take an interest in it, and have in the past used some of the practical things from it as a tool to avoid sins or understand myself in relation to God and so on. God made the brain and all creation, we can study it.

 

[megan_26]

I almost became a psychologist growing up. I even studied but never ended up going for a degree. Theres nothing wrong with being a christian and a psychologist. Never really heard anyone say that at least.

Granted there are some issues people have with it. For example psychology will explain why humans believe in God, hence God isn't real. Its just a psychological issue that make people search for a "god". And there may be times when what a psychologist (at least by whats taught) will clash with your christianity. Good example being LGBT issues.

I do completely understand that because I came across that issue in some of my psychology classes. At the end of the day it comes down to whether or not you truly believe in God. If you do, then learning about the brain and the way it works shouldn't shake your faith.

 

[Hazelelponi]

Psychology is basically pseudo science.. it's playing guessing games inside peoples heads - with people's minds.

Granted, sometimes it's a necessary evil, there are truly crazy people who need help and pseudo science is the best we have for them, but other times i believe people have tried to make it into a science when it's just not. (Its not falsifiable, incredibly subjective etc)

I do believe in the do no harm category it's likely modern day psychologists are failing miserably.

None of the above is a religious objection, I don't think there would be any objections that are specifically religious in nature, although i would say there is a need for more specifically Christian psychologists, simply because when Christians need help it helps to speak with another Christian instead of an atheist.

 

[megan_26]

It's not wrong at all, I take an interest in it, and have in the past used some of the practical things from it as a tool to avoid sins or understand myself in relation to God and so on. God made the brain and all creation, we can study it.

Yes, exactly. Understanding the brain can lead to an understanding of addictions, habitual sin, and so forth. And in my experience, I find myself more in awe of God and his incredible creation when I study the brain

 

[Steve Petersen]

What about studying the psychology of religious behavior?

 

[dreadnought]

What do you mean? It's been proven that the brain does work in certain, specific ways. Not trying to be argumentative, just genuinely curious about your take on this

Our spirits are not governed by science.

 

[megan_26]

What about studying the psychology of religious behavior?

I considered that but I have a feeling that the psychology of religious behavior is where I would find the most controversial topics. For example, God is a myth and here's why the brain proves that. Although it's possible it could be the opposite, too

 

[megan_26]

Our spirits are not governed by science.

That's true, yes. But the brain and the spirit are separate things

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

What do you mean? It's been proven that the brain does work in certain, specific ways. Not trying to be argumentative, just genuinely curious about your take on this

Psychology is just the study of human behaviour, in the same way that Theology is the study of how God works with mankind. It is all on what foundation we base Psychology or Theology on.

If psychology is based on the foundation of a creator God who created man in His own image, and that the Bible is the true record of His dealings with mankind, then the results and theories that come are based on a solid and right foundation. But if it is based on atheism, in the way that Freudian psychology is, then it is based on humanism, that man is just a bag of chemicals, a machine, and therefore basically nothing, someone that can be manipulated by psycho mumbo jumbo.

 

[megan_26]

Psychology is just the study of human behaviour, in the same way that Theology is the study of how God works with mankind. It is all on what foundation we base Psychology or Theology on.

If psychology is based on the foundation of a creator God who created man in His own image, and that the Bible is the true record of His dealings with mankind, then the results and theories that come are based on a solid and right foundation. But if it is based on atheism, in the way that Freudian psychology is, then it is based on humanism, that man is just a bag of chemicals, a machine, and therefore basically nothing, someone that can be manipulated by psycho mumbo jumbo.

Yes, I see what you're saying. And I guess it comes down to which ideas of psychology you believe and which you dismiss. I personally dismiss Freudian psychology because I think he was full of it. Even though psychology (or any of the sciences) tends to be based in atheism, there's no rule that says it has to be. Again, God made the human mind and I think it's okay to study it, as long as we remember where we came from.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Yes, I see what you're saying. And I guess it comes down to which ideas of psychology you believe and which you dismiss. I personally dismiss Freudian psychology because I think he was full of it. Even though psychology (or any of the sciences) tends to be based in atheism, there's no rule that says it has to be. Again, God made the human mind and I think it's okay to study it, as long as we remember where we came from.

There are some good books written by Christian psychologists. A good one, on depression, is written by Neil Anderson, "Finding Hope Again".

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I do completely understand that because I came across that issue in some of my psychology classes. At the end of the day it comes down to whether or not you truly believe in God. If you do, then learning about the brain and the way it works shouldn't shake your faith.

Yep, that sounds sensible to me, megan.

 

[Any]

I don't think it's wrong. Psychology does teach things that conflict with the Bible but there are many other useful things to learn. Also keep in mind psychology and social work are similar but different. I noticed a lot more Christian social workers than psychology professors at my college.
I find psychology and even neurology fascinating. I wish I had a brain scan going on when I got saved, it was probably in overdrive haha.