College Major That Contradicts the Bible.

[CeRyte]

I go to a secular college and am majoring in Psychology and Sociology. I wasn't a devout Christian at the time and didn't understand that these majors are not Christian-like (or so I'm told by my pastor). What is there to do with this? Why are some Christians accepting these majors while others aren't? Why are Christian colleges allowing these majors if they are not God-like?

 

[kittysbecute]

There are some things in the major that probably wouldn't be exactly "Christian". A couple years ago I wanted to take a psychology class, and my friend heard about it, and he told me that it was bad. I got really confused and tried to figure out how it was bad. And I asked my mom, and she said that it wasn't bad. A year later I took the class, and I loved it. Of course there were some things in it that weren't "Christian" but I go to a non Christian school so that makes sense.
I believe that Psychology and Sociology can be used by Christians. And you can make in into something "Christian-like", it all depends on how you use it.

 

[canehdianhotstuff]

exactly some aspects of these courses really arent christian or non-christian, they are just looking into human nature etc. well they follow christianity or not shouldnt affect you taking them if you are interested. they help re-inforce your beliefs as long as you stand with God. I have to take microbiology at my college (not christian) so it involves evolution . and while i do not believe in it i stil lhave to take it and do good to pass. the teachers know i dont believe it in and im not going to argue with them for the sake of my other classmates learning lol.

 

[bliz]

I go to a secular college and am majoring in Psychology and Sociology. I wasn't a devout Christian at the time and didn't understand that these majors are not Christian-like (or so I'm told by my pastor). What is there to do with this? Why are some Christians accepting these majors while others aren't? Why are Christian colleges allowing these majors if they are not God-like?

Well... another possibility is that your pator has it wrong.

If your schedule permits, you might find it very helpful to spend a semester at a Christian college r take a few courses in psych one summer. You need the opportunity to discuss this with Christians who are experts in this field.

 

[CeRyte]

I've searched countlessly on the interent and both views on the subject make sense. There is a Christian Psychology website and what not on the material of how to take the information and combining it with a Christian perspective, but others view it as having nothing to do with helping us biblically.

I chose both of the majors because I have a passion for it..its something that I wanted to do in high school. However, like I mentioned before, I wasn't a Christian then and didn't realize this obstacle until now after my freshman year of college is done and already have taken 3 Psychology classes (which I enjoyed).

I think all majors in secular schools have some "non-christian" aspects to them, so why are Christians so harsh on Psychology?

 

[kittysbecute]

I've searched countlessly on the interent and both views on the subject make sense. There is a Christian Psychology website and what not on the material of how to take the information and combining it with a Christian perspective, but others view it as having nothing to do with helping us biblically.

I chose both of the majors because I have a passion for it..its something that I wanted to do in high school. However, like I mentioned before, I wasn't a Christian then and didn't realize this obstacle until now after my freshman year of college is done and already have taken 3 Psychology classes (which I enjoyed).

I think all majors in secular schools have some "non-christian" aspects to them, so why are Christians so harsh on Psychology?

I think that it might be because of some of the theories that you will learn about...
I really want to take at least one other psychology class in the future, I believe it's very good stuff to learn.
I think that it is a good thing for Christians to train in psychology, because if all Christians didn't study it, then they wouldn't know anything about it.

 

[emmzee]

I think some Christians are harsh on psychology because, in its secular form, it places all of the emphasis on the individual(s) and none on God. Of course, many (most?) Christian schools offer psychology programs, like:

http://www.biola.edu/undergrad/academics/majors/psychology.cfm
http://www.baylor.edu/psychologyneuroscience/index.php?id=21118
http://www.wheaton.edu/psychology/undergrad/overview/index.html
http://www.regent.edu/acad/undergrad/academics/degrees/psychology.cfm

So like most things, there's nothing wrong with psychology per se as long as it is studied and practiced in accordance with God's truth firmly in mind.

Also, I would suggest that if your pastor strongly objects to your major, ask him why he objects. Then evaluate the reason(s) he gives to decide whether he's making a valid complaint.

 

[Sketcher]

I think that comes with some of the "doctrines" of Freud, Jung, etc going against Christianity.

There are plenty of Christian counselors out there. I have no idea what their psychological approach is, but you might want to look into that.

 

[aunt_kelly]

Psychology isn't "anti-christian". In the counseling program at my school, almost half of the classes you have to take before you graduate are psych classes..

 

[arunma]

I go to a secular college and am majoring in Psychology and Sociology. I wasn't a devout Christian at the time and didn't understand that these majors are not Christian-like (or so I'm told by my pastor). What is there to do with this? Why are some Christians accepting these majors while others aren't? Why are Christian colleges allowing these majors if they are not God-like?

Many students at Christian universities major in psychology as preparation for a professional ministry of some sort. So I don't think that either of these majors are "anti-Christian." When I took freshman sociology, my teacher was a Christian, and she regularly criticized divorce and certain other unbiblical ideas. So here we can see at least one teacher who had a Christian bent.

Non-Christians can make any subject, whether the social sciences, the natural sciences, or liberal arts, into a secular, anti-Christian discipline. But that doesn't make the subject itself ungodly.

 

[emilina22]

im a psych majoy and im considering getting my minor in sociolgy isnce i only need like 3 more classes for it...
i never knew that they werent god-like...or not christian like...

i think that by having a career in those fields with a ittle backround in the ministry field you can work wonders in the lives of other through helping them cope with thier problems and helping them adjust to the way that they live their lives...

i always knew i wanted to major in these fields and i find it interesting that they can be viewed in this way...is there anywhere in the bible that may provoke this assumption? or is it just based on the opinions of others?

 

[kiwimac]

Neither sociology nor psychology are 'non-christian', they simply deal with the human helping themselves, some think this to be anti-christian but it is not.

 

[CeRyte]

Thank you guys for replying. I will be speaking with my pastor again this Sunday about it for clarification. It is based purely on opinion, but I want to know also like others is where in the bible does it specifically state that.

Also I want to mention that Psychology is NOT only counseling. There are so many fields to go into with graduate school like finding ways to help people sleep while testing them on sleep machines and finding other areas that will help the human population.

It just baffles me that Psychology is being targeted so negative over here and not any other major that has the same aspects of secular topics.

 

[savedandforgiven]

I chose a major in psychology at a secular university as a Christian. I find nothing more satisfying than studying one of God's greatest creations-human minds. Much of psychology is based on observation and it is up to the interpreter to decide how it fits into their beliefs about human nature. As Christians, sticking out heads in the sand is not an option. I am also taking a minor in biology which also contradicts many of my own beliefs. However, you have to take the facts and draw your own opinions. the evidence for phenomena such as evolution is overwhelming but after sorting through it all, I still find creation to be a more plausible explanation. We have to confront these facts straight on and acknowledge them. Being ignorant of psychology will not get us anywhere. I would even go so far as to say that evolutionary biology would be a great field for a Christian to study. Remaining naive in these areas by choice even though we are curious about them will not help us to strengthen our faith. Only by confronting the issues and understanding them and by still reaching a "Christian-like conclusion" will we realize that even science (and even the science of the human mind)demands a greater explanation than random chances and natural selection. My faith has only been strengthened by studying psychology and biology.

 

[emilina22]

i just realized that ive noticed a not so positive reaction when i would tell people at church that im majoring in psychology...and i guess in a way this clarified that for me...
people would in a way gasp that i wanted to go into that field but that can be from the fact that they didnt know and dont know how wide the field of psych. actually branches out..

 

[kittysbecute]

Also I want to mention that Psychology is NOT only counseling. There are so many fields to go into with graduate school like finding ways to help people sleep while testing them on sleep machines and finding other areas that will help the human population.

That's what I wanted to say, but didn't.

 

[incauto1]

savedandforgiven,

do you ever find yourself the least bit swayed by any arguments that you know aren't biblical?

For me psychology was fun, but the professor always talked about sex.

 

[CeRyte]

also, what i've noticed is that the ones who are against Psychology are the ones who disagree about ONLY the counseling and how we are to teach others how to cope with problems and what not.

what about valid research? i'd like to spend my time researching specific subjects...that has nothing to do with counseling.

 

[savedandforgiven]

No, I was never really swayed by any arguments that weren't biblical. If I was ever confused about something, I just talked to other Christians on campus that were taking psychology(yes, they do exist). the vast capabilities of the human mind just burst with evidence of a great and powerful creator and never did I doubt the existance of God or the validity of the Bible.
yes, sometimes the topic of sex does come up but most of it is statistical information and I cannot see how it contradicts the Bible. yes, many teenagers have premarital sex and get pregnant-that is a fact. only by the knowledge that this does occur can we develop programs to help prevent this. Talking about sex is not a problem...what if we had never taken sex ed back in public school? sex can often be misrepresented in the lecture theatre but that is the same anywhere (just turn on the television). sometimes you may have to guard yourself against some material and just take the facts at face value. but in the end, it is definitely worth it if psychology is really what you want to do. sometimes as Christians we shield ourselves against information that we cannot explain or that don't fit in with our perfect idea of the world. but by doing this, we don't do ourselves or God any favours. if God is as real as we take Him to be (and I know He is) then nothing ever will contradict what we know to be true-because the truth can withstand anything.

 

[emilina22]

i dont think that i was ever directed away due to the teachings in my psych class...i mean yea some prof and t.a's may not be as religous or conservative as i am but i go to a school which is very respect full of peoples beliefs...and i think that if you are strong in your fait you shouldnty worry about being swayed one way or the other becasue you know what you believe and you know what is true...