|
|
|
|
marfknox
SFN Die Hard
USA
3739 Posts |
 Posted - 07/24/2006 : 21:28:39
|
Interesting study from the Center for the Advancement of Health that was released last year. http://www.hbns.org/getDocument.cfm?documentID=1172
quote:
The people identified as religious scored high on measures of a compassionate attitude and good psychosocial health, the researchers found. When religion was pulled out of that equation, Steffen said the link between compassion and positive psychosocial outcomes remained significant. By contrast, the relationship between positive health and religion did not hold up when compassion was removed from the equation, the study found.
|
"Too much certainty and clarity could lead to cruel intolerance" -Karen Armstrong
Check out my art store: http://www.marfknox.etsy.com
|
Edited by - marfknox on 07/24/2006 21:29:35
|
|
|
woolytoad
Skeptic Friend
313 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2006 : 05:57:56 [Permalink]
|
| No surprise there. Doing anything that makes you feel good will ... make you feel good. |
 |
|
|
marfknox
SFN Die Hard
USA
3739 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2006 : 07:51:19 [Permalink]
|
I don't see how having a compassionate attitude is "doing something that makes you feel good". It is an attitude, not an act. Of course it often inspires acts of kindness that generally make compassionate people feel good, so maybe the reason the study results were what they were because compassionate people are more prone to doing things that make them feel good.
I was slightly surprised by this study. There is a great deal of suffering in the world, and so it was just as possible that having a higher amount of compassion could make one more depressed. |
"Too much certainty and clarity could lead to cruel intolerance" -Karen Armstrong
Check out my art store: http://www.marfknox.etsy.com
|
|
|
|
marfknox
SFN Die Hard
USA
3739 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2006 : 07:55:54 [Permalink]
|
May i also point out that "feeling good", while part of good health, is also not the same thing as good health.
I guess I was also slightly surprised by the study because I had always assumed that any connection between religion and health/happiness was primarily due to the sense of belonging and philosophical certainty. (That is, if the connection is there at all - it is still controversial and hasn't been studied enough.) But if the connection between health/happiness and religion is more due to a cultivation of compassion, regardless of whether it is religion that cultivates it, that's pretty cool. |
"Too much certainty and clarity could lead to cruel intolerance" -Karen Armstrong
Check out my art store: http://www.marfknox.etsy.com
|
|
|
|
beskeptigal
SFN Die Hard
USA
3834 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2006 : 13:11:46 [Permalink]
|
| I'll add my anecdotal evidence. I have darn good health considering the things I've done. And I think I am very compassionate atheist. Perhaps that compassion is neutralizing the negative health effects of my small social circle, type A behavior and anger over the current and past political situation. |
| Edited by - beskeptigal on 07/25/2006 13:12:18 |
|
|
|
marfknox
SFN Die Hard
USA
3739 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2006 : 14:14:47 [Permalink]
|
be wrote: quote:
I have darn good health considering the things I've done. And I think I am very compassionate atheist. Perhaps that compassion is neutralizing the negative health effects of my small social circle, type A behavior and anger over the current and past political situation.
I feel ya! |
"Too much certainty and clarity could lead to cruel intolerance" -Karen Armstrong
Check out my art store: http://www.marfknox.etsy.com
|
|
|
|
HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2006 : 15:08:27 [Permalink]
|
Very interesting stuff. I can't help but feel that compassion is healthy all around. But this particular study seems kind of weak, relying heavily as it does upon questionnaires filled with terms subject to differing interpretations.
(This unfortunately reminds me of Futurama's "Soylent Cola," the taste of which varies from person to person.)
|
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
|
|
|
Valiant Dancer
Forum Goalie
USA
4826 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2006 : 05:08:57 [Permalink]
|
quote:
Originally posted by marfknox
I don't see how having a compassionate attitude is "doing something that makes you feel good". It is an attitude, not an act. Of course it often inspires acts of kindness that generally make compassionate people feel good, so maybe the reason the study results were what they were because compassionate people are more prone to doing things that make them feel good.
I was slightly surprised by this study. There is a great deal of suffering in the world, and so it was just as possible that having a higher amount of compassion could make one more depressed.
This seems to mirror studies done which linked people with positive attitudes with better recovery rates. It's just labling the positive attitude differently.
Whether attributed to religion, compassion, or just general perkiness (punishable by flogging depending on time of day  ), this just seems like a rehash of old research.
Religion is used to impart a sense of well being.
Compassionate people have a positive attitude because people with negative attitudes tend to be defeatist and distrustful of others.
General perkiness, we've all seen this person. And if they were really perky and it was really early in the morning and we weren't morning people, we've all wanted to physically hurt them. This is positive attitude on steroids.
|
Cthulhu/Asmodeus when you're tired of voting for the lesser of two evils
Brother Cutlass of Reasoned Discussion |
|
|
|
beskeptigal
SFN Die Hard
USA
3834 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2006 : 15:30:11 [Permalink]
|
quote:
Originally posted by Valiant Dancer
...
Compassionate people have a positive attitude because people with negative attitudes tend to be defeatist and distrustful of others.
That's not necessarily true. I distrust government and all advertisers, I don't believe anything slightly woo unless there's evidence. But I go out of my way to help people and stick up for most anyone being picked on. I chose nursing as my profession and so on. |
|
|
|
Valiant Dancer
Forum Goalie
USA
4826 Posts |
Posted - 07/27/2006 : 05:14:11 [Permalink]
|
quote:
Originally posted by beskeptigal
quote:
Originally posted by Valiant Dancer
...
Compassionate people have a positive attitude because people with negative attitudes tend to be defeatist and distrustful of others.
That's not necessarily true. I distrust government and all advertisers, I don't believe anything slightly woo unless there's evidence. But I go out of my way to help people and stick up for most anyone being picked on. I chose nursing as my profession and so on.
Should have said distrustful of others by default.
Sorry. |
Cthulhu/Asmodeus when you're tired of voting for the lesser of two evils
Brother Cutlass of Reasoned Discussion |
|
|
|
 |
|
Topic Locked
