Download or read book The Psychology of God written by Eric J Kolb, PhD and published by . This book was released on 2021-03 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Psychology of God is a scientific study of various aspects of human development and behavior taken from both a theological and psychological perspective. The main premise is this: If we are called children of God, then how we grew physically as children may be associated with how we grow spiritually as children of God; furthermore, how God raised us as His children may reflect how we should raise our children.The Psychology of God points out that modern scientific psychology has discovered that ancient references to the heart, body, mind, and soul correspond to the modern understanding of these four components of which a human being is comprised. However, in other aspects, such as psychological therapy, the Bible and Modern Psychology differ immensely.While the author openly admits his belief in a personal God, The Psychology of God is a scientific work based on scientific facts. In-text citations reference the peer-reviewed sources of statements and claims made throughout the book. An extensive bibliography list offers and encourages the reader to dig deeper into the psychology of God; and discover their purpose in life, which is the road to happiness and life satisfaction. Dr. Eric J. Kolb was born and raised on a farm in Nineveh, PA. His father was a professional football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and his mom was and still is a cowgirl. When He was two, he and his adopted sister were sleeping in their crib when a fire broke out. His dad was able to climb into a second-story window and save the two kids. Thus, Kolb grew up knowing that God had a special purpose for his life. In high school, Kolb started with a very promising future in sports, but injuries, most likely due to muscle dystrophy, led him down an academic path. Upon graduation with a bachelor's in Math from Ohio University, Kolb wanted to spend a summer in Germany as a street performer. Kolb became a professional performing artist, but once again, his illness changed his path. Thus, Kolb went back to school, obtained his master's in psychological counseling and later his Ph.D. in general psychology.

Download or read book How God Works written by David DeSteno and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2021-09-14 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing on a wealth of new evidence, pioneering research psychologist David DeSteno shows why religious practices and rituals are so beneficial to those who follow them—and to anyone, regardless of their faith (or lack thereof). Scientists are beginning to discover what believers have known for a long time: the rewards that a religious life can provide. For millennia, people have turned to priests, rabbis, imams, shamans, and others to help them deal with issues of grief and loss, birth and death, morality and meaning. In this absorbing work, DeSteno reveals how numerous religious practices from around the world improve emotional and physical well-being. With empathy and rigor, DeSteno chronicles religious rites and traditions from cradle to grave. He explains how the Japanese rituals surrounding childbirth help strengthen parental bonds with children. He describes how the Apache Sunrise Ceremony makes teenage girls better able to face the rigors of womanhood. He shows how Buddhist meditation reduces hostility and increases compassion. He demonstrates how the Jewish practice of sitting shiva comforts the bereaved. And much more. DeSteno details how belief itself enhances physical and mental health. But you don’t need to be religious to benefit from the trove of wisdom that religion has to offer. Many items in religion’s “toolbox” can help the body and mind whether or not one believes. How God Works offers advice on how to incorporate many of these practices to help all of us live more meaningful, successful, and satisfying lives.

Download or read book God s Psychology written by Terry L. Higgins and published by Xulon Press. This book was released on 2011-11 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Countless people sit in church each Sunday and suffer silently. They feel depressed, or anxious, or disillusioned with their lives but are afraid to admit it for fear they will be seen as having "weak faith"--"After all, if I love and trust God, I shouldn't feel like this! God's Psychology integrates biblical truth and psychological insights to clear away the obstacles that keep us stuck in feeling, thinking, and behaving in destructive ways. We are destined to repeat the same mistakes over and over again by our negative emotions, unloving attitudes, and impulsive behaviors because we fail to examine our heart, soul, and mind and "overcome" the deception in our lives. With God's Word as your anchor and sound mental health principles as your guide, God's Psychology will walk you through the process of both Self-Examination and God-Examination to uncover your negative emotions and thoughts while transforming the way you see your life. You'll learn about the common traps that lead you in self-deception and how to replace your faulty emotions and thoughts with God's truth about you! God's Psychology gives you the "hands-on" tools to challenge your self-deception, change the way to feel and think and live life authentically, enabling you to love God with all your heart, your soul, and your mind. Terry L. Higgins has a Ph.D. in Psychology and holds a Master's degree in Business Administration. Dr. Higgins has worked in the mental health profession for the past twenty-five years providing psychotherapy to adults, couples, and children, helping them overcome a wide range of mental, emotional, and behavioral problems. She currently has a private practice in Long Beach, California, and has been a public speaker on numerous subjects over the years including communication and listening skills training.

Download or read book Inventing God written by Jon Mills and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-07-22 with total page 255 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this controversial book, philosopher and psychoanalyst Jon Mills argues that God does not exist; and more provocatively, that God cannot exist as anything but an idea. Put concisely, God is a psychological creation signifying ultimate ideality. Mills argues that the idea or conception of God is the manifestation of humanity’s denial and response to natural deprivation; a self-relation to an internalized idealized object, the idealization of imagined value. After demonstrating the lack of any empirical evidence and the logical impossibility of God, Mills explains the psychological motivations underlying humanity’s need to invent a supreme being. In a highly nuanced analysis of unconscious processes informing the psychology of belief and institutionalized social ideology, he concludes that belief in God is the failure to accept our impending death and mourn natural absence for the delusion of divine presence. As an alternative to theistic faith, he offers a secular spirituality that emphasizes the quality of lived experience, the primacy of feeling and value inquiry, ethical self-consciousness, aesthetic and ecological sensibility, and authentic relationality toward self, other, and world as the pursuit of a beautiful soul in search of the numinous. Inventing God will be of interest to academics, scholars, lay audiences and students of religious studies, the humanities, philosophy, and psychoanalysis, among other disciplines. It will also appeal to psychotherapists, psychoanalysts and mental health professionals focusing on the integration of humanities and psychoanalysis.

Download or read book Alpha God written by Hector A. Garcia and published by Prometheus Books. This book was released on 2015-03-10 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book uses evolutionary psychology as a lens to explain religious violence and oppression. The author, a clinical psychologist, examines religious scriptures, rituals, and canon law, highlighting the many ways in which our evolutionary legacy has shaped the development of religion and continues to profoundly influence its expression. The book focuses on the image of God as the dominant male in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This traditional God concept is seen as a reflection of the “dominant ape” paradigm so evident in the hierarchical social structures of primates, with whom we have a strong genetic connection. The author describes the main features of male-dominated primate social hierarchies— specifically, the role of the alpha male as the protector of the group; his sexual dominance and use of violence and oppression to attain food, females, and territory; in-group altruism vs. out-group hostility (us vs. them); and displays of dominance and submission to establish roles within the social hierarchy. The parallels between these features of primate society and human religious rituals and concepts make it clear that religion, especially its oppressive and violent tendencies, is rooted in the deep evolutionary past. This incisive analysis goes a long way toward explaining the historic and ongoing violence committed in the name of religion.

Download or read book The Image of God and the Psychology of Religion written by Richard L Dayringer and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-04-03 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What are the implications of a client’s image of God? Improve your confidence—and your practice skills—by enhancing your knowledge of how individuals are likely to perceive God, and of how those perceptions impact the way they function as human beings. Theologians have long speculated and theorized about how humans imagine God to be. This book merges theology with science, presenting empirical research focused on perceptions of God in a variety of populations living in community and mental health settings. Each chapter concludes with references that comprise an essential reading list, and the book is generously enhanced with tables that make data easy to access and understand. “Liberating Images of God” discusses the constriction and impoverishment of God images due to the traditional restrictions of God images to those that are male and personified. This chapter examines the potential for the client and counselor’s co-creation of images of God which embrace the feminine as well as the masculine, the nurturer as well as the warrior, and the natural world in all its dimensions as well as the human world, to liberate, enrich, sustain, and transform the client’s relationships with God and with him/herself. “Attachment, Well-Being, and Religious Participation Among People with Severe Mental Disorders” examines the relationship between attachment states of mind and religious participation among people diagnosed with severe mental illness. “Concepts of God and Therapeutic Alliance Among People with Severe Mental Disorders” explores the transferential aspects of God representation among severely mentally ill adults. It highlights research on the relationship between a patient’s image of God and that patient’s working relationship with his/her case manager, and discusses the implications for clinical practice of those findings. “The Subjective Experience of God” presents a theory about the psychological basis for the experience of God that argues that this experience is essentially a form of projection and as such is an internal event that does not exist independent of an individual’s psyche. This chapter draws a distinction between faith in a particular belief—namely, faith in the existence of a loving, omnipotent God—and an attitude of faith, which is the basis for experiences of transcendence. “Relationship of Gender Role Identity and Attitudes” presents the results of a study in which nearly 300 Catholic attendees at three university Catholic centers completed the Bern Sex Role Inventory, the Attitudes Toward Women Scale, and the Perceptions of God Checklist. This chapter looks at images of God as masculine or feminine, and at the connection for people between the way they perceive God and the way they relate towards men and women. “Reflections on a Study in a Mental Hospital,” brings you groundbreaking new research on perceptions of God in an inpatient population. This chapter examines the positive effects (as opposed to the negative effects previously portrayed by the psychological community) of religious belief and practice for residential care patients in a psychiatric hospital.

Download or read book Psychology of God written by L. M. MCCORMICK and published by . This book was released on 2018-06-19 with total page 124 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first book in the series "The Psychology of God," deals with a substantial list of psychological subjects, through the wisdom hidden inside the biblical account of Haman. The book explores the deeper meanings concealed in the ten Hebrew names of the sons of Haman, the evil architect of the destruction of the Jewish Nation, from the Bible's Book of Esther. All ten men who served the corrupt Haman, who plotted to destroy the Jews, were killed and then hung upon the gallows by order of Queen Esther. The story chronicles this prophecy as it echoes through history, as ten more men are executed upon the gallows who served evil: the Nuremberg Trials. The world condemned the modern "sons of Haman" who assisted their modern version of Haman: Adolph Hitler. For thousands of years, the book explains, hidden in the ancient Hebrew names of these ten "sons," are the natures of the enemies of God. And, in fact, as we examine each name of the ten sons of Haman, we discover the declaration of personality "problems" in Man. No exceptions. The bully, the gossip, the arrogant man, the self-righteous one, and more. Could this be the "psychology" of the Bible? The Holy Scripture appears to be holding secrets to negative, pervasive attributes in human personality, from false humility to self-pity. But as we continue reading Ten Sons of Haman, we see that these undesirable traits are present in everyone to some degree, and the only way to mitigate these traits is to use the counsel of God Himself, through the Word He provides. This is the challenge to us, as obedient Children of God. "The Psychology of God: Ten Sons of Haman" presumes that God identifies these ten traits with the individuals who plotted to abolish the Jewish nation, the worst enemies that He has ever had upon the earth. These are people even worse than the Pharisees, the ones who hate God, and hate His people, and seek to destroy them. We see it today in the modern world, the enemies of God attempting to destroy Israel. We see this in such comments as from the former President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who expresses the desire to "wipe Israel off the face of the earth." These people still exist today who want to finish Haman's job. The Psychology of God: Ten Sons of Haman exposes evil traits in every human personality. The book is "psychology from a biblical perspective," as each of the ten names are related back to other stories of the Bible in which people with these traits appear. The book suggests how the true believer in Christ can change these undesirable attributes to ones that glorify God. It is a handy guide for any Christian therapist, doctor, or counselor who wants to use scripture to help people to understand where many of their problems originate. Each page of The Psychology of God is packed with information. The author goes through all ten Hebrew names in detail, giving many examples of their meaning, and a wealth of biblical scripture to support each point. This virtually hands the reader a great launching point to initiate further research on his own. Among the conclusions drawn from this book is the idea that, unlike secular psychology which constantly changes, the Bible's words of wisdom never change. The author maintains that biblical principles of healing and teaching are a rock upon which we can stand in understanding the nature of man. It suggests that the Word of God is built to heal us, not just physically, but in our hearts, mind, and spirit. The Psychology of God offers great hope and assurance to the sufferer of depression, guilt, and sadness, by reminding us that the Son of God, the Word made flesh, loves us perfectly and can heal us completely and permanently, if we'll give Him a chance. And that true joy in our hearts comes from knowing Him

Download or read book Connecting to God written by Abner Weiss and published by Harmony. This book was released on 2007-12-18 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Distinguished rabbi, marriage and family therapist, kabbalist, and popular lecturer, Abner Weiss is extraordinarily qualified to write this book. In Connecting to God, he elucidates the teachings of Kabbalah, showing how the Ten Sefirot of the Tree of Life are the transformers of divine energy in our bodies and the building blocks of creation—Weiss calls them “our spiritual genome.” He has created a psychological system and diagnostic method from kabbalistic texts, and he uses these clinically tested interventions in his therapeutic practice. Here he tells twenty-eight stories of people he has helped liberate from their dysfunctional behavior, empowering them to achieve spiritual growth. With Rabbi Weiss as our guide, we can use this kabbalistic approach to psychology to inform our lives with its insights, rebalance what is out of kilter, and heal the emotional wounds we have suffered. Connecting to God is a wise, wonderful, and transformational book.

Download or read book Why Christians Can t Trust Psychology written by Ed Bulkley and published by Harvest House Publishers. This book was released on 1993-07-01 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Where should Christians go to heal the deep hurts in their hearts? Today’s search for inner fulfillment has exploded into the Recovery movement, complete with twelve-step seminars, counseling programs, and self-help books. Thousands are looking to Christian psychology to help them attain victory over modern dysfunctions. Does that mean the Bible alone is no longer adequate for the problems faced by Christians today? Some say we need the Bible plus psychology. Others say the Bible alone is sufficient. With deep insight and candor, pastoral counselor Ed Bulkley presents the opposing sides of this issue—and offers trustworthy, biblical answers for those who long to break away from pain and guilt and know true freedom...genuine inner peace...and a fresh beginning. The pressures to find the solutions to human hurt and suffering have never been greater. Clear answers are urgently needed for the hurting—today.

Download or read book When People Are Big and God Is Small written by Edward T. Welch and published by New Growth Press. This book was released on 2023-06-11 with total page 149 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Overly concerned about what people think of you? Edward T. Welch uncovers the spiritual dimension of people-pleasing—what the Bible calls fear of man—and points the way through a true knowledge of God, ourselves, and others.

Download or read book Jesus the Master Psychologist Listen to Him written by Ray Guarendi and published by Ewtn. This book was released on 2021-06-15 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dr. Ray Guarendi directs us to the root of all healthy counseling: the words of the Redeemer. Rightly regarded as America's leading Catholic psychologist and family counselor, EWTN's Dr. Ray Guarendi details here the fundamentals of Christian psychology in his incomparable down-to-earth style. In some teachings, Jesus is two millennia ahead of what psychology is only now coming to understand. In others, He directly contradicts what today's psychology preaches. In these pages, Dr. Ray explores the teachings of both modern psychology and Jesus Christ to identify the therapy tools worth employing -- and those we should avoid. Most notably, he helps us understand that every tool and counseling guideline worth pursuing can find its roots directly in the words of Christ. Jesus knows our minds far more intimately than we do, and He knows the rewards we receive for following the paths He advocates. Indeed, in tackling any interior or exterior difficulty, there is certain knowledge that with Christ's guidance comes reassurance and peace of mind, if only we know the path. Dr. Guarendi's experience as a father of ten and his mastery of the New Testament enable him to provide recommendations for dealing with numerous daily issues, including: How to overcome jealousy and other passions What it means -- and doesn't mean -- to turn the other cheek How to turn negativity into a harnessed virtue -- without changing your nature How to transform your natural qualities into supernatural qualities The benefits of having problem children How to improve your self-awareness What the old adage "know thyself" really means How Jesus turns self-esteem mantras on their heads

Download or read book The Mind of God written by Dr. Jay Lombard and published by Harmony. This book was released on 2018-09-11 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For fans of Deepak Chopra, Rudy Tanzi, and Andrew Newberg. A renowned behavioral neurologist provides insights to some of the most curious spiritual questions we all face. Is there a God? It’s a question billions of people have asked since the dawn of time. You would think by now we’d have a satisfactory, universal answer. No such luck…Or maybe we do and we just need to look in the right place. For Dr. Jay Lombard that place is the brain, and more importantly the mind, that center of awareness and consciousness that creates reality. In The Mind of God, Dr. Lombard employs case studies from his own behavioral neurology practice to explore the spiritual conundrums that we all ask ourselves: What is the nature of God? Does my life have purpose? What's the meaning of our existence? Are we free? What happens to us when we die? For Lombard, these metaphysical questions are a jumping-off point for exploring the brain in search of the seat of the soul. It is neuroscience, the author contends, and how we and our brains interpret what’s going on around us that can lead us to a deeper and more fulfilling faith. Mixing his personal experiences in the medical field (including compelling cases such as the male patient who really thought he was pregnant and a woman who literally scared herself to death) along with his own visionary insight into spiritual experience, Lombard has much to tell us about the nature and power of belief—and what we can do to focus our beliefs in a positive direction. If you want to find more meaning in your life or are searching for a deeper understanding of why we believe what we believe, then this book can lead to an exciting transformation in the way you see and understand the world around you. With cutting-edge research and provocative case studies, renowned behavioral neurologist provides insights to some of the most curious spiritual questions of mortality.

Download or read book The Future of an Illusion written by Sigmund Freud and published by . This book was released on 1928 with total page 110 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Illusion of God s Presence written by John C. Wathey and published by Prometheus Books. This book was released on 2016 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An essential feature of religious experience across many cultures is the intuitive feeling of God's presence. More than any rituals or doctrines, it is this experience that anchors religious faith, yet it has been largely ignored in the scientific literature on religion.Starting with a vivid narrative account of the life-threatening hike that triggered his own mystical experience, biologist John Wathey takes the reader on a scientific journey to find the sources of religious feeling and the illusion of God's presence. His book delves into the biological origins of this compelling feeling, attributing it to innate neural circuitry that evolved to promote the mother-child bond. Dr. Wathey argues that evolution has programmed the infant brain to expect the presence of a loving being who responds to the child's needs. As the infant grows into adulthood, this innate feeling is eventually transferred to the realm of religion, where it is reactivated through the symbols, imagery, and rituals of worship. The author interprets our various conceptions of God in biological terms as illusory supernormal stimuli that fill an emotional and cognitive vacuum left over from infancy. These insights shed new light on some of the most vexing puzzles of religion, like the popular belief in a god who is judgmental and punishing, yet also unconditionally loving; the extraordinary tenacity of faith; the greater religiosity of women relative to men; religious obsessions with sex; the mysterious compulsion to pray; the seemingly irrepressible feminine attributes of God, even in traditionally patriarchal religions; and the strange allure of cults. Finally, Dr. Wathey considers the hypothesis that religion evolved to foster reproductive success, arguing that, in an age of potentially ruinous overpopulation, magical thinking has become a luxury we can no longer afford, one that distracts us from urgent threats to our planet.Deeply researched yet elegantly written in a jargon-free and accessible style, this book presents a compelling interpretation of the evolutionary origins of spirituality and religion.

Download or read book Psychology and the Near Death Experience written by Roy L. Hill and published by . This book was released on 2015-07-31 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Near-death experiences tantalize the public's interest in what lies beyond the final human breath. Answers have been streaming by the thousands during the last few decades from people who have had them. However, grand designs can only be splendidly revealed by connecting thousands of NDE accounts like a jigsaw puzzle. In his groundbreaking book, "Psychology and the Near-Death Experience," Roy L. Hill roughly sketches God's canvas by integrating hundreds of NDE testimonies within the context of human psychology. As an inquisitive psychologist with strong spiritual roots, Roy's book uniquely mixes academic curiosity with a deep reverence for the sacred. The reader can expect exposure to profound spiritual insights throughout the book. Systems of meaning will be challenged, new purpose will be defined, and the nature of self will be primed for discovery. In this manner, "Psychology and the Near-Death Experience" may aid the spiritual explorer in their search for God.

Download or read book A Psychology for People of God written by E. Rae Harcum and published by University Press of America. This book was released on 2012 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: E. Rae Harcum argues that Christians do not have to give up their religious faith to keep the contributions of science. He confronts the relation between the human body and its non-material parts--the mind and spirit--and provides a way of looking at these metaphysical issues.

Download or read book God s Psychology written by M. R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen and published by The Fellowship Press. This book was released on 2007 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: