Religion and Belief Add to Personal Control

Belief in a higher and influential power has existed on Earth as far back as the first people. Be it that they worshiped fire, water, the air or the Sun, people have always felt the necessity of having someone above them to turn to when things get rough. This need was the subject of a new, first-of-its-kind scientific study, conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto (UT), who tried to find out exactly how people draw their strength from religion.

The results of the study puzzled the team. They found out that people who fervently believe in a higher god, but rarely or never attend religious services are more likely to feel they are not in control of their lives. The belief in God alone is not enough for them to find the strength to get over difficult times or to help them make crucial decisions.

 

On the other hand, devout believers, who also attend churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious edifices at least once a month, feel very strongly that they are in control of their lives, although they believe that their destinies are controlled by the higher power. Their sense of personal control is increased, paradoxically, by the fact that they know nothing they do will make a difference if their God doesn't want that thing to happen.

 

"Some people feel unable to change the important events and outcomes in their daily lives. Some people turn to a divine power or authority for support. In some cases, this also implies a sense that one's own fate is influenced or determined by powerful external forces, especially God. This notion of divine control is reflected in common phrases like 'It is all in God's hands," Scott Schieman, a sociology professor at UT, said.

 

"One might think the most devout religious practitioners would feel a lack of personal control in their lives because they have such faith in divine control. Surprisingly, we found the opposite. It's those who believe in God but don't dedicate much time to practicing religion who feel the least in control of their lives," he concluded.