Geoffrey W. Sutton PhD, Psychology and Culture

  Zechariah in the Temple/ Bing Public Domain Zechariah Punished with Aphasia In Luke’s version of the Christmas story, Zechariah is punished with the loss of speech (aphasia) for asking what would seem to be a reasonable question. I study the psychology of religion and have conducted many neuropsychological examinations as a psychologist so the description of the impairment struck me as looking like the results of a mini-stroke. Check out the features of stroke in the story from Luke 1. Zechariah, a Jewish priest, and his wife Elizabeth had a reputation for being faithful to the law. As my friend Martin Mittelstadt, known for his scholarly study of Luke , points out, Luke presents his gospel in several contexts including recurrent biblical themes. We see a record of angelic announcements and divine intervention in cases of older barren women in the Hebrew Bible. Perhaps Luke is presenting the new Christian tradition emerging from the womb of an elderly and barren Elizabeth in ...

Testimonies used to be popular in conservative Christian churches several decades ago. People stood and retold the story of their conversion from sin to faith. Pentecostals told stories of healing. Some told of their conversion from a different faith to their current Christian faith. Stories of deconversion often involve conversion and follow a familiar narrative consisting of a person's struggle with their old faith, doubt and possible loss of faith, grief over the loss of faith and a faith family, and for some, joy at their new found faith. Deconversion is the term behavioral scientists use when studying how a person's conversion story unravels. That is, the process of leaving a faith group.  Some leave their faith and become a none —a person of no faith, or no particular faith. Others leave one faith for another faith. (Read more about deconversion, 2017 .) Rachel Held Evans has a deconversion-conversion story. She’s the girl from monkey town whose testimony re...

Managing Terror As a psychologist it was natural for me to think of Terror Management Theory in the wake of the horrific killings of people in Paris on Friday 13th, November 2015. The raw reactions of the survivors were vivid descriptions of people whose world had been suddenly and mercilessly upended and threatened in a show of force. The graphic descriptions confronted viewers with reminders of the fragility of life and our shared vulnerability with those who enjoy an evening out at a game (Stade de France), a concert (Bataclan), or a favorite restaurant. The psychology of disgust was also evident as people spoke of blood, other bodily fluids, pieces of flesh, and efforts to survive by hiding beneath dead bodies. Many in Western democracies added symbols of the French Tricolour in sympathetic identity. Key aspects of our identity as freedom loving people were also under attack. The ability to enjoy an evening out with friends is tagged with fear. The presence of armed ...

FUNDAMENTALISTS – SCARY AS HELL “The problem is the extremists,” a Jewish friend said during a discussion about religiously motivated violence.   BBC news story on violence Religious fundamentalists are frequently in the news nowadays—largely because of some threat or horrific act. Recently, a Muslim group made news in France with the murder of Charlie Hebdo magazine staff in Paris (BBC). Hindu fundamentalists are on the rise in India and persecuting Christians according to a story in Christianity Today 23 January 2015. Some 300 clergy and church leaders are targeted. A report from 2014 claims some 7,000 Christians faced aggression and persecution from non-Christians. Muslims have also been under attack by Hindu fundamentalists who seek to convert Muslims and Christians. Muslims are about 14% of the population according to Free Speech Radio News . Popular Pope Francis has seen the need to speak out against all fundamentalists with a challenge to th...

Intolerance and religious tribes and thoughts on becoming good neighbors I gave a talk about conservative and liberal Christians. The jumping off point for the discussion centers on a chapter in Brian D. McLaren’s book a Generous Orthodoxy . Religious tribes are at war. Westerners learn that not all Muslims share the same beliefs. News from Israel and Palestine reminds us that people of different religious groups fight to the death. And survivors seek revenge. Americans associated with different religious tribes have different beliefs about right and wrong action.  Conservatives and liberals disagree about religion and politics. And the disagreements are fierce. I find the moral psychology research helpful to understanding what separates these two religious tribes.  Conservative and liberal Christians are often at war despite a command to love. Finding solutions won’t be easy. Here’s some research and thoughts on the roots of intolerance, respect, U...

COUNTING THE COST OF RELIGIOUS RHETORIC Brian D. McLaren has connected with many Christians disenchanted with the rhetoric of fundamentalist leaders. What caught my attention in a recent post was his comment about the “…huge personal cost for religious leaders to change their position…” He was referring to a talk he gave at the White House related to human rights for LGBT persons. Of course, LGBT issues are front and center nowadays but the concept of costs is important to other religious issues as well. (The forum took place this week.) Mariam Yehya is a Sudanese Christian woman who refused to renounce her Christian faith. She was imprisoned and sentenced to die after she gave birth. Her child was born. She was released but then arrested at the airport as she attempted to leave with her family. Now she is at the U.S. Embassy. What will happen? Her conversion to Christianity has already been costly. But she would not renounce her beliefs. She was willing to die...