Tag Archives: New Year’s Resolutions

A New Year’s resolution you don’t often see

Start going to church.”

Apparently, you are likely to stick to all the default New Year’s resolutions — lose weight, save money, etc. — if you simply start going to church. At least, that’s what this NY Times article kind of says.

This is an awkward question for a heathen to contemplate, but I felt obliged to raise it with Michael McCullough after reading his report in the upcoming issue of the Psychological Bulletin. He and a fellow psychologist at the University of Miami, Brian Willoughby, have reviewed eight decades of research and concluded that religious belief and piety promote self-control.

I originally saw the article via a buddy on Facebook. And I left this comment:

One of the definitions of religious is to be extremely scrupulous or conscientious. I would say don’t go to church unless there is something truly drawing you. That said, I go to church every Sunday, and not out of habit because my church is 50 miles from my home. :)

Wait a second, you might be thinking. Aren’t you supposed to be one of those people who’s supposed to tell everyone about Christ? You know, like, a Christian does? Yeah, I am. But honestly, I’m tired of people getting into church looking to gain something worldly, like, if they spend X-amount of time at church on Sundays, and an occasional Saturday activity, then I’m going to get the job/house/car I want, the husband/wife I want, and the body of that model. No.

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