| There is no exact connection between religion and | | | | paranormal beliefs means that they are not the same |
| <a rel="nofollow" | | | | as religion, the strong similarities do suggest that they |
| onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(' | | | | stem from some of the same needs and desires as |
| outgoing/article_exit_link');" href= paranormal beliefs | | | | religious beliefs. |
| </a>. There are people who are religious but | | | | Research shows that religion and paranormal beliefs |
| don’t believe in things like Bigfoot or UFOs while | | | | are separated phenomena. There are some studies |
| others believe in many paranormal events but who | | | | that try to correlate religion to paranormal beliefs but |
| are not part of any religious tradition. Then, one does | | | | there have been varied results. For an instance, one |
| not anything to do with the other. | | | | study concluded that there is a strong chance that |
| Those people who show obedience to religious | | | | belief in the paranormal is a substitute for religious |
| traditions may often be eager to renounce any | | | | beliefs, and that both religious belief and paranormal |
| correspondence since paranormal beliefs are often | | | | belief serve to lower death anxiety. However, some |
| portrayed as less sane and reliable than religious | | | | researchers found that paranormal belief was |
| beliefs. In some cases, conservative and other | | | | commonly not associated to religiosity. There were |
| religious believer often regard paranormal beliefs as | | | | some events and specific beliefs such as E.S.P and |
| evil actions of evil forces in the universe and not the | | | | Astrology had a minor opposite relationship with |
| sort of thing they would like to believe. | | | | religiosity, which the study concluded that belief in |
| On the other hand, religious and paranormal beliefs | | | | the paranormal may substitute for traditional religious |
| share lots of important things in common. Both | | | | beliefs. |
| paranormal and traditional religions are in the same | | | | On the opposite side of the scale, some studies |
| nature which they are not considered as part of the | | | | completed in Canada, found that people who chose |
| world as a place controlled by sequences of cause | | | | “none” as their religious preference were not |
| and effect between matter and energy. Instead, | | | | any more likely to believe in the paranormal than |
| they believe that the added presence of immaterial | | | | participants who had a religious preference (in this |
| forces influences or controls the path of our lives. | | | | study, only the data from those participants who |
| By paranormal beliefs, we tend to search for our | | | | chose “other religion organization ,” like |
| desire to find logical meaning to some chaotic events | | | | “Protestant,” or “Catholic” were |
| that come our way. If we are suddenly aware of a | | | | utilized. Study also found that there was a |
| distant event we shouldn’t neglect, it might be | | | | considerable positive relationship between religious |
| credited to psychic powers, clairvoyance, spirits, | | | | beliefs, which were measured by a 6-question scale |
| angels, or God. There seems to be a real scale | | | | asking how much, if any, the participant believed in |
| between what we tend to call “paranormal” | | | | God, angels and others. |
| and the ideas in many religious faiths | | | | Paranormal beliefs, which were also measured by a |
| Paranormal beliefs are more than superstitions and | | | | separate 6-item scale, asking how much participants |
| religious beliefs. Since paranormal beliefs are | | | | believed in ESP, astrology, found that participants |
| commonly part of an integrated beliefs system about | | | | who stated that they attend church regularly were |
| the very nature and substance of the universe | | | | slightly less likely to have paranormal beliefs. Constant |
| whereas superstitions are often isolated ideas at | | | | held of religious belief gives an impression of more |
| times related to cultural traditions irreligious beliefs. | | | | significant negative correlations between church |
| The paranormal beliefs which are integrated to belief | | | | attendance and paranormal beliefs. |
| system are very similar to religion .they can provide | | | | So, in this case, finding the relationship of religion and |
| meaning to our lives as well as the events in our lives. | | | | paranormal beliefs were an endless journey. But as |
| They can also provide social structure, and give | | | | long as you have faith in the Supreme Being it will not |
| comfort in difficult times. | | | | alter the truth that every individual seek for some |
| However, paranormal beliefs system lacks some of | | | | meaning in their lives regardless if it is under the |
| the critical characteristics of religions. They don’t | | | | religious beliefs or paranormal beliefs. Somehow and |
| typically engage ritual acts, because it’s unusual | | | | the other way around religion and paranormal beliefs |
| for them to make a distinction between the sacred | | | | will meet halfway. They have their own distinct |
| and the sacrilegious. It is also rare for people to base | | | | characteristic far different from each other. |
| a moral code upon those beliefs. Even though | | | | |