Emotional Atheism and Anger toward God

1
Emotional Atheism and Anger toward God

• Julie Juola Exline
• Dept. of Psychology, Case Western Reserve
  University, Cleveland, Ohio
• E-mail Julie.exline_at_case.edu
• Invited Address at the Mid-Year Research
  Conference on Religion and Spirituality, Loyola
  College, Baltimore, MD, March 2006.
• I am grateful to the John Templeton Foundation,
  the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love, and
  Division 36 of the American Psychological
  Association for their support.
• I would also like to acknowledge our fine team of
  graduate students Mickie Fisher, Alyce Martin,
  and Ephraim Rose.

2
Overview of Talk

• Assumptions underlying the concept of anger
  toward God
• The emotional experience
• Frequency and predictors
• Links with parental relationships
• Emotional atheism One possible consequence of
  anger toward God
• Resolving anger toward God

3
Assumptions Underlying the Concept of Anger
toward God

• On the surface, the idea of anger toward God fits
  with Western, monotheistic conceptions
• God as a personal being who interacts with humans
• But perhaps those from non-Western traditions
  also experience anger toward God.
• Seems like fair game within polytheism Switch
  allegiances to another God.
• Laura Thompsons work People can get angry at
  tornadoes and other impersonal forces...
• so they could presumably get angry at an
  impersonal, Divine energy force as well.

4
Core Themes Undeserved Suffering and the Reality
of Evil

• Anger toward God tends to arise in cases
  involving
• Serious negative events that we cannot attribute
  directly to human actions Death, serious illness
  or injury, natural disaster, accidents
• But also some that we can attribute to human
  action abuse, wartime atrocities, assault,
  murder, divorce, abandonment, betrayal
• Disappointing (though not necessarily traumatic)
  events personal failures, unanswered prayers

5
The Emotional Experience (College Student Sample)

• Hatred was rare, frustration more typical,
  confusion most common (p
• So meaning-making is often whats needed (Crystal
  Parks work).
• See Richard Becks new work on complaints
  against God.
• On average, moderately positive emotions toward
  God even during this crisis event.

6
Another Side of the Emotional Coin Is God Mad at
Me?

• The problem is not just anger at God
• Participants in our studies (clinically anxious
  or depressed patients college students homeless
  men) often report a belief that God feels angry,
  punitive, or rejecting toward them.
• Research on the RCOPE (Pargament and colleagues)
  also suggests that feeling angry at God
  correlates positively with feeling punished by
  God.
• So anger at God often reflects a more general
  rift in a persons perceived relationship with
  God.

7
Frequency of Negative Feelings toward God

• In college student sample, 50 of those who
  believed in God reported negative feelings toward
  God in response to a major negative life event.
• Homeless men, when asked about their experience
  of becoming homeless 60 reported some problem
  in relationship with God.
• General Social Survey (national sample) 63
  reported that they were sometimes angry at God.
• So anger toward God is a COMMON
  problem.

8
Reluctance To Admit Anger toward God A
Potential Snag in Assessment?

• Students 34 of those believing in God said that
  it was morally wrong to feel anger toward God.
  Greater religiosity was linked with less belief
  that anger toward God was morally acceptable.
• Homeless 46 said that it was definitely not
  OK to have negative feelings toward God. 82
  said it was definitely not OK to hold on to
  such negative feelings.
• Reluctance to admit negative feelings toward God
  could lead to under-reporting. It
  becomes a taboo topic.

9
Predictors of Anger toward God(Student sample)

• Many predictors of anger toward God parallel the
  predictors of interpersonal unforgiveness.
• See Exline Martin (2005) for more detail on
  this idea.
• Situational predictors of anger toward God
• -God clearly seen as responsible for the action
  (or inaction)
• -severe harm that has not been repaired
• -not close to God prior to event
• -Gods actions seen as malevolent,
  illogical, punitive, or shaming

10
Individual Differences(from student samples)

• Reports of anger toward God are linked with
• -low current religiosity
• -insecure attachment
• -narcissistic entitlement
• -trait anger
• -depression
• -low self-esteem
• Again, many of these factors parallel the
  predictors of interpersonal unforgiveness.

11
Relationships with Parents Likely Suspects
in the Mystery of Anger toward God

• Theres LOTS of evidence that our images of God
  are shaped by our images of our parents and our
  relationships with them.
• Images of parents shape God images/concepts
  (Rizzutos classic theorizing many studies over
  past 30 years)
• Attachment to parents correlates with attachment
  to God (hot area e.g., Lee Kirkpatrick Beck
  McDonald Birgegard Granqvist Hall Sim Loh
  many recent dissertations)
• Also see upcoming book by Glen Moriarty on
  parental images, God images, and depression.

12
Our Own Findings Related to Parents...

• In a sample of homeless men, more problems in
  relationships with God were reported among those
  who had
• insecure attachment (usually avoidant in this
  sample)
• problematic relationships with fathers
• problematic relationships with mothers
• So our data corroborate the findings of others
  When trying to understand sources of anger
  toward God, parental relationships are a good
  place to look.

13
Are Frequent Negative Feelings toward God Linked
with Unbelief?

• SOME EVIDENCE...
• Those who label themselves atheist/agnostic or
  religion none/unsure reported more frequent
  anger at God than religious affiliates. (see
  graph)
• Consistent with unexpected finding in Exline et
  al.,1999 Nonbelievers reported more difficulty
  forgivingGod
• New data from General Social Survey more anger
  toward God linked with less belief.

14
Can Anger toward God Prompt Less Belief in Gods
Existence?

• Consider findings from a recent project (Exline,
  Fisher, Rose, Kampani, under review)
• When asked why they dont believe in God, most
  people gave rational/intellectual reasons.
• Closer inspection reveals a group of slipping
  believers
• They used to believe in God, but their belief has
  decreased.
• Anger toward God often coincided with drop in
  belief.
• When we look only at those who showed a drop in
  belief The biggest predictor of subsequent
  belief is whether the person said that s/he had
  turned away from God or rejected God.

15
Emotional Atheism

• Our findings are consistent with Novotni and
  Petersens (2002) concept of emotional atheism
• Anger and disillusionment can cause a person to
  cut off his/her relationship with God and to stop
  believing.
• A person can behave as though God does not
  existbut at some level, the anger may still be
  there Ill show you--I just wont believe in
  You anymore.
• The process may be similar to interpersonal
  grudge holding in which we withdraw from another
  person, either from hurt or bitterness --- This
  person is dead to me.
• Still, we cant rule out the possibility of
  genuine intellectual confusion, nor do we claim
  that all atheism is emotional.

16
Resolving Negative Feelings toward God

• Within student sample Of those who reported
  negative feelings toward God, about 80 said that
  their negative feelings had decreased over time.
• Reasons listed for decrease
• Insight into why 27
  Saw as Gods will 12
• Passage of time 27 Problem went
  away 11
• Benign reappraisal of
• Gods intentions 25 God not
  at fault 11
• Acceptance 18 Stopped believing
  9
• Some good outcome 14

17
Potential Ways of Reframing

• Popular theological writings suggest that
  certain ways of reframing might reduce anger
  toward God
• God uses suffering as a loving correction for
  sin.
• God uses suffering to build or refine character.
• God fits events into a mysterious big picture
  that humans cant grasp. (Holy Mystery concept)
• God suffers along with people (and the rest of
  creation).
• God has limitations and thus cannot prevent
  suffering.
• Suffering stems from Satan, evil, or consequences
  of human sin or fallennessnot from God.
• CAUTION Its risky to dispute someones core
  beliefs!
• May require common theological ground Richards
  Bergin (2005) give tips on ecumenical vs.
  faith-specific intervention.

18
Behavioral / Experiential Approaches

• Options that may require less theological
  tinkering
• treat the psychological disorder (e.g.,
  depression problem in attachment) and God image
  may improve (e.g., new Moriarty book)
• foster approach behaviors toward God, including
  honest expression of negative feelings
• empty chair technique journaling imagery
  prayer
• look for signs of Gods presence, care, love
• meditate on hope-giving insights or texts
• turn to spiritual direction or pastoral
  consultation

19
Tentative Conclusions

• Negative feelings toward God seem to be a common
  response to events involving human suffering.
• People may be reluctant to admit feelings of
  anger toward God.
• The predictors of anger toward God seem to
  parallel those involved in interpersonal anger
  and grudges.
• Parental relationships may be especially crucial.

20
Tentative Conclusions (cont.)

• A growing body of research supports the notion of
  emotional atheism Negative feelings toward God
  in the wake of suffering may cause a loss of
  faith for some.
• Negative feelings toward God usually decrease
  with time, though there doesnt seem to be one
  common pathway by which this occurs.
• To resolve anger toward God, consider making use
  of both cognitive and emotional pathways
• but be careful about imposing your own
  theological assumptions, especially in diverse
  environments.

21
Current Future Aims

• Develop theories and research that maintain close
  conceptual links with mainstream psychology
• e.g., attachment and intimacy issues, anger and
  forgiveness, motivated cognition, management of
  conflict in close relationships
• Build bridges with spiritual directors, clergy,
  and pastoral care professionals from diverse
  backgrounds.
• They have been studying these topics for many
  years, and we have much to learn from them.

22
For More Information

• Many of the ideas presented here are presented in
  more detail in the following chapter
• Exline, J. J., Martin, A. M. (2005). Anger
  toward God A new frontier in forgiveness
  research. In E. L. Worthington, Jr. (Ed.),
  Handbook of forgiveness (pp. 73-88). New York
  Routledge.
• My contact information
• Dr. Julie Exline
• Dept. of Psychology, Case Western Reserve
  University
• 11220 Bellflower, Cleveland, OH 44106-7123
• julie.exline_at_case.edu
• [phone]