Vices May Be Good for You?

Cursing, videogames, gossiping, and getting dirty all said to have some benefits.

SUMMARY: Richard Stevens, a psychologist at Keele U. in England wondered whether there might be a benefit to cursing, something he did when he hit his thumb with a hammer and what his wife did as she was giving birth. So Stevens investigated. He discovered that uttering profanity may help someone withstand pain.

In an experiment reported in this month's NeuroReport, he and colleagues had participants submerge hands in ice-cold water for as long as possible (up to 10 minutes) while either swearing or saying a neutral word. They found that the subjects who cursed averaged 40 seconds, a third longer than those who didn't. The biological basis for this discovery is not clear, but profanity may be associated with increased aggression which in turn is linked to increased pain tolerance.

VIDEOGAMES: Videogaming has been blamed as a cause for aggressive or violent behavior, lower performance in school, and childhood obesity. However, because videogames are usually very engaging, they can also have therapeutic, medical, and motor-skills benefits, says expert Mark Griffiths, a professor at Nottingham Trent U. in England. He notes these games can distract people from painful conditions which results in a lesser need for pain killers. One study also found that surgeons who had played videogames more than 3 hours a week had better fine motor skills and made fewer errors in surgery training exercises.

GOSSIP: It can be a destructive force: ruining reputations, exposing secrets, etc. But Sarah R. Wert, a psychology researcher at the U. of Colorado, thinks there is evidence that gossip is a means for people to trade essential information and for social norms to get developed. "It saves us from having to repeat the mistakes of others," another psychologist says. Gossip can be fun, entertaining and facilitate social bonding even as it has its dangers.

GETTING DIRTY: Many researchers believe that a child's exposure to certain harmless and beneficial microorganisms is essential for his or her proper immune development. An emphasis on cleanliness can keep us disease free in many respects, but studies have shown that a lack of exposure to beneficial microbes in the environment may make us more likely to develop immune diseases like asthma or allergies. This may be the reason why these diseases are increasing in industrialized nations with their antibacterial cultures. So, it may be wise to let the kids play outside and get dirty even though good hygiene is still important to protect people from dangerous pathogens that can cause infections.

To read the entire article click on this NEWSWEEK link.

COMMENT: Let's consider these bad habits one at a time.

Cursing: Plain and simple, this is a sin. Ephesians 4:29 says, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths." While some studies have shown that releasing tension is good, Christians are obligated to find ways of doing this that are not improper. Perhaps working on neutral words and expressions to use when we do hit our thumb with a hammer might work despite what the one study quoted in the article claims.

Videogames: I don't believe videogames in themselves are bad, but what has been criticized is the violent and indecent nature of many of the games as well as the amount of time many gamers spend on this activity. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." Choosing wholesome games may be God-pleasing because of the apparent health benefits. Limiting the amount of time playing these games though is crucial so that there is time for family, for sleep, and for other beneficial activities, especially worship.

Gossip: That gossip can be claimed to have any major benefits was a surprise to me. Certainly we are not allowed to spread evil stories about others (James 4:11) nor reveal secrets about others unless there is a good reason (Proverbs 11:13). Of course, there are times when it is important, even necessary, to reveal a secret, such as turning in a criminal to the police or trying to stop an illegal or dangerous activity. Nevertheless, speaking good things about our neighbors is the usual route we should take.

Getting Dirty: God has designed the human body well in that a little bit of dirt seems to be a positive. In ages past, before antibacterial ointments were invented, it was absolutely necessary that our immune systems could benefit from this ability. That doesn't mean, of course, that we should go out and purposely expose ourselves to all sorts of harmful bacteria and viruses. Ever hear of Swine Flu?

The worst vice of all is to reject the Holy Spirit when He comes offering faith in Jesus and forgiveness for all our sins. Any advantage to this worst of all sins pales in comparison to the terrible downside. Don't do it.

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QUESTION OF THE DAY

Can exercise lower blood sugar?

Elevated blood sugar in type 2 diabetes can adversely affect the heart and blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves and more. Physical exercise may play an important role in managing the disease. One study in May published in the Journal of the American Medical Association involving players from 12 National Football League teams found that even though the NFL players weighed an average of 60 pounds more then men in the control group, their average fasting blood sugar was lower.

Source: Dr. Tedd Mitchell in USA Weekend (July 10-12, 2009)

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