House GOP Witness: Reading Bible Can Cause Violence

This morning, VA Rep. Frank Wolf convened a hearing of the Commerce Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee he chairs. The subject of the hearing was youth violence and, specifically, the role video games play in encouraging violent behavior. A star witness, however, Psychologist Brad J. Bushman, has a tendency to see lots of things contributing to violence. One paper he wrote a few years ago even found that exposure to Biblical stories caused an increase in violent behavior, especially among believers.

Psychologist Brad J. Bushman has made a career of out preconceived notions and sweeping generalizations. Bushman is best known co-authoring an article with Brigham Young Professor Robert Ridge entitled, “When God Sanctions Killing” which appeared in the March 2007 issue of Psychological Science magazine. The study found “compelling evidence that exposure to a scriptural depiction of violence or to violence authorized by deity can cause readers to behave more aggressively.”

Even though in the study Bushman et al even acknowledge a variety of factors could mitigate or cause violence, they persist with their conclusion. The Bible is the best-selling book of all times and more recently, a top TV show. So nearly everyone has been exposed to the Bible, so it has to be a factor.

The authors were quick to point out their study was not meant as Bible-bashing yet they compared followers to terrorists noting, “when you think about terrorists and they say, ‘God will sit in judgment,’ and they sometimes refer to a scripture, our question was, ‘Could that really make a person behave more aggressively?’ And the answer is, yes, it could.'”

If Mathew, Mark, Luke and John can cause violence, according to the logic of Dr. Bushman, it makes sense to believe that can “Call of Duty” can, as well.

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