There's a concept in psychology called "locus of control." It's the degree of control you feel over your own life. Many people whose stuttering is a disability for them have a strong external locus of control. Stuttering just "happens." It comes out of nowhere and you can't do anything about it. On the flip side, a stutterer with a strong internal locus of control thinks he or she can do something about it and improve.
Have you ever had something bad happen early in the day and think, "Geez, my whole day is going to turn out bad"? External locus of control. Don't believe in luck? Internal locus of control. Ever take a dump so huge that you gathered your friends and lifted the toilet lid like the Lost Ark was inside? That's just plan sick. And funny. But still sick.
What if your religion influences your locus of control? I may be totally misrepresenting Christian fundamentalists, but it seems that a strict following of the Bible's words would lead to an external locus of control. The idea of waiting for Jesus to return, or the apocalypse coming, or the criterion for entering heaven is accepting Jesus, and has nothing to do with what you do in life. You could argue that accepting Jesus is a choice you have and represents an internal locus of control, but I think a religion that says you get into heaven by doing good deeds and trying not to sin teaches a much stronger locus of control, because it carries through your entire life, not just one moment.
As an atheist with a strong external locus of control (at least for now), I have no answers. But I toss it out to hear your thoughts.
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