A Debate: Believing in A Debate: Believing in God is Psychologically God is Psychologically

HealthyHealthyBy:By:

Jordan PikeJordan PikeKristen RybaKristen RybaMarie TortoraMarie Tortora

Sophia CiprianoSophia CiprianoRyan MillsRyan Mills

~Healthy~~Healthy~

If you compare people who aren’t religious If you compare people who aren’t religious with people who gather regularly for more with people who gather regularly for more secular reasons, the religious group is secular reasons, the religious group is healthierhealthier

Popular explanation for the link between Popular explanation for the link between religion and health is “sin avoidance”religion and health is “sin avoidance”

……Healthy (continued)Healthy (continued)

Religious believers have much lower Religious believers have much lower incidents of mental illness than non-incidents of mental illness than non-believers, and better scores on self-believers, and better scores on self-actualization tests.actualization tests.

Recent empirical studies prove religious Recent empirical studies prove religious believers have less depression, mental believers have less depression, mental illness, lower divorce rate, etc.illness, lower divorce rate, etc.

……Healthy (continued)Healthy (continued)

In the case of the few longevity or mortality In the case of the few longevity or mortality outcome studies, the benefit was in favor of those outcome studies, the benefit was in favor of those who attended church…at least 70% of the time, who attended church…at least 70% of the time, increased religious commitment was associated increased religious commitment was associated with improved coping and protection from with improved coping and protection from problems.problems.

Belief in God also helps people deal with the issue Belief in God also helps people deal with the issue of death more easily. of death more easily.

Believing In God…Believing In God…

Allows people to improve personal self image, Allows people to improve personal self image, providing a greater mental satisfaction. A belief in providing a greater mental satisfaction. A belief in God can provide individuals with more self God can provide individuals with more self empowerment and self awareness. empowerment and self awareness.

Allows people to belong to a group that promotes Allows people to belong to a group that promotes healthy values, this group works together to healthy values, this group works together to provide each individual with a support community provide each individual with a support community centered in their common beliefs. This, in return, centered in their common beliefs. This, in return, makes the mind psychologically healthier.makes the mind psychologically healthier.

~~UNUNhealthy~healthy~

It was not only Sigmund Freud that called religion It was not only Sigmund Freud that called religion pathological. There are more psychologists than pathological. There are more psychologists than ever since Freud, that are not afraid to call ever since Freud, that are not afraid to call Christianity a mental disorder. Christianity a mental disorder.

The only reason the DSM does not categorize The only reason the DSM does not categorize Christianity as a mental disorder is because of the Christianity as a mental disorder is because of the numbers who believe. numbers who believe.

……UNhealthy (continued)UNhealthy (continued)

In other words, if ONLY one person believed in the tenets In other words, if ONLY one person believed in the tenets of Christianity, they would be diagnosed as schizophrenic*.of Christianity, they would be diagnosed as schizophrenic*.

Schizophrenia* bears an uncanny resemblance to Schizophrenia* bears an uncanny resemblance to ‘Christian Fundamentalism’ ‘Christian Fundamentalism’

**SchizophreniaSchizophrenia- any group of psychotic disorders usually - any group of psychotic disorders usually characterized by withdrawal from reality, illogical patterns characterized by withdrawal from reality, illogical patterns of thinking, delusions, and hallucinations, and of thinking, delusions, and hallucinations, and accompanied in varying degrees by other emotional, accompanied in varying degrees by other emotional, behavioral, or intellectual disturbances. behavioral, or intellectual disturbances.

……UNhealthy (continued)UNhealthy (continued)

Family & friends become insignificant compared to Family & friends become insignificant compared to the need to uphold the beliefs. Unhealthy faith is the need to uphold the beliefs. Unhealthy faith is used to avoid reality and responsibilityused to avoid reality and responsibility

Harmful faith is an excuse to put off dealing with Harmful faith is an excuse to put off dealing with life’s pain, to “wait on God” for “direction” rather life’s pain, to “wait on God” for “direction” rather than getting on with life or to abuse one’s wife than getting on with life or to abuse one’s wife because she must submit him as if he were God. It because she must submit him as if he were God. It provides a distraction through religious ritual and provides a distraction through religious ritual and “religaholicism.”“religaholicism.”

……UNhealthy (continued)UNhealthy (continued)

Alternatively one could be spiritually lazy and put Alternatively one could be spiritually lazy and put all responsibility onto God for everything, e.g. all responsibility onto God for everything, e.g. wanting God to instantly heal a marriage rather wanting God to instantly heal a marriage rather than working on yourself to change. It is easier to than working on yourself to change. It is easier to pray and do nothing more than it is to face one’s pray and do nothing more than it is to face one’s responsibility and seen help to go through the pain responsibility and seen help to go through the pain of growth. These people who want a “god drug” to of growth. These people who want a “god drug” to wipe out all the pain and consequences of their wipe out all the pain and consequences of their actions.actions.

BibliographyBibliography Erricker, Clive.(1995).Erricker, Clive.(1995).BuddhismBuddhism.Illinois: NTC/Comtemporary Publishing..Illinois: NTC/Comtemporary Publishing.

Newton, Joseph.(2004, July). Newton, Joseph.(2004, July). The ErrorThe Error. Retrieved October 15, 2004, from . Retrieved October 15, 2004, from http://www.iidb.org/vbb/archive/index.php/t-91116http://www.iidb.org/vbb/archive/index.php/t-91116

vBulletin v3.0.0,copyright 2000-2004,Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.vBulletin v3.0.0,copyright 2000-2004,Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

““Doctors Find Power of Faith hard to ignore” Usha Lee McFarling,Knight Ridder Doctors Find Power of Faith hard to ignore” Usha Lee McFarling,Knight Ridder News Service(1998 December) News Service(1998 December) http://www.tennessean.com/health/stories/98/trends1223.htmhttp://www.tennessean.com/health/stories/98/trends1223.htm

SUMMARYSUMMARY

A belief in God allows people to explain how their own A belief in God allows people to explain how their own existence came to be. This belief or faith in a god, existence came to be. This belief or faith in a god, provides answers to questions concerning life and thereby provides answers to questions concerning life and thereby erasing many doubts that may build up and aggravate in erasing many doubts that may build up and aggravate in the mind of an individual. Skepticism is linked to fate the mind of an individual. Skepticism is linked to fate because unless people questioned the world they lived in, because unless people questioned the world they lived in, ideas and beliefs would not have been created to answer ideas and beliefs would not have been created to answer skeptic thoughts. The existence of the mind enforces the skeptic thoughts. The existence of the mind enforces the development of faith and a belief system due to the minds development of faith and a belief system due to the minds own method of preservation. The mind has created own method of preservation. The mind has created religion in an effort to preserve itself from doubt and the religion in an effort to preserve itself from doubt and the desire to be satiated by an unidentifiable outside source.desire to be satiated by an unidentifiable outside source.

The EndThe End