Religion And Psychology: The Negative Effects Of Religion On Psychology

Religion has many definitions. But the commonly accepted definition of religion is: ‘The belief in a god or group of gods’. Religion is a set of beliefs, rules, and accepted ideas that deal with idea of a supreme being, the reason for life and death, the creation of the universe and other such things. It governs human functioning through accepted norms and has had massive influence on human society and history.

No one knows how religion evolved, though it is believed to have evolved to deal with problems of human life. Religion provides a set of beliefs and practices to deal with problems and misfortunes. There is evidence of ancient man worshipping nature because he believed nature to be all powerful. Religion, as it has already been reiterated

A Mayo Clinic study concluded that, “Spirituality and religious involvement are associated with better health outcomes”. Lesser degree of anxiety, depression, and suicide were reported in religious people. Religion does have negative effects on psychology too. Alienation from ones religious beliefs and the feeling of guilt have led to anxiety and depression. As an economic entity, religion is a behemoth. It generates a lot of wealth in the sale of religious paraphernalia. People don’t mind spending on religious stuff. It also generates wealth through religious tourism. Peter Weber said that religion drives the economy and the development of a country and that some religions are more conducive to growth than

This is an extremely worrying scenario. So we can certainly say that the negative influence of religion has not waned. So does religion divide or unite? It’s a question of the ages.

Religion is supposed to create a sense of community and it has done so. It should welcome all and give people a sense of belonging and family. Religion is supposed to be personal. It is our way of connecting with god in privacy. That is not to say that places of worship shouldn’t exist, people just shouldn’t force their religion on others or believe their god to be superior. As someone said, “Religion is different lamps that all give the same light”.

I conclude that though religion has good intentions people use it for their own benefit. Religion may have been a point of unity in the past and it may be so today too but religion is a contentious issue now and seems to be creating a wedge among