Is religion good for you?

[MobBoss]

It appears doctors think so: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,265121,00.html

Discuss.

 

[Red Door]

It can't be bad in any way.

 

[Xanikk999]

Good and bad.

Theres no denying its positive effects on humankind. But at the same time being fanatical about your beiliefs can lead other to grief and exclude you from the outside world.

 

[Prince_Imrahil]

It can't be bad in any way.

Even when religion is whats used to justify terrorism by many muslims and hindus and muslims kill eachother over it in India and the many whackos think God tells them to kill people?

Not sayig it's bad, just that it CAN and has led to bad in MANY ways, while yes it also CAN be and is good for people in MANY ways as well.

 

[LuckyAC]

Whether religion is a good thing is not the topic. The topic is whether being religious is good for your personal health. Torturing kittens could still be a bad thing in general, but good for your health (not that I'm saying it actually is). Unfortunately, there's not much really to discuss, since only a scientific experiment really has any validity, and none of us are conducting those.

 

[Truronian]

That would explain its popularity...

 

[Red Door]

Even when religion is whats used to justify terrorism by many muslims and hindus and muslims kill eachother over it in India and the many whackos think God tells them to kill people?

That's not the religion though, that's people "acting under the religion."

 

[Perfection]

Religion fills social and psychological needs, and that can help people. Of course, those needs can be filled outside religion.

 

[Masquerouge]

I have two comments to make after reading the article:

" Most U.S. doctors agree that religion and spirituality have a significant effect on a person's health, according to a new survey on doctor's spiritual beliefs."

I think the results might differ slightly in other countries. My experience is that the American view on religion is often not that of the rest of the Western world.

But doctors who themselves are religious or spiritual are more likely to see the impact of religion or spirituality on personal health as positive and believe it strongly influences health.
[...]
"Physicians' notions about the relationship between religion and spirituality and patients' health are strongly associated with physicians' own religious characteristics," write researcher Farr Curlin, MD, of the University of Chicago, and colleagues in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Oh really? Religious doctors think religion helps?



And finally:

"Consensus seems to begin and end with the idea that many [if not most] patients draw on prayer and other religious resources to navigate and overcome the spiritual challenges that arise in their experiences of illness," write the researchers. "Controversy remains regarding whether, to what extent and in what ways religion and spirituality helps or harms patients' health."

So no hard figures, just feelings and a mild consensus... I wouldn't read too much into that article.

 

[warpus]

From the article:

But doctors who themselves are religious or spiritual are more likely to see the impact of religion or spirituality on personal health as positive and believe it strongly influences health.

So the positive impact of religion was likely exaggerated in the poll.

Religion offers much comfort though - it often offers everlasting life, as well as answers to seemingly unanswerable questions.. as well as the promise of a helpful & all-powerful supernatural entity watching over you. So if you truly believe all that stuff, it can probably help ala the placebo effect.

 

[LucyDuke]

I don't see it as terribly different from any other factor in life. If it's approached intelligently, then sure, it's a good thing. If it's used to manipulate people, which it is all too frequently, then it's as evil as any other manipulation.

 

[Shadylookin]

Compared with those who rated themselves as not very religious, those who were more religious were more likely to:

- Report that patients often mention religious or spiritual issues

- Believe religion and spirituality strongly influences health

- Interpret the influence of religion and spirituality in positive rather than negative ways.

religious doctors are significantly more likely to believe religion helps? well I'll be really? what a surprise.

that's like saying a communist is more likely to think communism is better. or a christian is more likely to think christianity is better than Islam.

 

[LuckyAC]

The idea is basically that a belief in the support of God provides a placebo effect, which I can buy. On the other hand, religious belief could cause you to refuse medical treatment in some cases, or to believe your death is fated or even welcome and give up.

 

[Taliesin]

As a This Hour Has 22 Minutes joke went a few years ago, "Scientists have found that church attendance adds a couple of years to your life expectancy. On closer examination, though, they discovered that your life just seems longer because you're in church."

 

[Prince_Imrahil]

That's not the religion though, that's people "acting under the religion."

Just like any good obtained from religion is from the people 'acting under it.'

The religion is what gives cause for people to be either hopeful, happy and charitible OR murdering barbaric idiots. Youre trying to look at it through different lens when the results are different.

 

[Pontiuth Pilate]

Sweeeeet.

*converts to Christianity to lengthen lifespan*

 

[Azash]

I didn't check out the link yet, but it is quite obvious religion can be good for your mental stability. Zeal, of course, can be harmful.

 

[Atlas14]

For me personally it is not good. It would drive me insane being forced to believe something that did not make sense or appear to even be the slightest bit realistic.

 

[StarWorms]

It appears doctors think so: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,265121,00.html

Discuss.

Doctors thinking something is entirely different to a proper study. So there's really nothing to discuss...