Is Faith Delusion?\u00a0<\/a>Why Religion is Good for Your Health\u201d (Continuum, 2009) brings those two facets of his life together to confront a common prejudice.<\/span><\/p>\nA standard British psychiatric textbook from the mid-20th century illustrates that prejudice: Religion, it declares, is for \u201cthe hesitant, the guilt-ridden, the excessively timid, those lacking clear convictions with which to face life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nHowever, Sims counters on the basis of his own psychiatric practice as well as a large number of scientific studies, \u201cpeople with religious belief, rather than being timid and lacking clear convictions, have a greater sense of direction and feeling of independence from control.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nIndeed, one of the major themes of his book is that \u201creligious belief tends to be associated with better health, both physical and mental.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThe advantageous effect of religious belief and spirituality on mental and physical health is one of the best-kept secrets in psychiatry, and medicine generally,\u201d he writes. \u201cIf the findings of the huge volume of research on this topic had gone in the opposite direction and it had been found that religion damages your mental health, it would have been front-page news in every newspaper in the land!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nMoreover, Sims contends, \u201cchurches are almost the only element in society to have offered considerate, caring, long-lasting and self-sacrificing support to the mentally ill,\u201d which is one of the reasons why \u201creligious involvement results in a better outcome from a range of illnesses, both mental and physical.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nGenerally too, he observes, \u201creligion encourages a broadly healthy lifestyle and members of a church or other faith groups are more likely to co-operate with medical treatment.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThere is no evidence to suggest that seeking religious affiliation for its potential health benefits alone would be advantageous,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\nStill, Sims summarizes, in the majority of scientific studies, religious involvement correlates with enhanced well-being, happiness and life-satisfaction; greater hope and optimism, even when facing serious diseases, such as breast cancer; a stronger sense of purpose and meaning in life; higher self-esteem; better responses to bereavement; greater social support; less loneliness; lower rates of depression and faster recovery from depression; reduced rates of suicide; decreased anxiety; better coping with stress; less psychosis and fewer psychotic tendencies; lower rates of alcohol and drug abuse; less delinquency and criminal activity; and greater marital stability and satisfaction. A strong faith and the positive relationships and thinking associated with church membership fortify the immune system, \u201cthus reducing the risk of cancer, improving general health and protecting the cardiovascular system.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWhen looking at the overall effects of religious belief and practice on whole populations,\u201d he writes, \u201cthere is substantial evidence that religion is highly beneficial for all areas of health, and especially mental health.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nIndeed, correlations between religious faith and improved well-being \u201ctypically equal or exceed correlations between well-being and other psychosocial variables, such as social support.\u201d And, he adds, this substantial assertion is \u201ccomprehensively attested to by a large amount of evidence.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cIn one well-conducted study,\u201d Sims reports, \u201calmost 3,000 women who regularly attended church services were assessed for health status, social support and habits. When they were followed up 28 years later, their mortality over that period was found to be more than a third less than the general population.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nFurthermore, \u201cAn inverse relationship has been found between religious involvement and suicidal behaviour in 84 per cent of 68 studies. That is, those with religious belief and practice are less likely to kill themselves. This association is also found for attempted suicide; believers are less likely to take overdose or use other methods of self-harm.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThe nagging question we are left with is, why is this important information\u201d \u2014 \u201cepidemiological medicine\u2019s best-kept secret,\u201d he calls it \u2014 \u201cnot better known?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cIt is a mystery why \u2026 government and other authorities are opposed to seeking help from religious organizations.\u201d Also, \u201cit is extraordinary and tragic that the findings of this large body of research \u2026 are not better known. If it were anything other than religious belief or spirituality resulting in such beneficial outcomes for health, the media would trumpet it and governments and health care organizations would be rushing to implement its practice.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Posted from St. George, Utah<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 \u00a0 Sam LeFevre, who sometimes looks in on this unworthy blog, has kindly called my attention to an article that some of you might find interesting: \u00a0 \u201cIs Faith Delusion?\u201d \u00a0 I was unaware of the essay, but it reminded me of a column about the book that apparently grew out of it. \u00a0I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-77100","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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