Why Religious People Are Healthier Than the "Spiritual, Not Religious"
Almost everyone I know these days is "spiritual, not religious." I spent over forty years of my life that way. I thought it was the only "sane" way to be. Yet, I just read about a recent study that showed those who identify as "spiritual, not religious" are more prone to mental illness and drug abuse. For most of my life, I've heard about how religion is bad for our mental health. I believed nearly everything I heard, too. Here are just a few of the reasons why people say that religion is not good for psychological health: (1) Religion is "fear-based." Rebuttal: The reasoning behind the accusation that religion is "fear based" is that people do not want to be "bullied" into believing things. People want to make up their own minds and not be threatened with hellfire for questioning religion. Well, that is certainly fair and surely God understands and wants us to think through things for ourselves. A