Do most professional Psychologists believe that religion is a myth?

[Joe L. Ogan]

Do most professional Psychologists believe that religion is a myth?

[SWM]

i have not come across any research to that would suggest such a thing.

what was the motivation behind the question? do you have some beliefs you are testing out?

[Joe L. Ogan]

Many people believe that religion is a myth.  I was just trying to get the professional opinion of qualified Psychologists.  Thank you for replying.  Joe L. Ogan

[SWM]

psychologists and psychiatrists are scientifically trained and they also come from many cultural backgrounds. in my contact with these professions over the years i can think of many professionals who were religious. there are a large proportion of medical professionals that are hindu and muslim, perhaps because these religions have a particular emphasis on education and self discipline.

[ImISFP]

Back then...the field of psychology had some of theorist or practitioner that stress the importance of religion, such as Victor Frankl... in my country, there's a lot of psychologist who work at the church as a counselor, and some of other professional psychologist encourage their patient to develop a more intimate relationship with God (according to their patient belief) as a part of treatment for their patient.

[Enigma]

Scientists are more inclined to be atheist, but I don't know if this includes social scientists.

[Psychdigg]

Unfortunately a lot of psychology is based on mythological models.  Religion isn't a myth.  There ARE religions.  But religious teachings involving spirit beings are taken to be myth or fabrication.  Science generally requires extraordinary evidence for extraordinary claims.  A scientific psychologist would consider a great deal of religious claims as unproven.

[darkdan]

Higher education and religious beliefs are negatively correlated.  So it stands to reason that those that have received higher education in psychology would be less likely to be religious.

Edit: But I have noticed psychology as a subject attracts a lot of people that disregard science in favor for pseudoscience.  Lots of strange "therapies" out there without much scientific backing and based on a lot of faith without evidence.

[PsyChris]

I don't know of any studies and it would be difficult to get an honest answer out of many clinicians. You will mostly likely get many fence-sitting answers.

I think the more important issue is how to psychologists apply those beliefs about religion to therapy. Christianity has a strong theme of forgiveness, and trusting in a divine power to heal. In my opinion, allowing or encouraging patients to believe the idea that "God will fix my problems" is not good. It allows the patient to place all responsibility for improvement upon God and stuns personal growth.

There are psychologists who practice "faith based" therapy and from what I understand the goal is more to use God for personal strength of character rather than a miraculous healer who will spontaneously resolve all of their problems.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am an atheist and find it personally upsetting that people put so much faith in the idea of God to fix so much when he has done so very little if he does indeed exist. I do think that if my client came into therapy expected a faith based approach, it would be grounds to refer them to someone more compatible. Therapy isn't about ME, its about the patient and how they can best get help.

[acousticeagle]

I think that there is a general respect for people's spiritual beliefs within the psych professions. However, I have known of an instance where people with particular spiritual beliefs have been treated like guinea pigs for experimental psychiatric 'investigations' (for want of a better word) or experimentations with anti-psychotic medications.

There are those people that might believe (for example) that they have had a past life  - a popular mythical vanity and if you read tabloids and women's magazines there are psychics telling their readers all about how to 'contact their angels' and know what 'past life' they had.So, it seems to me that people can have these spiritual 'fancies' -as long as they don't take them TOO seriously and end up in a psychiatric institution on anti-psychotic medications.

On Christianity (for example). There are many poor souls in psych wards who have the delusion that they are "Jesus Christ", and we, who are interested in psychology matters, might be aware of hearing (or knowing) of someone who had a 'god' delusion. From there, religious beliefs can be less 'extreme' to an actual manifest. For instance, speaking in tongues. Is this a real spiritual manifest or just people off their nut? I personally have been in a charasmatic church meeting where I have witnessed it and other interesting phenomena.

And so, to come back to the question. There are those in the psych profession who have no credibility in any spiritual 'claim' or manifest. And, in so doing, will approach a patient from a background from their own specific learning. Psychiatrists are only men or women, but, unfortuately some of them have a great deal of influence over individuals or the patient's families by which to understand or commit to psychiatrict care.

I have to laugh, really, the world is so strange. There are many books out by charasmatic church leaders, some of who claim that they are a prophet (for example). Now, if such a person was doubted to this personal claim and brought in for psychiatric evaluation, who would believe it, given that psychologists and psychiatrists are people of learning? YET, there are many charasmatic believers who say 'so and so' is a prophet of some god - and thus this form of spirituality is 'accepted' within the world of that particular religious group.

In my own investigations I have looked into the spectrum of psych care professionals who either give credit to all manner of spiritual beliefs - and thus give the leeway - and to those who will fully discount religious beliefs as they (the beliefs) are espoused by a patient. Surely someone who says that they are 'Jesus Christ' or a reincarnation of the prophet Mohammed are people who are having a state of psychic crisis and do need help. Psych professionals, who have seen enough of this, might be tempted to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

But who amongst psych professionals might be sympathetic enough to be able to help patients who are going through a psychic crisis (for eg) without keeping them perpetually on anti-psychotic medication and not dealing with their root issues that would (one would reasonably think) need deep psycho analysis.

In my opinion, to discount religion and spirituality is like flying in the face, of what makes us human -even atheists have their own creed. Studies have shown (apologies for I do not have a citation) that people with a faith are less likely to be stressed - but those that have a pet also show less stress! So living with a 'faith' is better than living in state of 'fear' and what the future or current circumstances might hold.

[Nivleonus]

I think that I should point out the fact that Jungian Psychology... was developed around the idea that psychology and spirituallity are very free to coexist... after all Carl Jung was a Spiritualist.