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Lydia Morrison

Professor Morean

English 505.1201

1 July 2020

Literature Critique

Humans have always sought to find ways to explain and understand the world around

them. One such way is religion, which follows a core system of values and beliefs in order to

achieve a better afterlife or peace with a higher power. Religious texts often describe the creation

of the world, tell the tales of various figures and outline the rules and values of the idyllic

follower. Demonstrating those strictures can have a significant impact on how one interacts with

the world and the effect the world has on them, but how? How does following a religion affect

one’s mental, physical and financial health? Why do simple beliefs change a person so much?

Throughout history, religion has impacted the development of countries and people alike,

from the Crusades to the colonization of America. Colonists justified kicking out Native

Americans with Manifest Destiny, believing the indigenous people to be uncivilized due to their

own culture, which also happened to be heavily religious by itself. (Foner 347) Generations of

discrimination have been influenced by religion. However, despite being used as an excuse by

extremists, religion has made many beneficial impressions as well. Many religious figures

devoted their lives to helping others. There are entire groups made solely to going out into the

world and fixing problems. However, even with so many followers openly pursuing their faith,

religion is a very personal matter. Much of religion is founded in individual values and actions

rather than trying to force the world to change.

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I found multiple sources that showed studies about the correlation between religion and

mental health. One, a review of related studies put together by Anna C. Salgado, used a series of

studies and books to point out how religion positively affects health. Practicing a religion can

provide a sense of purpose and community, leading to depression rates among the religious to be

significantly lower than those who don’t appreciate or practice religion. The study also claimed

religion can have health benefits as well. Abstaining from drugs and alcohol, a principle that

occurs in many major world religions, helps protect followers from an increased risk of many

diseases. This source, when coupled with some recent studies on the effects of drugs on the

human body, will be a great asset to show how religious practice affects health.

A study on grief in Hong Kong demonstrated the same. Personal beliefs of an afterlife or

reincarnation gave the religious hope that their lost loved one wasn’t lost forever. When that was

combined with the support that a religious community can bring, those who valued religion

“reported fewer depressive symptoms than the non-religious." (Cheong 2) A series of interviews

by a Nancy Kehoe, a psychology professor at Harvard also outlined the importance of religion on

mental health. However, they were often from an outside perspective. They made points about

how psychologists should treat a religious person, how a religious community should treat

someone with mental illness, and how important religion is in dealing with mental illness. While

the interviews provided an important aspect of my research, I’m not sure how to use them in my

paper.

Another source claims that practicing a religion together can help a couple grow

together. It shows studies that demonstrate lower rates of divorce and higher satisfaction in

couples’ marriage. The difference especially showed when the couples attended services

together, in which case they reported that they were very satisfied with their marriage. However,
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the article, titled “Effects of Religious Practice on Marriage,” didn’t have its author shown on the

site. I need to be able to find other similar sources so I don’t rely on this one heavily. If I

combine this source with a study on the mental health effects of divorce, and attending religious

services causes one to value their marriage more, then I could show how following a religion can

help couples avoid the stress of divorce.

So many of the sources I’ve found show that religion can have a significant positive

impact on a person’s health, and most seem to agree that it can leave a beneficial impression on

relationships. Even so, there are still some discrepancies. The article on religion’s effect on

mental health from Hong Kong points out that while multiple previous studies shared similar

results, a few demonstrated the opposite. This may stem from how tightly woven religious

communities can be, sometimes shunning people who don’t quite follow the same belief system.

Other reasons might come from different claims and purposes authors have. If an author believes

religion has adverse effects, then the author may only use data that supports it.

Many believe that religion has poor effects on mental health in others through the

discrimination of its followers. Some claim that religious members actively discriminate against

non-believers because religion promotes it. Most followers often treat others with respect,

regardless of personal belief. There are many religious extremists out in the world, and awful

acts of alleged faith happen. However, according to the World Economic Forum, over three

fourths of the world’s population identified with a religion as of 2019. If each individual of such

a large group blatantly harmed or acted against others, religion would likely be regulated strictly

in more countries.

Based on my research so far, having a focus on health would help support my paper with

reliable sources, especially when I combine studies based solely on religion with studies about
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certain unhealthy behaviors that religious followers abstain from, as well as ones they don’t. I

should also research other religious texts to find similarities and differences in how different

followers live. No two religions are completely alike. I need to know the differences in order to

provide accurate information.

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Works Cited

Cheung, Teris, et al. "The associations between religion, bereavement and depression among

Hong Kong nurses." BMC Research Notes, vol. 10, no. 1, 2017. Gale In Context:

Opposing Viewpoints, https://link-gale-

com.sinclair.ohionet.org/apps/doc/A511310991/OVIC?

u=dayt30401&sid=OVIC&xid=9d33c12b. Accessed 4 July 2020.

“Effects of Religious Practice on Marriage.” Effects of Religious Practice on Marriage

[Marripedia], Marripedia, 2017,

marripedia.org/effects_of_religious_practice_on_marriage#. Accessed 4 July 2020.

Foner, Eric “The West and Freedom.” Give Me Liberty!: an American History, 5th ed., vol. 1,

W.W. Norton & Company, 2017, pp. 347–348. Accessed 5 July 2020

Jacobs, Frank. “These Are All the World's Major Religions in One Map.” World Economic

Forum, 26 Mar. 2019, www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/03/this-is-the-best-and-simplest-

world-map-of-religions/. Accessed 5 July 2020

Kehoe, Nancy. “Dr. Nancy Kehoe: Conversations on Religion and Mental Illness.” Initiative on

Health, Religion, and Spirituality, 20 Sept. 2014,

projects.iq.harvard.edu/rshm/conversations-religion-and-mental-illness. Accessed 4 July

2020
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Salgado, Ana C. “Review of Empirical Studies on Impact of Religion, Religiosity and

Spirituality as Protective Factors.” Journal of Educational Psychology - Propósitos y

Representaciones, vol. 2, no. 1, Jan. 2014, pp. 141–159. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1135263&site=eds-live.

Accessed 4 July 2020.