Religion and psychology have had an interesting history, often marked with contempt, misunderstandings and misinformation from both sides. In the next few blogs, we hope to address some of these issues. While we are not expressed experts in religions, will consult with pastors (e.g., current leaders of churches who have at least a Master’s degree) for this series to ensure quality. Each post will address 1-2 common questions we hear, either in the office, at conferences or at churches. This week, we’ll start with this one:
“Isn’t going to a psychologist a sign of lack of faith in God?”
This is a fundamental question we often hear. Similar variations on this include:
- “I’ve been told that I should just pray more.”
- “My worries show that I’m not relying on God”
These questions indicate some underlying beliefs:
- My psychological/mental health is based on my relationship with God
- My issues should be resolved solely through prayer
- My worrying/psychological concerns indicate I’m relying on myself as opposed to God.
Here’s a simple question:
“What if I replace ‘psychological issue’ with ‘medical issue’?
- Isn’t going to a medical doctor a sign of lack of faith in God?
- I should just pray more.
- My medical issues show that I’m not relying on God.
If I have a serious physical issue like diabetes or cancer, would someone say that I shouldn’t see a doctor, just pray more, and that my issue is my lack of faith?
If we understand that psychological disorders are no different than medical ones, it helps us better understand why treatment is necessary. In the next post, we’ll delve more into these questions.