Religion in relation to depression

[roguewave]

Are religion and depression related? I can only speak from my own experience (which is Christianity). In Christianity, the whole premise is that you're a sinner deserving of hell but saved by the grace of god who sacrificed his only son blah, blah...you guys know the story.
So does religion that approaches the individual from the perspective of being a sinner from birth cause depression? Highly likely.

Can't speak for any other religions.

 

[bulmabriefs144]

Those are some rather interesting views. If I agreed with your definitions, I'd agree with you, but I define some things differently.

I define theism as belief in a god/gods, and atheism is a lack thereof. I define agnosticism as believing we know nothing of god/gods (we've no evidence). I define a god as a supposed supernatural power beyond the constraints of our universe that is somehow able to affect our universe in some cases. When I say I'm an atheist, I'm in no way losing myself; I'm dismissing god. To me, my "core" is my mind and self-awareness. I see no reason to define that as a "god" or a "soul." Referring to it as "the self," "the core," or something along those lines is reasonable, but I don't like applying a supernatural aspect to it.

Words are only words. They can be defined or redefined as we wish.

Are religion and depression related? I can only speak from my own experience (which is Christianity). In Christianity, the whole premise is that you're a sinner deserving of hell but saved by the grace of god who sacrificed his only son blah, blah...you guys know the story.
So does religion that approaches the individual from the perspective of being a sinner from birth cause depression? Highly likely.

I grew up Christian, but I never really connected with the whole "dying for our sins" part. For one, it seemed there were a bunch of religions, who equally thought they were the right one, but OOPS you guessed wrong. The only thing that made sense about a loving God-Man dying for people to be saved, is that everyone who follows is saved, not by some clique membership. That is, if Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, then a Buddhist who happens to follow the Way, seek the Truth, and live the Life can't be that bad (they have their own afterlife though).

But yea, religious guilt, and/or creepy depressing cults can mess people up.

 

[Lone Apothecary]

"Words are only words. They can be defined or redefined as we wish."

Indeed, but it's a bit odd that you say you've serious misgivings towards self-described atheists when you've redefined what "god" is and therefore you've also changed what it means to be an atheist. 'Tis bound to cause confusion, no?

 

[Felix]

I love this "almost breking the rules" threads. They give me a rush!

 

[Lone Apothecary]

Hmm, I should probably shut up before my obsession with semantics lands me in hot water, then. There's a better time and place, I must admit.

 

[isthatso]

^ LA
think I know you from another forum.

I'd like to think that Religion has helped me to live a more moral life. Often I do put others needs first which I suppose is a Christian tenet. I try to listen. I go back to the Bible and Christian spiritual books for guidance sometimes, because I do tend to get drowned in the current of today's modern technological consumerist ocean. How many of us really do unto others as we would have them do to us? More like ..me me me..what about me/ I know I'm as self-absorbed as any.

Where religion has been a burden is that I have taken some of the precepts too literally. eg. live a pure life., which has made me a tad puritanical.
And I keep forgetting that probably the most important precept is "Don't judge others." you know if we could just learn this one and nothing else, then religion has been a worthwhile pursuit.