Faith in time of crisis
Kay Bajwa, a real estate agent in Washington, D.C., spends his solitary confinement praying five times a day and working with members of his mosque to find ways to help those in need during these difficult times.
He says: “All these trials keep us close and close to Allah."Spending time praying with her is comforting."
Bajwa is not alone in converting his faith into stormy weather. Religion and beliefs are now seen by many researchers and therapists as an important way to deal with trauma and depression as a result of research over the past three decades.
“Religion was largely regarded as an immature response in difficult times,” says Kenneth Pargament, PhD, a senior professor of psychology at Bowling Green State University, who since the 1980's has been a leader in religious research and perseverance.
Despite the ideals he faced at the time, Pargament and a number of others persevered, researching the impact of religion on human mental health.
That article revealed both positive and negative aspects of religious practice - as well as evidence that the way people feel and express their faith has implications for their well-being and health. "People who practice good religion are more likely to have good results than those who struggle with God, their faith, or other people with holy matters," said Pargament.
Positive and negative aspects
What are those positive effects? Research shows that religion can help people to cope with adversity by:
Encourage them to rearrange events using a hopeful lens. Good religious reorganization can help people go through difficult times by making them see disaster as an opportunity to draw closer to higher powers or improve their lives, as is the case with Bajwa.
Encouraging a sense of connection. Some people see religion as a part of something bigger. This can be done through prayer or meditation, or by participating in religious meetings, listening to spiritual music, or going for walks.
Cultivating communication through culture. Religious practices and passing habits can help people to acknowledge that something important is happening. These events often mark the beginning of an event, such as at a wedding, or the end of an event, as it does at funerals. They help guide and support people in the most difficult life changes.
“It is very important for people to practice their beliefs in a way that makes them feel powerful and confident,” says Thomas Plante, PhD, professor of psychology at Santa Clara University. "Because it can be very helpful in controlling stress at times like these."
Unfortunately, religious beliefs can also undermine healing in times of distress. These negative religious expressions include:
Feeling you have been punished by God or angry with a superior. Suffering and adversity can challenge God's view of love as a loving and protective force. As a result, some people become bitter in their relationship with God and experience feelings of anger, abandonment, or punishment of superior power.
Putting everything “in the hands of God.” When people engage in “religious error,” they believe that God is in control of their affairs and that they may fail to take practical steps to protect themselves. An example of this is the rejection of church leaders who claim that God will protect their churches as they conduct church services by violating guidelines on physical separation aimed at reducing the spread of COVID-19.
Falling into moral struggles. People may find it difficult to reconcile their moral and spiritual values with one another. For example, healthcare providers who are in the process of treating patients with coronavirus may describe the pain they feel as they are forced to decide how to allocate resources that support a limited life, decisions that place them in an unpleasant role of playing God.
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