1 - Introduction
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 September 2009
Summary
Some questions
This chapter raises some questions about the relations between religion, culture and mental health.
Does religion cause, exacerbate or relieve mental disorder? And what role is played by cultural factors in the relations between mental health and religion? Are religion's roles in mental health similar in every culture?
An underlying task for this book and its readers is to examine several prevalent ideas and questions about religion and mental health. Are these ideas misconceptions, or distortions or distillations of important truths? They include:
Do visions, voices and delusions always mean that the person reporting them is mad? If religions encourage them, are their adherents putting themselves at risk of going mad?
Eliza is a devout Christian. Every morning and evening she studies passages from the Bible, and prays – speaking to G-d in her own words. When she is very worried or upset she sometimes cries, feeling that it is quite safe to do so, and that G-d understands. Sometimes she hears a gentle voice saying comforting things – ‘Eliza, Eliza’, ‘It's OK.’ ‘Keep trusting me.’
Sometimes in the night John feels he is awake but unable to move, and he is conscious of a presence in his room. He can see a grey shape, not a human shape, just a roundish slightly foggy mass, moving towards him. It stops near his bed and seems to remain motionless for perhaps five or ten minutes, and then it goes away. It is not pleasant at all. He feels it is some kind of malign spiritual or ghostly presence.
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- Information
- Religion, Culture and Mental Health , pp. 1 - 10Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2006