Mental Wellbeing & The Divine Being
I am an agnostic, a work-in-progress atheist. I went from God to Ggod, but haven’t reached god yet. I humbly consider myself to be part of the elite few who find the existence of Ggod inexplicable. Very humble, I tell ya. But there are times when I feel like…oh, how I wish I believed in the existence of Ggod. Times when I am down in the dumpster, crawling to find that ray of light, struggling to reach out, grab on and get up. That’s when I wish I could say…Oh God, please help me…Oh God, I can’t…Oh God, why?...Oh God.
That’s the power of God. That’s the power of religion.
I believe that the otherworldly clean and pristine Ggod does not exist in our realm. Maybe that’s why we are tempted to reach out because Ggod exists in an oh-so-perfect realm far away from our excruciating reality.
The faith that a religious person has in their God…that is a conviction like no other. It gives them a sense of calmness, purpose, and relief. They trust their God to be a listener, a reliable being, a constant. Their God will look out for them, come what may. Do these qualities ring a bell? Aren’t these the traits we sometimes expect from our loved ones? And some of us are lucky enough to have such reliable constants in our lives. We, humans, are capable of that. We can be good listeners, benefactors, and therapists. But we have our own shit to deal with first.
Some of the other lucky ones are able to buy the peace and calm they need and the happiness that comes along with it. I agree with the adage that money can’t buy happiness, but it definitely can cushion some of the blows that can otherwise jolt your life to shambles. Do note, though, that there are licensed professionals who can provide the care we need to survive through all of this, the care for mental health.
Mental wellbeing is discussed more with each passing day. It is still inaccessible to most and costly for many. There is no doubt that religion helps attain mental well-being, especially for the poor. A September 2021 article by The Economist puts this perfectly - “by promising rewards in the next life, religion helps the poor bear their lot in this one.” The article goes on to describe a study that statistically proved that the richer a country, the more Ggodless it tends to be. Apparently, religious beliefs protect people from the unpleasant effects of poverty and draw out the sting of poverty.
Religion-Poverty-Mental Wellbeing…a muddled-up trio that is difficult to break free from.
Every now and then, we hear of the bloodshed that takes place in the name of God. The relief obtained from calling out to God is worth it only until the day the blood starts pouring down your street, from and/or by your kith and kin.
It is fair to say that religion is used as a patchwork for issues that mental health professionals can help one deal with. Can making mental health care accessible to the masses help thwart the concept of Ggod? Can priests and other ministers of Ggod be erased the way shamans and their healing spirits were wiped away from society at large?
Something to think about but I doubt it, for God is omnipotent. You and your licensed professionals are mere humans. And that dumpster…it can get pretty deep.
