Is religion a placebo ?

Answer 1

The placebo effect is a measurable effect whereby the subject's health improves if the subject is under the impression that they are doing something beneficial. i.e. thinking that they are taking medication when it is just a sugar pill etc. This speaks volumes about the power of positive belief and the mind's role in keeping the body healthy. My own anecdote is of my gradmother, a devout catholic who in her later years contracted terminal bowel cancer. She prayed everyday to Jesus and firmly believed that he would cure her cancer. She died several years later in complete remission. This leads to 3 possibilities
a) God healed her, I consider this to be the most unlikely. given that scientific studies into the healing effects of prayer show that there is no statistically significant effect.
b) She got better naturally, again highly unlikely
c) Her positive belief that she was being proactive helped to heal her - a demonstrable placebo effect.

So yes, I would say that devout faith certainly can act as a placebo.

Answer 2

A placebo is something used in place of something real so maybe you are right but generally it is supposed to make you feel better but all I see of religion is wars and hatred and death ..control would be a better description.

Answer 3

Religion is a way of controlling many millions of people. It works on the basis of morality, superstition and feeding people false information to gain power, control and money. Show me a religion thats free!!! Tell people want they want to hear and they are happy, I wish I were still that vulnerable.

Answer 4

It depends on whether it's harder to believe than not to. Some religions (or atheistic belief systems) encourage complacency, while some leave their adherents feeling challenged to live up to a calling -- even a demand -- from a Superior Being.

Answer 5

why not follow someone stronger than you are, religion is like a deserted garden, once you beleive you heart is like a garden, then you will search for your way, inside your heart, you need to purify your heart... and then maybe you will look up for a paradise (which is hidden deeply in nature) as whole yesterday expierence was a misery and illusion. So does spirituality exist or it's only another commercial? damn, it's too late to think clearly, I hope you will get my sketch in a peaceful way... :)

Answer 6

No.What for .Religion is very helpful in directing our lives cultures etc.Good religion teaches you how to behave towards other people .Good religion doesn't support killings of Innocent people .In many religions God is number one .In my own opinion religion is not a placebo.It helps to keep heads of its members highs even in times of darkness ,In times of death ,Any misery.Who has power to say religion is just a useless thing without being disputed?

Answer 7

Yes, it's the opiate of the masses. That's why there are so many more houses of worship in the poor neighborhoods. The religions know how to play it.

Answer 8

No it is not. Every human is created in the image of God but sinfulness mars that image. We try to fill this void with pleasure, materialism, knowledge, activity etc. Being restored in His image via faith in God is genuine and why mankind has an innate desire to worship

Answer 9

Marx said that it was "the opium of the masses".
I think he was a very clever man.

Answer 10

Yep, people pray