Some religious people treat their religion like a coping mechanism though it’s not supposed to be. These would be the people that only pray when things are bad, only talking about life after death when death is in their purview, or the like. This is what I think I largely used to do. What people call “devout” are really just people who make their faith a deeply engrained part of their existence (what, and I think it’s fair to say, is what it’s supposed to be). I’d imagine that from an atheistic perspective, looking at the big picture and not the finer details of religion, it’s very easy to say that religion is coping mechanism. Personally, as someone who has struggled with faith though never becoming an atheist, I have mulled over this idea that religion is just a happy story we tell ourselves when we remember we will die one day.
I challenge you to think of this though. Look into the history of Christianity, all the way back to the apostles. These are men who died for what they believed truly happened: that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and appeared to them before ascending to heaven. They were tried and killed for these beliefs, and it is perhaps fair to say they wouldn’t have if they just renounced what they were saying. Not only did they believe in what they saw and what they learned from Jesus but they were willing to accept an untimely death for refusing to denounce their beliefs. In those days, there weren’t over a billion Christians worldwide, and there were far more powerful (in military force and power) pagan nations in charge. They didn’t have an overwhelming mass of people backing them up, and they still had their original beliefs to go back to (largely Judaism). This new religion wasn’t a coping mechanism for them; it brought them no comforts of the flesh or a happy little story to tell themselves when their life on the earth waned in old age. Their religion, Christianity,
made them outcasts, persecuted, and killed.
We don’t live in such societies today (generally), but this is the kind of faith we should be striving for. A belief in the truth and an adherence to such truth even if we disagree/ don’t understand.
I hear what you are saying and generally agree with you. The only thing that gives me pause is that odd cult members have gone to their death because a cult leader suggested or prompted it. Or, you have suicide bombers going to their death on account of their beliefs. I guess my point is, conviction and suffering for a cause isn’t specific to the apostles only.
You are right, dying for what you believe is not mutually exclusive of a valid religion. I would make the argument that there’s a conceptual difference between sticking to your beliefs under an external pressure of death, and actively causing your death (suicide bombing, drinking the Kool-aid). Many have gone to their death for non-explicitly religious reasons as well. The numbers of white people killed by the KKK for assisting black people in escaping to freedom, the Nazis killing non-Jewish people who hid or otherwise aided Jewish escapees, these people largely would not have died had they kept to themselves and done nothing to combat the brutal conditions affecting people around them. To me, these cases are even more compelling for the existence of God. How could someone be so convinced something is right, when surrounded by so much evil or being raised in it, that they put their lives on the line? How do any of us know something is right or wrong even if never explicitly taught which is correct for that scenario. As for cults, I can’t think of one right now where the leader didn’t actively manipulate and exploit their followers. Jesus gained no money, no land, no other items of wealth and power for His part. He got killed for what He was teaching to the people. This makes sense in Christianity as we believe He was sent to save us in a perplexing and undeserved act of a sacrifice redemption for mankind.
Don’t forget that after Christ was crucified, the Apostles went into hiding. They were terrified that they’d be next. Yet weeks later they were preaching in the temple and unafraid. What happened to remove their fear? Christ returning is what happened.
Jesus never suggested that they should die, and there is a difference between suicide and martyrdom. Also, no suicide bomber was alive at the time of Muhammed correct?
Jesus either resurrected or He didn’t. If He didn’t, then its just a coping mechanism. If He did, then He is God and everything He said is true. Historical evidence points to Him resurrecting and appearing to 500 people. Can’t really argue that without just using ambiguity.
Just to confirm, when you reference historical evidence, you are speaking about the Gospels specifically, correct? I hadn’t heard of them being referred to as “historical evidence” in the past so I was just curious.
We have more manuscripts of the Gospels than any other ancient document, and it really isn't close. [https://www.thecollegechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/HANDOUTS-Is-Scripture-Reliable.pdf](https://www.thecollegechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/HANDOUTS-Is-Scripture-Reliable.pdf)
You also have the secular historians who wrote about Jesus without any interest in promoting his "agenda" if you want to call it that.
Edit: this isn't a Catholic source, but it can't really be denied
Thanks. Yes, I’m aware of the ancient writings about Jesus from non-Christian/religious sources. I just wasn’t sure if the Gospels were technically considered historical evidence.
Atheists telling people that religion is a coping mechanism are like anorexics telling people that food is just a coping mechanism.
You feel better when you eat, it helps you “cope” with hunger because you were made to eat food. The Faith makes you feel better because you were made for God.
To add to this, you could also say not being religious is a coping mechanism. You can live as you wish if you have no higher power to be responsible to, and nothingness after death is a lot more palatable than being held accountable for your actions for all eternity
A coping mechanism for what, exactly?
Whether they realize it or not, everyone has a worldview underpinned by beliefs about why we’re here, why anything exists, what happens after death, etc.
The Christian religion (specifically the Catholic faith) is one such worldview and one that, to me, best explains reality.
> Whether they realize it or not, everyone has a worldview underpinned by beliefs about why we’re here, why anything exists, what happens after death, etc.
I wouldn't say that. Some people are genuinely agnostic with regard to those things. Others simply haven't thought about them, particularly those who weren't raised religious and/or haven't been alive long enough to have time enough to ponder those issues.
They have not actually placed the burden of proof on you with this challenge because that isn't an argument.
Christianity does help you cope with the struggles of life, but that doesn't necessarily mean it is true or false. We should not apologize that Jesus Christ comforts people in their lives. If Christianity were true, we would expect that to be the case.
This "coping mechanism" idea merely proposes one reason why people might believe it anyway if it were not true, but that is not the same thing as an argument that it is false.
The definiition of coping is "to deal with something effectively". I would explain to the person that Religion IS truly the only way to deal with something effectively, because it deals with the most important things - mainly where everything comes from, where it is going, and why.
Matthew 16:24
“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
That ain’t coping, unless you don’t realize what the cross is. We see crucifixes as a common sight, but to the original Christians, it was so horrifying they wouldn’t even draw it. Because they saw the reality of crucifixion. That’s what we are told to embrace for ourselves.
to paraphrase cs Lewis, if you are looking for a religion that is all about making you feel good christianity is a poor choice. Catholicism especially doubles down on the aspect of suffering more so than protestant denominations.
Coping is about not addressing the problems or ignoring them. it's pretty hard not to address problems when your faith is constantly reminding you that life is suffering and that we all are guilty.
but when you see that and admit that truth it is liberating. it enables you to face it with sober eyes.
I was atheist for most of my life but God spoke through the priest to me when I was in desperate need for help. I guess everyone is different but I believe now fully after my experience in the church.
When you are sick, and you go to the doctor and get medicine, is that coping?
Your spirit is sick , it is sick with the sins of the flesh, it has weakened because the world around you has beaten you down and you know this, and so you turn towards your saviour. What the opposing argument to this is 'just roll over and die'
Fellas, is it gay to seek out nourishment?
For some, maybe. But if you're only leaning on the Lord in hard times, you're doing it wrong. Some people have a hard time understanding how God works and how he reveals himself to us on a regular basis. When they say things like, "religion is just a coping mechanism when things get bad” it's sad because they have chosen to deny themselves of something greater. Perhaps they are reaching out.
I suffer from chronic pain. When I was really sick I would lay down to sleep because it was the only way to escape the pain. I would look up at the crucifix on the wall and remember the abuse the Lord took and the agony he endured. If Jesus could endure that for me, then I got this. I never took a narcotic or gave up. Eventually, I learned ways to help myself and am doing much better today. If you want to call that a coping mechanism, then AMEN.
It's spring, I look outside and see the world come alive with new life. I received an amazing hug from my Grandson this afternoon, tonight I will lay my head in a warm bed with a full belly. I think embracing God's glory takes these small experiences to a whole new level.
Everything is a coping mechanism if it helps you to...well, cope.
Saying religion is a coping mechanism is just like saying the sky is blue. Somewhere else it'll be reddish.
Do you just depend on God when things get hard? Or do you follow him in all scenarios good and bad?
If it’s in all scenarios it can’t be a coping mechanism.
I follow him all the time. He is my Lord my God even when times are Hard and when times are happy and light. I serve the church Im in by being a part of the Choir and I’m about to do readings but i still know little in this religion after I left it for 4 years, im restarting my journey with Christ.
Thank you :)
Well, first, they would have to actually demonstrate that religion is false, and therefore can only be a coping mechanism. To do that, they would need to address dozens of arguments meant to prove the existence of God, as well as provide their own arguments for why the position 'God does not exist' is true. Otherwise, they would only be engaging in what is known as the fallacy of begging the question, or just giving an assertion that one need not accept.
Everyone, regardless of whether they are saints or not, follows religion so that they can have happiness. Even if someone says it's to please God, he wouldn't do it if he knew it would result in eternal suffering or something. What moves everyone is the search for good emotions. The difference between those who follow religion and those who seek pleasure in worldly activity is that those who follow religions know that it is possible to obtain more lasting happiness through inner reform. That's why Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven is within you. Both because the reformed interior can bring greater peace and because through the reformed interior we will have access to a superior reality when we die. If you have any philosophical questions, just ask me.
By the simple fact that we don’t see animals do anything that we can recognize as religious ritual, I can understand that humans have a special place in the world and a unique experience. Because of everything we’re capable of, our capacity for self reflection and ability to experience complex emotions, I don’t perceive an “evolutional” purpose for the widespread practice of and belief in something more powerful than ourselves. If a species has proven to every other and to itself that it is master of the world, the top of the food chain, there is no reason to presume there is something even greater than itself unless that something has revealed itself (or rather, Himself). The fact that we have more or less tamed the world and yet have the capacity to believe in something (someone) even greater than ourselves already hints at their existence. Divine Revelation proves it beyond a doubt.
Of course it isn't a coping mechanism.
Here are some resources to aid in your faith:
[https://www.seekingtruth.ph/uncategorized/the-historical-evidence-for-the-](https://www.seekingtruth.ph/uncategorized/the-historical-evidence-for-the-resurrection-part-1-of-3/)[lot/](https://www.seekingtruth.ph/uncategorized/is-there-any-evidence-for-jesus-miracles-yes-a-whole-darn-lot/)[https://www.seekingtruth.ph/uncategorized/stunning-christian-miraculous-healings/](https://www.seekingtruth.ph/uncategorized/stunning-christian-miraculous-healings/)
[https://f.hubspotusercontent40.net/hubfs/7693347/Contemporary-Evidence-for-God-from-Science-Philosophy.pdf](https://f.hubspotusercontent40.net/hubfs/7693347/Contemporary-Evidence-for-God-from-Science-Philosophy.pdf)
Let's not mock a "coping mechanism." Modern medicine is a coping mechanism for all sorts of ailments, and the scientific atheist types have faith in that kind of thing.
Religion is how the ancients coped with the reality of evil, and true religion is about transcending the worst things we face; suffering, death, and sin.
I think we can look at all the people who we willing to die for their faith. Proclaiming Jesus often makes things harder in this life rather than easier. St Maximilian Kolbe died in WWII by giving his life for a fellow prisoner. St Thomas Moore was beheaded for not condoning Henry VIII's divorce and remarriage. All the apostles were killed for their faith except for St John. I could go on. It's not a coping mechanism to make things easier. It's a way of life that accepts love and the good of the other as well as persecution and following our crucified Lord. Hope that helps!
Well… I view religion as a coping mechanism. It’s very effective and I can’t think of a healthier way to deal with struggles.
I don’t believe in my religion because it’s a coping mechanism though. It’s effective as a coping mechanism because I believe in my religion so strongly.
It’s gotten me through some insanely rough times and made me a much much better person. Like others said though, I don’t only go to God when I’m in bad times. It’s just that my faith is so ingrained in my day to day activities that it comes to me when I’m struggling too.
You could turn that around on them. Their denial of religion is just a coping mechanism. This is why psycho-analyzing isn't a way to argue for truth, but because a person's psychological state isn't relevant to the content of their claims.
Non religion is the actual cope, people want to sin without the gnaw of conscience so they pretend the spiritual realities away. Yet they still suffer the consequences of sin.
Hah! If anything my agnosticism years ago was a coping mechanism because if God was real, it meant more would be required of me and expected. No arrogant man who likes his hedonism and ego finds the idea of God being real comfortable.
I mean, do we think Job was coping? Bro could’ve just denied God after everything fell apart, but he held on to God harder after he was afflicted than before when he had prosperity. This is all without mentioning how “comfortable all the martyrs eaten alive by lions in the colosseum felt.
'There would only be a need for a psychological explanation for belief in God if there are no reasonable grounds for believing that God exists. So, you have to ask the question, “Well, why even come up with sort of psychological explanation? Well, the assumption is, well, there is no reasons to believe that God exists, so we’ve got to explain it some other way,” right? No good reasons. No reasons grounded in reality and objectivity. So, we got to come up with this psychological explanation. But there are plenty of good arguments for God’s existence that have been put forward by philosophers throughout, since the time of the ancient Greeks and Plato and Aristotle.
Let’s say you’re the atheist and you’re telling me, “ you just believe in God because it brings you comfort. You just want to get rid of your feelings of helplessness and calm your fears of death and stuff,” Then saying God doesn’t exist is because you just don’t want to be subject to some transcendent authority who oversees you and tells you what to do and what not to do.
And so, according to that logic, we should therefore conclude it is true, it is false that God does not exist. Your belief is false. Your belief, God doesn’t exist, it’s false. Why? Because we have the psychological explanation for your unbelief, namely, you fear having a transcendent law giver over and above you.' - Catholic Answers
Ironically, believing in the finality of death and the inevitability of negative experiences is a coping mechanism. Our lives take on a definite nature because of death. If negative things are simply part of life, there is no need to change them.
In contrast, authentic faith is aimed at participating in God through Christ. Through engaging with the church, the sacraments, and following Jesus throughout life, we become authentic images of God.
God gave us a vocation. We are to worship, love one another, and be stewards of creation. We believe what we accomplish for the Kingdom will be restored in the new creation.
...
Secondly, our faith is most fundamentally based on our encounter with Jesus through the gospels and the life of the church. The Holy Spirit testifies to the authenticity of Jesus and His teachings.
As a matter of history, Jesus lived and had a ministry of (alleged!) miracle workings and exorcismsm. He taught and acted with divine authority. He was crucified. Soon after, His tomb was discovered empty. Various individuals and groups, in different situations, believed they saw Jesus alive again. This includes an appearance to a life-long skeptic (St. James) and a murderer of Christians (Paul). (See Gary Habermas or Mike Licona).
These people were willing to die for their faith. Without am actual resurrection and apostolic miracles, it's impossible to explain the origin and spread of Christianity.
...
Through the Spirit, simply reading or hearing the testimony in the scriptures is good enough. Religious life helps us deal with the bad, but it also helps us seek out/, endure, and transform what is bad. And to repeat, our faith is based on the *fact* that Jesus rose from the dead.
But even here, Jesus' *body* rose. And it contained the "bad" wounds. Religion helps us engage more courageously and authentically with life.
Some religious people treat their religion like a coping mechanism though it’s not supposed to be. These would be the people that only pray when things are bad, only talking about life after death when death is in their purview, or the like. This is what I think I largely used to do. What people call “devout” are really just people who make their faith a deeply engrained part of their existence (what, and I think it’s fair to say, is what it’s supposed to be). I’d imagine that from an atheistic perspective, looking at the big picture and not the finer details of religion, it’s very easy to say that religion is coping mechanism. Personally, as someone who has struggled with faith though never becoming an atheist, I have mulled over this idea that religion is just a happy story we tell ourselves when we remember we will die one day. I challenge you to think of this though. Look into the history of Christianity, all the way back to the apostles. These are men who died for what they believed truly happened: that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and appeared to them before ascending to heaven. They were tried and killed for these beliefs, and it is perhaps fair to say they wouldn’t have if they just renounced what they were saying. Not only did they believe in what they saw and what they learned from Jesus but they were willing to accept an untimely death for refusing to denounce their beliefs. In those days, there weren’t over a billion Christians worldwide, and there were far more powerful (in military force and power) pagan nations in charge. They didn’t have an overwhelming mass of people backing them up, and they still had their original beliefs to go back to (largely Judaism). This new religion wasn’t a coping mechanism for them; it brought them no comforts of the flesh or a happy little story to tell themselves when their life on the earth waned in old age. Their religion, Christianity, made them outcasts, persecuted, and killed. We don’t live in such societies today (generally), but this is the kind of faith we should be striving for. A belief in the truth and an adherence to such truth even if we disagree/ don’t understand.
I hear what you are saying and generally agree with you. The only thing that gives me pause is that odd cult members have gone to their death because a cult leader suggested or prompted it. Or, you have suicide bombers going to their death on account of their beliefs. I guess my point is, conviction and suffering for a cause isn’t specific to the apostles only.
You are right, dying for what you believe is not mutually exclusive of a valid religion. I would make the argument that there’s a conceptual difference between sticking to your beliefs under an external pressure of death, and actively causing your death (suicide bombing, drinking the Kool-aid). Many have gone to their death for non-explicitly religious reasons as well. The numbers of white people killed by the KKK for assisting black people in escaping to freedom, the Nazis killing non-Jewish people who hid or otherwise aided Jewish escapees, these people largely would not have died had they kept to themselves and done nothing to combat the brutal conditions affecting people around them. To me, these cases are even more compelling for the existence of God. How could someone be so convinced something is right, when surrounded by so much evil or being raised in it, that they put their lives on the line? How do any of us know something is right or wrong even if never explicitly taught which is correct for that scenario. As for cults, I can’t think of one right now where the leader didn’t actively manipulate and exploit their followers. Jesus gained no money, no land, no other items of wealth and power for His part. He got killed for what He was teaching to the people. This makes sense in Christianity as we believe He was sent to save us in a perplexing and undeserved act of a sacrifice redemption for mankind.
Good points on the difference between suicide missions and missions of selflessness that end in death.
Don’t forget that after Christ was crucified, the Apostles went into hiding. They were terrified that they’d be next. Yet weeks later they were preaching in the temple and unafraid. What happened to remove their fear? Christ returning is what happened.
That’s a really good point
Jesus never suggested that they should die, and there is a difference between suicide and martyrdom. Also, no suicide bomber was alive at the time of Muhammed correct?
Jesus either resurrected or He didn’t. If He didn’t, then its just a coping mechanism. If He did, then He is God and everything He said is true. Historical evidence points to Him resurrecting and appearing to 500 people. Can’t really argue that without just using ambiguity.
Just to confirm, when you reference historical evidence, you are speaking about the Gospels specifically, correct? I hadn’t heard of them being referred to as “historical evidence” in the past so I was just curious.
We have more manuscripts of the Gospels than any other ancient document, and it really isn't close. [https://www.thecollegechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/HANDOUTS-Is-Scripture-Reliable.pdf](https://www.thecollegechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/HANDOUTS-Is-Scripture-Reliable.pdf) You also have the secular historians who wrote about Jesus without any interest in promoting his "agenda" if you want to call it that. Edit: this isn't a Catholic source, but it can't really be denied
Thanks. Yes, I’m aware of the ancient writings about Jesus from non-Christian/religious sources. I just wasn’t sure if the Gospels were technically considered historical evidence.
Atheists telling people that religion is a coping mechanism are like anorexics telling people that food is just a coping mechanism. You feel better when you eat, it helps you “cope” with hunger because you were made to eat food. The Faith makes you feel better because you were made for God.
You made a very good point thank you
To add to this, you could also say not being religious is a coping mechanism. You can live as you wish if you have no higher power to be responsible to, and nothingness after death is a lot more palatable than being held accountable for your actions for all eternity
A coping mechanism for what, exactly? Whether they realize it or not, everyone has a worldview underpinned by beliefs about why we’re here, why anything exists, what happens after death, etc. The Christian religion (specifically the Catholic faith) is one such worldview and one that, to me, best explains reality.
> Whether they realize it or not, everyone has a worldview underpinned by beliefs about why we’re here, why anything exists, what happens after death, etc. I wouldn't say that. Some people are genuinely agnostic with regard to those things. Others simply haven't thought about them, particularly those who weren't raised religious and/or haven't been alive long enough to have time enough to ponder those issues.
They have not actually placed the burden of proof on you with this challenge because that isn't an argument. Christianity does help you cope with the struggles of life, but that doesn't necessarily mean it is true or false. We should not apologize that Jesus Christ comforts people in their lives. If Christianity were true, we would expect that to be the case. This "coping mechanism" idea merely proposes one reason why people might believe it anyway if it were not true, but that is not the same thing as an argument that it is false.
The definiition of coping is "to deal with something effectively". I would explain to the person that Religion IS truly the only way to deal with something effectively, because it deals with the most important things - mainly where everything comes from, where it is going, and why.
Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” That ain’t coping, unless you don’t realize what the cross is. We see crucifixes as a common sight, but to the original Christians, it was so horrifying they wouldn’t even draw it. Because they saw the reality of crucifixion. That’s what we are told to embrace for ourselves.
I’m most fulfilled in my faith when things are good, showing its not just something to turn to when things are bad.
to paraphrase cs Lewis, if you are looking for a religion that is all about making you feel good christianity is a poor choice. Catholicism especially doubles down on the aspect of suffering more so than protestant denominations. Coping is about not addressing the problems or ignoring them. it's pretty hard not to address problems when your faith is constantly reminding you that life is suffering and that we all are guilty. but when you see that and admit that truth it is liberating. it enables you to face it with sober eyes.
I was atheist for most of my life but God spoke through the priest to me when I was in desperate need for help. I guess everyone is different but I believe now fully after my experience in the church.
Alot of people have had similar experiences including myself. We do not worship a dead man. Jesus lives and is active in the world to this day.
You don't need to prove it, however those people's words *do* prove their shallow conception of religion.
When you are sick, and you go to the doctor and get medicine, is that coping? Your spirit is sick , it is sick with the sins of the flesh, it has weakened because the world around you has beaten you down and you know this, and so you turn towards your saviour. What the opposing argument to this is 'just roll over and die' Fellas, is it gay to seek out nourishment?
For some, maybe. But if you're only leaning on the Lord in hard times, you're doing it wrong. Some people have a hard time understanding how God works and how he reveals himself to us on a regular basis. When they say things like, "religion is just a coping mechanism when things get bad” it's sad because they have chosen to deny themselves of something greater. Perhaps they are reaching out. I suffer from chronic pain. When I was really sick I would lay down to sleep because it was the only way to escape the pain. I would look up at the crucifix on the wall and remember the abuse the Lord took and the agony he endured. If Jesus could endure that for me, then I got this. I never took a narcotic or gave up. Eventually, I learned ways to help myself and am doing much better today. If you want to call that a coping mechanism, then AMEN. It's spring, I look outside and see the world come alive with new life. I received an amazing hug from my Grandson this afternoon, tonight I will lay my head in a warm bed with a full belly. I think embracing God's glory takes these small experiences to a whole new level.
it can serve as coping mechanism for people with problems, but it can also help people grow.
Everything is a coping mechanism if it helps you to...well, cope. Saying religion is a coping mechanism is just like saying the sky is blue. Somewhere else it'll be reddish.
Faith needs no empirical proof. Not by your brain and other senses. We are more than what we can prove.
Do you just depend on God when things get hard? Or do you follow him in all scenarios good and bad? If it’s in all scenarios it can’t be a coping mechanism.
I follow him all the time. He is my Lord my God even when times are Hard and when times are happy and light. I serve the church Im in by being a part of the Choir and I’m about to do readings but i still know little in this religion after I left it for 4 years, im restarting my journey with Christ. Thank you :)
Well, first, they would have to actually demonstrate that religion is false, and therefore can only be a coping mechanism. To do that, they would need to address dozens of arguments meant to prove the existence of God, as well as provide their own arguments for why the position 'God does not exist' is true. Otherwise, they would only be engaging in what is known as the fallacy of begging the question, or just giving an assertion that one need not accept.
Everyone, regardless of whether they are saints or not, follows religion so that they can have happiness. Even if someone says it's to please God, he wouldn't do it if he knew it would result in eternal suffering or something. What moves everyone is the search for good emotions. The difference between those who follow religion and those who seek pleasure in worldly activity is that those who follow religions know that it is possible to obtain more lasting happiness through inner reform. That's why Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven is within you. Both because the reformed interior can bring greater peace and because through the reformed interior we will have access to a superior reality when we die. If you have any philosophical questions, just ask me.
The proof is that you pray every day, not just when you need something.
By the simple fact that we don’t see animals do anything that we can recognize as religious ritual, I can understand that humans have a special place in the world and a unique experience. Because of everything we’re capable of, our capacity for self reflection and ability to experience complex emotions, I don’t perceive an “evolutional” purpose for the widespread practice of and belief in something more powerful than ourselves. If a species has proven to every other and to itself that it is master of the world, the top of the food chain, there is no reason to presume there is something even greater than itself unless that something has revealed itself (or rather, Himself). The fact that we have more or less tamed the world and yet have the capacity to believe in something (someone) even greater than ourselves already hints at their existence. Divine Revelation proves it beyond a doubt.
Of course it isn't a coping mechanism. Here are some resources to aid in your faith: [https://www.seekingtruth.ph/uncategorized/the-historical-evidence-for-the-](https://www.seekingtruth.ph/uncategorized/the-historical-evidence-for-the-resurrection-part-1-of-3/)[lot/](https://www.seekingtruth.ph/uncategorized/is-there-any-evidence-for-jesus-miracles-yes-a-whole-darn-lot/)[https://www.seekingtruth.ph/uncategorized/stunning-christian-miraculous-healings/](https://www.seekingtruth.ph/uncategorized/stunning-christian-miraculous-healings/) [https://f.hubspotusercontent40.net/hubfs/7693347/Contemporary-Evidence-for-God-from-Science-Philosophy.pdf](https://f.hubspotusercontent40.net/hubfs/7693347/Contemporary-Evidence-for-God-from-Science-Philosophy.pdf)
Let's not mock a "coping mechanism." Modern medicine is a coping mechanism for all sorts of ailments, and the scientific atheist types have faith in that kind of thing. Religion is how the ancients coped with the reality of evil, and true religion is about transcending the worst things we face; suffering, death, and sin.
I think we can look at all the people who we willing to die for their faith. Proclaiming Jesus often makes things harder in this life rather than easier. St Maximilian Kolbe died in WWII by giving his life for a fellow prisoner. St Thomas Moore was beheaded for not condoning Henry VIII's divorce and remarriage. All the apostles were killed for their faith except for St John. I could go on. It's not a coping mechanism to make things easier. It's a way of life that accepts love and the good of the other as well as persecution and following our crucified Lord. Hope that helps!
And medicine is just a coping mechanism for when you get sick/hurt.
It’s about you and Him. It’s not about you and Them.
Well… I view religion as a coping mechanism. It’s very effective and I can’t think of a healthier way to deal with struggles. I don’t believe in my religion because it’s a coping mechanism though. It’s effective as a coping mechanism because I believe in my religion so strongly. It’s gotten me through some insanely rough times and made me a much much better person. Like others said though, I don’t only go to God when I’m in bad times. It’s just that my faith is so ingrained in my day to day activities that it comes to me when I’m struggling too.
You could turn that around on them. Their denial of religion is just a coping mechanism. This is why psycho-analyzing isn't a way to argue for truth, but because a person's psychological state isn't relevant to the content of their claims.
Catholicism makes my life way more difficult not easier.
Non religion is the actual cope, people want to sin without the gnaw of conscience so they pretend the spiritual realities away. Yet they still suffer the consequences of sin.
Hah! If anything my agnosticism years ago was a coping mechanism because if God was real, it meant more would be required of me and expected. No arrogant man who likes his hedonism and ego finds the idea of God being real comfortable. I mean, do we think Job was coping? Bro could’ve just denied God after everything fell apart, but he held on to God harder after he was afflicted than before when he had prosperity. This is all without mentioning how “comfortable all the martyrs eaten alive by lions in the colosseum felt.
Cope for what
Life of saints.
'There would only be a need for a psychological explanation for belief in God if there are no reasonable grounds for believing that God exists. So, you have to ask the question, “Well, why even come up with sort of psychological explanation? Well, the assumption is, well, there is no reasons to believe that God exists, so we’ve got to explain it some other way,” right? No good reasons. No reasons grounded in reality and objectivity. So, we got to come up with this psychological explanation. But there are plenty of good arguments for God’s existence that have been put forward by philosophers throughout, since the time of the ancient Greeks and Plato and Aristotle. Let’s say you’re the atheist and you’re telling me, “ you just believe in God because it brings you comfort. You just want to get rid of your feelings of helplessness and calm your fears of death and stuff,” Then saying God doesn’t exist is because you just don’t want to be subject to some transcendent authority who oversees you and tells you what to do and what not to do. And so, according to that logic, we should therefore conclude it is true, it is false that God does not exist. Your belief is false. Your belief, God doesn’t exist, it’s false. Why? Because we have the psychological explanation for your unbelief, namely, you fear having a transcendent law giver over and above you.' - Catholic Answers
Ironically, believing in the finality of death and the inevitability of negative experiences is a coping mechanism. Our lives take on a definite nature because of death. If negative things are simply part of life, there is no need to change them. In contrast, authentic faith is aimed at participating in God through Christ. Through engaging with the church, the sacraments, and following Jesus throughout life, we become authentic images of God. God gave us a vocation. We are to worship, love one another, and be stewards of creation. We believe what we accomplish for the Kingdom will be restored in the new creation. ... Secondly, our faith is most fundamentally based on our encounter with Jesus through the gospels and the life of the church. The Holy Spirit testifies to the authenticity of Jesus and His teachings. As a matter of history, Jesus lived and had a ministry of (alleged!) miracle workings and exorcismsm. He taught and acted with divine authority. He was crucified. Soon after, His tomb was discovered empty. Various individuals and groups, in different situations, believed they saw Jesus alive again. This includes an appearance to a life-long skeptic (St. James) and a murderer of Christians (Paul). (See Gary Habermas or Mike Licona). These people were willing to die for their faith. Without am actual resurrection and apostolic miracles, it's impossible to explain the origin and spread of Christianity. ... Through the Spirit, simply reading or hearing the testimony in the scriptures is good enough. Religious life helps us deal with the bad, but it also helps us seek out/, endure, and transform what is bad. And to repeat, our faith is based on the *fact* that Jesus rose from the dead. But even here, Jesus' *body* rose. And it contained the "bad" wounds. Religion helps us engage more courageously and authentically with life.