Have you heard of the illusionary truth effect? It describes how our brains are wired to believe something we hear repeatedly without questioning whether it is factual.
One of the most destructive myths of modern times is the statement: “Religion is the cause of all wars.” We hear it so often that we believe it and accept it as a fact. Religion, like other institutions of power, is co-opted or used to wage war. No religion produces the arms used in war; they are produced by arms manufacturers who, along with educational, economic, and political institutions, feed wars with these weapons.
Similarly, there’s the claim that spirituality is only for the aged. We often hear it, believe it, and soon, such a misleading statement becomes a “fact” we don’t bother to fact-check.
Is psychospiritual counselling or spiritual emergencies only for the aged? Let’s fact-check that!
72.5% of the world’s population are followers of a major religion, 13.1% follow non-major religions, and 14.4% of the world’s population are unaffiliated [www.statista.com].
Every human has a sense of spirituality. Spirituality is the fire within, as Ronald Rolheiser describes it. Howard Clinebell speaks of humans having seven spiritual needs [http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/seven-spiritual-needs]:
1. The need to experience healing
2. The need to experience transcendence or what is beyond us
3. The need to have a sense of meaning or hope
4. The need to hold values such as integrity, justice, and love
5. The need to grow inwardly
6. The need for awareness
7. The need for spiritual resources to heal the painful wounds of grief, guilt, resentment, unforgiveness, self-rejection, and shame.