Hi Sondra...
-> I agree that religion does not need medical science to assess its
-> legitimacy.  But it makes life easier for those who "believe" if
-> their doctors don't belittle them; and, for those doctors who need
-> measurements to be convinced, these studies could be helpful.
If doctors can be made to understand, or at least pretend to understand,
that religious activities can be medically beneficial, then this is to
the good.  So long as doctors don't think this means they 'own' god,
like they own all the sick people and all the diseases and even all the
DNA, which as you might know is now being copyrighted.
Here's something very nice that I've just read in Carl Jung's Man and
his Symbols:
<<...in our time, there are millions of people who have lost faith in
any kind of religion.  Such people do not understand their religion any
longer.  While life runs smoothly without religion, the loss remains as
good as unnoticed.  But when suffering comes, it is another matter.
That is when people begin to seek a way out and to reflect about the
meaning of life and its bewildering and painful experiences....>>
The specter of approaching death often gives a powerful incentive to
such thoughts.  From time immemorial, men have had ideas about a Supreme
Being (one or several) and about the Land of the Hereafter.  Only today
do they think they can do without such ideas.>>
Man positively needs general ideas and convictions that will give a
meaning to his life and enable him to find a place for himself in the
universe.  He can stand the most incredible hardships when he is
convinced that they make sense; he is crushed when, on top of his
misfortunes, he has to admit that he is taking part in a "tale told by
an idiot".>>   (Dell Publishing, 1964)
-> By the way, thanks a lot for doing this research.  I have saved this
-> stuff to a folder in my computer, which, hopefully, I will be able to
-> locate when I want it.
You're welcome.  If you'd like the whole document, I can put it on a
disc and send it to you by snail mail.  You can e-mail me at
lorraine.phillips@bbs.logicnet.com
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