Psychology of Religion

Freud on Religion

Religion as a collective neurosis• “Universal obsessional neurosis”• Links between religious behaviour

and “obsessive actions in sufferers from nervous affections.” E.g. obsessive hand washing

• Ritual not performed = guilt• Unpleasant memories pushed into

unconscious mind• Repressed memories = neurotic

actions

Oedipus Complex and Repressed Guilt

• Boys and mothers• Fathers – mixture of feelings• Led to ‘terrible act’ – guilt

passed onto all future generations• Repressed guilt in

unconscious shows itself in religious behaviour

The Terrible Act

•Described in Totem and Taboo•Darwin – primordial hordes• Sons – Oedipus Complex• Kill father and eat body• Totem animal – father substitute

(animism)•Guilt passed on to future

generations• Totem animal becomes God• Eucharist = remembering act• Religion = illusion

Wish fulfilment and a reaction against helplessness

Illusions = “Derived from human wishes1. External Forces of Nature

(floods, earthquakes etc)2. Internal Forces of Nature

(murder, cannibalism, incest etc)3. Longing for father figure (1 & 2

lead to feelings of helplessness)

How does Freud challenge religious belief?• “Great services for human

civilisation.”•Negatives outweigh positives• Religion manipulated = social

injustice• Religion = oppression (“overrated

its necessity for mankind”)•Doesn’t bring happiness• Prevents maturing• Reject religion and progress• Put energy into this life.

Religious Responses

•No evidence• Promotes equality •Makes people happy• Jung – religion is positive and leads

to good mental health• If Freud had a religious experience

himself, he would understand. “If Freud had ever experienced anything of the kind himself, he might have been forced to consider some other interpretation.” (Storr)

It is generally agreed that Freud was immensely intelligent. His work greatly influenced the Western understanding of the mind. The idea that people imagined gods to represent the good and bad in their own lives and personalities was not a new one. It was held by many others in Freud’s time. Example OneIn The Natural History of Religion, David Hume had argued that humans had constructed religion in order to help them to deal with the misery of life and the dread of death. Example Two In The Essence of Christianity, Feuerbach states that religion is a childlike condition. He felt that it is an illusion which comes from feelings of separation from oneself and the world. These feelings of separation lead to the qualities which we ourselves lack being projected on to a ‘God’.

“Almost all evidence that Freud presented has been discredited in some way or another.” (Michael Palmer)

1. The Historical and Anthropological Evidence2. Malinowski and the Oedipus Complex – Trobriands3. Narrow Selection of Evidence4. Negative bias towards religion – Winnicott (religion

helps humans adapt by offering comfort and familiarity), Rizzuto (religion no more of an illusion than science)

Jung on Religion

Religion as an expression of the collective unconscious• All humans have an unconscious

which is made up of archetypes, which are, “identical psychic structures common to all.” • Collective unconscious = oldest part of

mind• E. g. Common idea of God = light

Archetypes

“Archetypes are those pre-existent forms or primordial types that have existed since the remotest times of humanity.” (Michael Palmer)• A priori• “Unconscious organisers of ideas.”•Drawing on the work of Kant –

noumenon, phenomenon and concepts

God as an archetype

• Images and ideas of God are archetypal• All humans come up with similar

ideas of God, angels etc• This idea has no bearing on

arguments for God’s existence• “Nothing positive or negative has

thus been asserted about the possible existence of God any more than the archetype of the hero proves the actual existence of a hero.”

The Persona

• The mask we show the world• The parts of our personalities which

we think other people and society will like• Repressing parts of ourselves which

we think are ‘bad’ has negative effects on our mental health. • Persona = “a very fruitful source of

neurosis.”

The Shadow

• The parts of our characters which we repress• The things we think society will

not like• Cannot stay repressed• Reveals itself in ideas such as

Satan, Mr Hyde, Frankenstein• Ashamed of shadow – protect it

onto something else, like Satan.

Anima and Animus

• Anima = feminine side of male• Animus = masculine side of female•Men put masculine characteristics

into their persona and repress feminine characteristics•We are attracted to those who have

the feminine/masculine characteristics we repress• Images of anima – Virgin Mary,

goddesses• Images of animus – hero, wise man

The Self

•Most important part of humans• Seeks integration•Guides through life• Looks for fulfilment in religion and

art• Self = ‘God within’ – the mystical

part of humans, or the soul• Reveals itself in dreams and visions,

figures of power (kings), supernatural entities (gods), outstanding religious personalities (Jesus), religious symbols (Mandala)

Integration / Individuation

• “Coming to self-hood” (Jung)• All humans go through this process of

becoming a unique individual. • Individuation can be held back by

parents, education etc• Conscious and unconscious mind

comes together• Two stages of life:• Up to 35/40 – Construct persona and

repress parts of personality• 35/40+ - embrace ourselves and ask

spiritual and philosophical questions

Is integration a religious process?

• Jung – archetype of self and archetype of God are not easily distinguishable • Both ‘God’ and ‘self’ belong to the

nouminon – impossible to understand / describe• Self and God are not the same – the

self does not replace God.• Symbols of Self and God are symbols

of unity, such as the mandala. • Individuation is about wholeness and

totality – these are the goals of religion

How do Jung’s ideas challenge religious belief?

• Jung’s ideas are not as damaging as Freud’s• Religion is important – unlocks

collective unconscious – therapeutic for individual• Religion is not infantile – it helps

humans to mature and integrate their personalities• Religion gives life meaning. • Reductionism?

As Jung provides a theory of religion and psychology which is less damaging to religion, he has been praised by religious thinkers:“[Jung has] rediscovered the religious and the sacred and got rid of an overwhelming rationalism. (Raymond Hostie – Jesuit theologian)“[Jung is] one who knows so much about the depths of the human soul …” (Paul Tillich – Theologian)“[By studying Jung] we can gain an insight into the ways by which men become aware of God.” (Charles Hanna – Jungian)However, “although Jung’s theories are perhaps less sensational than those of Freud, they have nonetheless been seriously criticised.” (Michael Palmer)

• Jung – we can never know whether or not God exists. However, Jung accepted scientific ideas without empirical evidence• Roheim - the theory of archetypes is unnecessary –

Humans have the same ideas because they have the same experiences. • Is God an archetype? If so, why are there atheists?• Is individuation a religious process? For Christians, Christ

is more than just a symbol of wholeness to help balance our minds - He is the Son of God. • Jung’s reduction of religion to psychology could be

damaging – (Father Victor White)

Has Freud explained

religion away?

Religion is an illusion which prevents humans maturing. There is no proof , so religion should be rejectedFreud’s idea of the terrible act could show that religion is simply a reaction to a guilty memory.

Freud doesn’t provide any proof against religionHick – Freud could be beneficial to religion. Freud may have uncovered how God reveals Himself as a father figureJung – it is not the job of psychology to comment upon God’s existence. It cannot be proven or disproven

Has Jung explained

religion away?

Jung does not wish to comment on the veracity of religion. He is interested only in the effects it has on individuals.

Religion can have positive effects on mental health, but that doesn’t mean that God does or doesn’t exist.

God can exist (or not exist) even if God is an archetype

For Jung, religion is part of human nature which can be studied like any other.

Religion and mental health

Positive effects Negative effects

Religion can make people happy and provides support in difficult times, when they could be prone to mental health problems

Freud – negative effects – guilt leads to behaviour linked to obsessional neurotics

Jung – religion aids integration which supports good mental health

Freud – religion holds people back and stops them maturing

Religious leaders support the mentally ill and joining congregations promotes a sense of belonging.