Religion Helps and Religion Hinders: the Psychological Functions of Religion

Religion Helps and Religion Hinders: the Psychological Functions of Religion

In this article, I would like to see how a religion function one’s mind. In order to do so, I will begin with reviewing Freud and Kohut’s thoughts on religion. Although their emphasis on the function of religion would be different, it can be said that the religion affects people’s minds both positively and negatively. Religious addiction can be an example of a negative side of religion; religion has a positive function in that it gives hope and comfort to human beings. Having said that, I wonder how religion would function in the psyche of Korean Christian women when facing domestic violence by their husbands; how religion would work for them in order to make some pastoral implication from Korean context and seek some alternative pastoral theological suggestions. Like the double bind functions of religion, religious concerns can become roadblocks or healing resources for those dealing with experiences of domestic violence. If religion has both positive and negative functions for women experiencing violence, the purpose of this article is to enhance the positive functions and prevent the harmful functions by providing some alternatives. As an example, I introduce the theology of the cross. The symbol of the cross can be harmful when it could become a pressure for Christian women to endure their suffering. However, if it could show the way to the resurrection of women by overcoming violence, it could be a theology that saves many Korean Christian women suffering abuse.