Magical thinking and religion

One magical thinking myth about religion concerns the belief that praying a little harder will make a situation better. What more prayer does is relieve anxiety and other feelings when one is stressed. Yet prayer does not save a person from harm; that may be attributed to one's quick thinking.

Such magical thinking could be applied to recovery as well. When we think that going to meetings will stop us from alcohol or other drug use, that is a form of positive magical thinking. Its negative aspects may arise when we believe that if only a person remains clean and sober, then she will have wonderful friends to share with. This myth of recovery as a solution to life's problems is a form of magical thinking.

For recovery is a continuing process where you learn to stay clean and sober whilst facing the challenges of change and handling a crisis.

It is not religion that is the mental impairment; rather, it is the mind that practices magical thinking which is impaired. Yet spirituality is a continuing process of discovering the deeper understanding of God as I know him.

This deeper understanding of Him leads me to find solace in the Bible, in Buddhism, and in the works of other authors such as Rumi, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and other writers.

To solely rely on the Bible or other religious texts is a conservative approach to religion. Yet I see no harm in religion so long as it does not endorse the use of violence or condone it.

Sometimes magical thinking even blinds doctors, lawyers and politicians.

Political ideologies include cronyism and other forms of political corruption.

A doctor who owns a successful chain of medical clinics also subscribes to the ideology that healthcare can be corporately managed to bring it to the masses.

Yet when it leads to long wait times to get that care, then such ideology may sometimes conflict with the doctor's obligation to do no harm.

As for lawyers, the ideology of taking advantage of the law for gain without consideration of the rights of justice is equally reprehensible. Yet sometimes such white collar crime goes on because any damage to the reputation of that lawyer leads to less business for him. This ideology involves placing gain and game above justice and respect for the law.

A scientist may believe in the Big Bang theory, despite the fact that it is a theory. Indeed, much of quantum mechanics is based on theory. The only people convinced that it has been proven might still be blinded by personal biases. As well, although I have a bias that endorses situational ethics, that bias influences me to view the Milgram experiment and the related Stanford prison experiment as validating my own ideology that each and every situation presents itself with ethical challenges.

Thus magical thinking is a condition of the human mind which involve an ideology, be it religious, political or scientific. It can be used to delude a person about how life really works. However, magical thinking also can be used creatively to see the whole picture about life.

Religion may be an opium of the people. When practiced mindfully it could open one's eyes to reality as it is.

As well, whether or not God exists is a either-or fallacy. Faith in him and belief that Christ died for my sins is a personal form of magical thinking which does comfort me.

This is because for me, its deep spiritual meaning cannot be described. I also get the same experience when reading Rumi and from the Buddhist sutras. This cannot be solely magical thinking at work. Indeed, I'm pretty sure that it is a form of self-hypnosis and may be related to the placebo effect as well.