Importance of Faith in a Time of Tragedy
Suggested lead: Many Americans are turning to their religious beliefs to help them accept the recent tragic events in New York and Washington. Tom Britt has more.
Duke University Medical Center physician Dr. Harold Koenig specializes in religion and health. He has conducted several studies that show our religious beliefs, or lack thereof, have a direct bearing on our physical and psychological well-being. Koenig says recent national tragedies have many people looking for comfort in their religious beliefs.
"This event has occurred in our country that can only be addressed in spiritual terms in many respects."
Koenig says it is important to recognize that this is the result of a group of people allowing anger to replace their religious beliefs.
"This is a great evil. That anger and that hatred, that desire for revenge, that's the real evil."
And Koenig says, he hopes we do not succumb to the same evil.
"It's like a cancer. It can spread right into us and it can overcome us just as easily as can the solidarity and the sense of spirituality that it has aroused in this nation."
I'm Tom Britt.
Koenig says he is encouraged to see people turning to their religious beliefs to cope with the tragic events.
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"As we struggle with trying to make sense of this, we're seeing that the country is coming together in many respects in a spiritual way. Supporting each other, coming together and praying to God for the support and the strength to get through this -- for direction and wisdom."
contact sources : Dr. Harold Koenig , (919) 681-6633 koenig@geri.duke.edu