Quite often on the forum, as well as when working with clients faced with issues of religion, faith and morality. Also not long ago, faced with the fact that there are Orthodox psychologists. I'll be honest, I didn't understand the questions that these psychologists and methods of their work, but their assumptions on this matter will speak up. From what I was able to understand and present the Orthodox psychologists these are psychologists who are trying to find ways for believers to combine science, psychology and religious dogmaticheskoe postulates. I will be glad to receive your feedback on this issue, quite possibly something I don't know about psychologists. What is interesting about Catholic psychologists I didn't hear about the phenomenon, although went to school with Catholic nuns and working as a lecturer of psychology with a Catholic priest.

And so, in this article, I decided to share with you, dear readers, my vision of such phenomena of our life, psychology, religion, and morality and how they interact with each other. So, my opinion is, psychology as a science, psychotherapy as the practical work with clients, immoral and religiozny. Not in the sense that they oppose these phenomena of our life, but in the sense that they lie in different planes that it's about different aspects of our lives, more about some aspects, but considered from different angles of view. And if we proceed from the laws of geometry they are (psychology, morality and religion) intersect along lines in a certain place, nothing more. However, it is possible that they do not plane, and some three-dimensional figures, however, can not yet definitely something to say about it. At the moment, will proceed from the fact that it's a plane.

And so, it's just a different plane. Then they intersect in straight lines, and it is only a small part of the whole that represents psychology, religion, and morality. Let's first talk a little bit about a phenomena. Start with religion. Personally, I understand religion as a rigid set of certain rules of behavior and most importantly thoughts, based on a faith in something divine. And these rules must be strictly adhered to, otherwise the person after death does not get a place in something good and pleasant, be damned higher power. Origin of religion, I find it difficult to say unequivocally, but, in my opinion, it was done by people to subjugate other people and restore some order in society, which at the time, I think, was quite justified.

Morality is a set of rules by which people should live in society. As a rule, adopted it out of fear that people can make to one another and tacitly supported by the people. In the case of non-compliance with these regulations the person is condemned by most people.

Psychology is a science that studies the processes and patterns of mental activity of humans and animals.

And so, if human interaction with other people, with meeting their needs meet science, dogmas, beliefs and set of rules (I do not mention here criminal and other codes, laws society) and how all find the correct answer, choose the correct behavior in life. And here I think it is important to introduce a separate concept, which would take into account the influence of all sides of life. And I suggest to use the notion of ethics, maybe not in the traditional sense, but as a result of a balanced relationship to their needs, desires, morality, and religion. This is when a person decides on action or non-action based on the analysis of all data, and based on all aspects of life. For example, the child is an adult now there is nothing there, the child suffers. What to do in this case. From the point of view of morality, for example, stealing food is bad (and the UK does not approve). From the point of view of religion is also not a godly thing (as far as I know). But to watch suffering at the moment child (suffering from hunger the person is now omitted) to take a very difficult, maybe even impossible. And then comparing all these moments, the person decides to go on stealing food, for example, from the store or the private sector, by making your ethical choice in favor of theft.

Or an example. A married man, bound in marriage, not always happy in his family (omitting the reasons why this happens). And he falls in love with another woman. He sooner or later gets a choice, to stay with his wife (and if you imagine that they are married in a Church), or go to the one he loves? To stay for morality and the Church, and in order to part of the heart and the desire to be happy. And here independently to make your ethical choice in these, or even more difficult situations it is important to understand where those same moral principles, religious dogmas, how they are important for the person and what the person wants to aspire to. And then make your ethical choice to follow him and to bear full responsibility for it.

I fully admit that the ethical choice can be made in favor of morality, in favor of religion or in favor of your desires. And it is this ability to choose can help a psychologist or therapist who typically do not impose their own values at work. For example, in my practice, there is successful work with the Orthodox, Catholics and Muslims. And their faith as a result of therapy not a bit hurt, despite the fact that I'm an agnostic. But they found answers to their questions and made their ethical choice.

good Luck with your election and happy New Year!