Faith without work is dead

Has someone ever told you that you’re going through hard times because you’re not praying enough? Or that your depression is a result of your lack of faith? While religion can be a good source of hope and support, it sometimes can be used to downplay people’s real problems.

Growing up in a Catholic household and attending a Catholic school has shaped my perceptions toward religion. I can attest that, more often than not, those who are “devout” Catholics are the ones who are not living up to the values of the Catholic faith. The priest who presided over the Palm Sunday mass I attended even had to remind the parishioners not to gossip after attending the mass. Probably, some of them think that their sins reset just by being present. This kind of toxicity and backward thinking channels into the current stigma on mental health that Filipinos are facing.

A survey by the University of the Philippines Population Institute in 2013 found that more than 574, 000 Filipino youth have considered ending their lives. In 2021, that number increased by almost 1.5 million. Suicide ideation and attempt is linked to mental disorders, which, according to John Hopkins Medicine, are commonly depressive or substance abuse problems. In 2020, data from the WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health revealed that at least 3.6 million Filipinos are fighting one type of mental, neurological, and substance use disorder — 1.14 million are struggling from depression.

These numbers are staggering, yet misconceptions on mental health continue to flood the minds of people who think that a lack of faith is the root cause. Recently, there has been stories going around on social media about Baguio students attempting suicide. Local health officials and mental health experts in the city said that suicide cases increased in the last three years. In a conversation with a close friend studying in a university in Baguio, she shared how her relatives dismissed the issue, saying, “Only a little hardship, they give up right away. They should pray more. Maybe they just lack prayers.”

Faith and science are not mutually exclusive. Educating faith communities about the concreteness of mental health problems should be done in order to lessen or, ambitiously, eradicate these religiously reinforced stigma. Erroneous perception of religion, using it as a weapon of fear or a tool for justifying prejudice, should not be tolerated anymore. Highly literal interpretation of the Bible should also be cautioned, given it is not a textbook where one can find hard and fast rules about how to live. It should be more of a story book filled with lessons that one may or may not consider doing.

It is always easier said than done. And unfortunately, the guilt and shame that comes with people trying to seek help usually wins, choosing to suffer in silence. The willful ignorance of people who share the belief that prayer is the solution can be attributed to the internalization of their every day survival mode. Pew Research revealed that there is a tendency for people in poorer countries to be more religious. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority survey in 2021, 19.99 million Filipinos lived below the poverty line. Filipinos often choose to pray, given they aren’t privileged enough to seek therapy sessions, to overcome their battles, one that isn’t enough when tackling mental health.

Perhaps, it is the amalgamation of the Filipino culture where religion is at the heart. Some argue that if Jesus is still here, present in flesh, he would be an activist fighting for mental health awareness and proper treatment. While praying, reading the Bible, and doing other acts of faith can help one to find peace within, not everyone shares the same coping mechanism or "medicine" I should say. Today, religion could still be considered as the opium of the people — one that could be beneficial but is not the ultimate cure.

I am reminded of the song “Pananagutan.” It says that “We don’t live for ourselves, we live for others. We have a responsibility toward each other.” This year’s Holy week just ended. I hope that people took the time to reflect on their values because in the end, it would all boil down to individual choices. May they realize that words have such power meant to be used for the good. With Easter in mind, may people help their fellow rise from the “darkness” and live their lives to the fullest. For faith without genuine concern for others is mere show — faith without work is dead.