I fi nd something useful in each approach. I agree with Freud that some people focus too heavily on a hereafter, and misguidedly sacrifi ce their responsibility for making decisions by conceiving of...

I fi nd something useful in each approach. I agree with Freud that some people focus too heavily on a hereafter, and misguidedly sacrifi ce their responsibility for making decisions by conceiving of an all-powerful Being who will direct their behavior and solve their problems. Certainly many evils, such as wars, have been committed in the name of religion. But I also share Jung’sbelief that many people (including myself) need to believe that there is some greater meaning to life, and that it is not “a tale told by an idiot.” Surely many evils have been committed because of a failure to follow important moral and ethical principles that are found in religion. And it has been shown that people who are religious are more likely to survive certain serious illnesses because they are reassured by a real and valuable faith.