Why do people rely on God/religion less in general than they did in the past?
— from a high school student
A: Today there are oodles of self-help programs, seminars, and online courses that promote new ways of solving life’s problems. Some might view these methods as replacing a reliance on God and religion. Statistics and surveys suggest that a large percentage of the population is interested in spirituality, though perhaps not drawn to denominational or organized religion. But the term spirituality can lend itself to multiple definitions and practices, which may or may not include reliance on a higher power, or God.
Alternatives to modern medicine offer up a smorgasbord of remedies and methods on which many people choose to rely for their health needs. Some may do so to avoid invasive medical procedures or having to take potentially addictive drugs. To some degree, however, it would appear the correlation made between prayer, health, and recovery is acknowledged more today than in past decades, including by the medical profession.
