The influence of religious power on medicine and its effects on the body.
According to a study done by the National Institute of Health titled, “Religious Affiliations Influence Health-Related and General Decision Making: A Brazilian Nationwide Survey,” choices made by people regarding their diet, drug use, and/or acceptance of medical recommendations were significantly correlated with the influence of religious affiliation. In addition, most of the participants in this study (66.5%) believed that their religious affiliations had moderate to high influence on their decisions. This study included over 1,100 people with a range of different beliefs, such as Catholics (43.9%), Evangelicals (18.7%), spiritualists (12.8%), non-religious (11.9%), and others (12.7%).
In addition, Center of Inquiry.org, provides the following story of how the original product of “Father John’s Medicine” came to be. An Irish priest, John O’Brien, immigrated to the United States with his older brother, and became a positive influence as well as very respected in his new community. A couple years later, O’Brien became ill and traveled to the local drug store to ask for a remedy. O’Brien was given a tonic that contained many natural ingredients recommended by herbalists to act as “’a powerful anti-inflammatory’” for coughs and bronchitis. The priest thought so highly of the medicine that he suggested it to many of his friends and parishioners. Additionally, there was an agreement made between the druggists and O’Brien that if anyone visited the store and asked for “Father John’s Medicine,” it was given to them for free. In exchange for the use of his name and portrait on the bottle and the packaging, the priest received a small income.
Both the study and the story presented above prove that there are communities that make decisions for their health and health care products based on their religious bias and/or influence of their religious leaders. This may be based on the belief that a product with a religious endorsement is better for one to use and trust compared to other similar products.
This link between medicine (pharmacy) and religion is not a new one. Since the third-century, medicine and religion have been used in practice together for wellness. This can be illustrated by a document which depicts a story of two saints named Cosmas and Damian. The two saints were brothers who became distinguished physicians and practiced medicine for free. Through their charity, they converted many to Christianity. They were later captured and killed as martyrs by the Roman Empire for their Christian beliefs, thus validating their dedication to their faith.
Foucault’s teachings in his paper titled, “The Subject and Power,” discusses “pastoral power” and its influence over congregates. He described this idea as “not merely a form of power which commands; it must also be prepared to sacrifice itself for the life and salvation of the flock.” This idea can be directly linked to the two Saints, Cosmas and Damian, for their sacrifices to their religion and people. This power can be used to sway the decisions of many people and how they choose medical treatments and advice. This influence can also be seen through the example of Father John. He used his authoritative position to promote the tonic he used to the community who respected him and saw him as a religious leader. This is further demonstrated by the results of the study done by NIH presenting how religious people make health decisions based on their religious beliefs. These collective examples illustrate the heavy influence the religious leaders have over their communities and what these leaders deem to be appropriate medical treatment. Yet without these religious figures, individuals would lack needed guidance and teachings on what to believe and how to treat their medicinal needs. Therefore, the substantial power that numerous religious figures have over their communities is logical and leads to the understanding of how religion can impact the health and wellbeing of countless people around the world.
Works Cited:
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Saints Cosmas and Damian". Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Feb. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Cosmas. Accessed 8 May 2024.
Foucault, Michel. "The Subject and Power." Critical Inquiry, vol. 8, no. 4, 1982, p. 783, JSTOR. www.jstor.org/stable/1343197. Accessed 8 May 2024.
Nickell, Joe. "Father John’s Medicine | Center for Inquiry." CFI: Center for Inquiry, 23 Apr. 2014, centerforinquiry.org/blog/father_johns_medicine/. Accessed 8 May 2024.
"Religious Affiliations Influence Health-Related and General Decision Making: A Brazilian Nationwide Survey." PubMed Central (PMC), National Institute of Health, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8001914/#:~:text=The%20influence%20of%20religious%20affiliation,
recommendations%20(r%20%3D%200.314). Accessed 8 May 2024.
