[Belief]

Religion is a system of thoughts and behaviour that is common for a group or society, and which gives the individual a frame of orientation, and something to adore and pray to. The religious person believes in something named God or gods. The adult person's image of God is partly formed by the child's experiences of its own parents. The religious orientation itself seems more important than the contents of the religious beliefs or moral attitudes for the person's personality and mental health. The religious person may have his religion as the goal and meaning for his life, may use his religion to get relief, trust, and social acceptance, and may compromise with his religion for economic and social advantages, or he may be doubting and seeking in his religious orientation. Neither orthodox nor liberal beliefs, neither a strict conservative Christian nor a more lenient, humanistic morality seem to have importance for mental health or psychiatric symptom load. Religious belief may be conducive to mental illness, but may also function therapeutically. Some vignettes show this. Religious beliefs and a religious community may change the personality and affect the mental health of the religious believer. On the other side, character and life events may affect religious orientation, beliefs and moral attitudes.