Could Religious Faith Make America Healthy Again?

OPINION 

Religion Makes People Healthier, Just Don't Tell the Left

Even as Pundits banter over President-elect Trump's choice for a Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary, a growing body of scientific research in recent years has reached a surprising conclusion: religion makes people healthier.

Since Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has vowed to "Make America Healthy Again," he should pay attention to studies that show that attending church and having a robust faith are associated with significant benefits for physical health, mental well-being, and even longevity.

Yet despite mounting evidence, many secularists and those on the political left have seemed reluctant to acknowledge or promote these findings.

This raises an important question. Is ideological bias preventing us from fully embracing a powerful tool for public health, and is that about to change?

Numerous studies have found that regularly attending religious services and having a vibrant personal faith are linked to lower rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide.

Additionally, those who are religious tend to have lower blood pressure, more robust immune systems, and faster recovery times from surgery.

"Religious involvement is associated with greater psychological well-being, less depression, less anxiety, and greater happiness," according to Duke University's Harold G. Koenig, M.D., a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and the lead author of the "Handbook of Religion and Health" — the definitive textbook in the field of religion and health research.

Koenig believes that if the medical profession is going to provide whole-person care, one must recognize the spiritual dimension.

Perhaps most strikingly, a recent long-term study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that women who attended religious services more than once per week were more than 30% less likely to die during a 16-year follow-up than women who never attended.

The study was published in 2016 in JAMA Internal Medicine and included data from the lives of 74,534 women — a significant number in any study.

These aren't just correlations that other factors can explain away.

Controlled studies have shown that prayer and meditation can lower stress levels and increase pain tolerance and healing rates.

The social support, sense of meaning, and encouragement of healthy lifestyles found in many faith communities also play a significant role.

Yet despite this compelling evidence, prominent secular voices downplay or ignore religion's health impacts. When was the last time you heard a liberal politician or pundit tout the benefits of church attendance for public health?

The silence is deafening.

This reluctance likely stems from the left's complicated relationship with organized religion. Many progressives view religious institutions, particularly conservative ones, as obstacles to their social and political agenda around issues like abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, and secularism in government.

There's a fear that acknowledging religion's benefits could empower political opponents or undermine other policy priorities.

This ideological rigidity, a dominant presence in today's culture, comes at a cost.

Monsignor James Shea, president of the University of Mary in North Dakota, speaks about modern society's challenges and how contemporary culture treats religious values.

Shea has drawn attention to the rise of a new kind of secularism, which he describes as "the religion of the day."

Followers of this "new religion" believe that utopia can be achieved in this life.

Christians understand that human imperfection results from "the fall of man" and that redemption is only obtained through Christ.

The progressive movement promotes the new religion and distorts or ignores science to support its agenda, even if it means forsaking truth, ethics, and morality.

By failing to acknowledge and promote the obvious health benefits that religion provides, we are missing an opportunity to enhance public health outcomes — especially for vulnerable populations.

African American churches, for instance, have long played a crucial role in community health outreach and support.

This isn't an argument that everyone should be religious or that the government should promote faith.

Freedom of religion must be protected.

However, we should be more open to partnerships with faith communities in public health efforts and more willing to discuss the potential benefits of spiritual practices like meditation and prayer.

The secular left prides itself on "following the science" and promoting evidence-based policies. It's time to apply that principle consistently — even when the evidence challenges our preconceptions.

A truly progressive approach to health should be willing to consider all tools at our disposal, including the power of faith.

And RFK Jr., a lifelong Catholic, just might be the man for the job.

Although there are several government agencies in place (for example, the NIH-backed "Religion, Spirituality, and Health Scientific Interest Group" (RSH-SIG), founded during the twilight of the last Trump administration), they need sufficient funding and exposure.

Coordinating the RSH-SIG with the Department of Education (DOE) could give our school children important and abundant health information and provide teeth to a well-intended program that is mashing but not chewing its food.

Since much worthy research exists, more needs to be done.

Giving these agencies visibility, power, and money during the second Trump presidency fits well with the Kennedy plan for preventative care, improved mental health, and informing the citizens of what impacts health through lifestyle changes.

RFK, Jr. are you listening?

Dr. John Sottosanti is a surgeon, entrepreneur, inventor, and author of the book "Mortal Adhesions." He's the recipient of multiple awards and professional citations. Dr. Sottosanti was also the president of his state professional society, and has published 23 scientific papers in medical literature.