A recent social psychology study, covered on Science Daily, indicates that people's belief in science increases in various stressful situations.
The comforting power of belief is not something usually applied, in ordinary conversation, to secular humanism. However, this study may serve as a guide post for the helping professions.
A scientific view of the universe is likely to be a source of comfort to many. This is something that those in the helping professions, and especially those who regard themselves as relying on scientifically validated approaches, need to bear in mind when working with people.
In the 1990s, the helping professions were encouraged to begin an exploration of faith and spirituality as part of healing. Left out of that conversation was a thorough and competent discussion of atheism. Perhaps the time has come for us to include it into the dialogue, as many organization with an open orientation to what-constitutes-belief (Unitarian Universalism comes to mind) have done for many years.
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