Nigeria, Sept. 30 -- There are two primary ways human beings manage suffering: addressing the root cause or numbing the pain.

In medicine, analgesics and opioids are vital tools for short-term pain management. However, when physical pain persists and an individual chooses continuous palliation over treating the underlying condition, dependency inevitably sets in. Over time, reliance on the remedy becomes a habit, the dosage increases, and the individual may even view anyone urging them to confront the source of their illness as an adversary. Taking a pill is simply easier than undergoing surgery.

A remarkably similar dynamic occurs on a psychological level and its primary medium is religious dogmatism.

When people face acute hardship,...