ABSTRACT
Identity issues are serious and compelling, especially when they relate to religions and spiritual beliefs (Mol, 1978). For example, the issue of religious conversion hinges on concerns about religious identity. Persisting in discovering and creating identities through making value choices increases the ability to move in constructive directions throughout life (Hall, 1990a), and being guided by a "higher self' leads predictably to living more fully and more effectively (James, 1969). Another result is that constructive empirical consequences and dividends derive from merging religious and mental health concerns (Schumaker, 1992).
