Question for the religious only. What are the spiritual maladies your religion describes?

[gnomon]

I'm curious to know what spiritual illnesses, maladies, etc. your religious belief describes. I am well aware of what many religious groups call spiritual illness but I'm looking for a larger view of these things.

I promise I'll hold my tongue. I'm not really interested in debate. Which means I don't want to see other non-theists swooping in to tear down anyone's belief.

If your religion calls something a spiritual malady then let us know. If you, as a religious person, do not believe in such a thing then let us know.

And for the record, for those of you who don't know me, I make no distinction between people who call themselves religious and those who call themselves spiritual. Same thing in my book.

I know this is a debate forum but I refuse to spam this same question in every DIR.

[painted wolf]

While not exactly my exact religion, two closely related phenomina are Windigo and Piblokto (Algonquin and Inuit respectively).

Both are culturally tied illnesses (that can be "caught" by non-natives living in close relationships to native communities).
Windigo, an evil spirit that can posses people and tempt them to commit cannibalism (usually during tough winters). The windigo was used to suppress this activity and reinforce the taboo against killing and eating other people... and to provide an explanation and treatment for when it did happen.

Piblokto is better known as "Arctic Madness" and is a result of the high stress of living above the arctic circle (and possibly too much vitamin A). It has a wide range of symptoms from hysteria, depression, carelessness in the cold and so on... it's most common in women.

My favorite non-First Nations cultural illness is Amok. Where the sufferer, usually a man, snaps and goes on a berserk killing spree before snapping out of it and acting perfectly normal. Often the person never shows any violent tenancies before or after.

wa:do

[Pegg]

spiritual illness in Christianity is a lack of faith, doubting God, a lack of understanding, fleshly desires & a fear of man.

This is the sort of illness that James says requires the older men to pray with the individual and request God to heal them.

And Jesus showed how spiritual sickness manifests itself in an individual. Jesus said at Mark 7:21-23: “From inside, out of the heart of men, injurious reasonings issue forth: fornications, thieveries, murders, adulteries, covetings, acts of wickedness, deceit, loose conduct, an envious eye, blasphemy, haughtiness, unreasonableness. All these wicked things issue forth from within and defile a man."

[Madhuri]

I've never heard of 'spiritual illness'. Sounds like an oxymoron to me.

[LuisDantas]

I'm a non-theist but I also consider myself religious. The one true spiritual illness that does exist is ignorance, although I guess you could mention the mental poisons (hatred, greed and delusion).

[Nowhere Man]

Originally Posted by gnomon

I'm curious to know what spiritual illnesses, maladies, etc. your religious belief describes. I am well aware of what many religious groups call spiritual illness but I'm looking for a larger view of these things.

I promise I'll hold my tongue. I'm not really interested in debate. Which means I don't want to see other non-theists swooping in to tear down anyone's belief.

If your religion calls something a spiritual malady then let us know. If you, as a religious person, do not believe in such a thing then let us know.

And for the record, for those of you who don't know me, I make no distinction between people who call themselves religious and those who call themselves spiritual. Same thing in my book.

I know this is a debate forum but I refuse to spam this same question in every DIR.

Are you talking religious maladies like "sin"?

I suppose in my view its "delusion" as being a primary cause of confusion.

Being a non-theist this may not be what you are actually asking here, but it is an acknowledgement made involving my religious practice and towards how I live my life.

[Cordoba]

There are many illnesses of the spiritual heart mentioned in the Qur'an, and the cure of each illness is very important for spiritual growth

Among them are the following:

- Arrogance: (kibr) This is what made satan cursed, as he thought he was better than Adam, and thereby refused to obey God's command

- Envy: (hasad) The cause of many social problems in the past and in the present

- Show-off: (riyaa') This illness destroys sincerity of intentions

There are many more, and the cure for each illness is explained in The Qur'an & Hadith

Would you like to know more?

[Madhuri]

Originally Posted by LuisDantas

I'm a non-theist but I also consider myself religious. The one true spiritual illness that does exist is ignorance, although I guess you could mention the mental poisons (hatred, greed and delusion).

If what is meant is: what is detrimental to spiritual life or growth, then I agree with Luis that Ignorance is IT.
Ignorance is the root of all suffering and all 'evil'. It is the opposite of Enlightenment.

[BruceDLimber]

The Baha'i scriptures mention other spiritual maladies, too, of course; but they state that one of the worst is gossip and backbiting, being described as worse than murder! I quote:

"2That seeker must, at all times, put his trust in God, must renounce the peoples of the earth, must detach himself from the world of dust, and cleave unto Him Who is the Lord of Lords. He must never seek to exalt himself above any one, must wash away from the tablet of his heart every trace of pride and vain-glory, must cling unto patience and resignation, observe silence and refrain from idle talk. For the tongue is a smoldering fire, and excess of speech a deadly poison. Material fire consumeth the body, whereas the fire of the tongue devoureth both heart and soul. The force of the former lasteth but for a time, whilst the effects of the latter endureth a century.
"3That seeker should, also, regard backbiting as grievous error, and keep himself aloof from its dominion, inasmuch as backbiting quencheth the light of the heart, and extinguisheth the life of the soul."

--The Book of Certitude

Peace,

Bruce

[sandandfoam]

I was very sick and almost came to my end in Feb of last year. I have since come back to good health and am fit again. But my mind has changed I think. I was defended and anxious before. I was at odds with myself and I think this played a part in my getting sick. I think this was, at least in part, a spiritual malady to borrow your phrase.
To my mind religion is a mythical path that facilitates a journey inside with the aim of a reconciliation with whatever I am. A calming of the waters. A way of satisfying my will to meaning.
From my perspective meaninglessness is the stand out spiritual malady.