7 reasons why religion is a form of mental illness

[Bloomdido]

Article by Sweet Tea
The Southern Skeptic Fairy​

I would like to propose that religious beliefs be placed in the DSM as a category of 'mental' for the following reasons:

(1) Hallucinations - the person has invisible friends who (s)he insists are real, and to whom (s)he speaks daily, even though nobody can actually see or hear
these friends.

(2) Delusions - the patient believes that the invisible friends have magical powers to make them rich, cure cancer, bring about world peace, and will do so eventually if asked.

(3) Denial/Inability to learn - though the requests for world peace remain unanswered, even after hundreds of years, the patients persist with the praying behaviour, each time expecting different results.

(4) Inability to distinguish fantasy from reality - the beliefs are contingent upon ancient mythology being accepted as historical fact.

(5) Paranoia - the belief that anyone who does not share their supernatural concept of reality is "evil," "the devil," "an agent of Satan".

(6) Emotional abuse - ­ religious concepts such as sin, hell, cause feelings of guilt, shame, fear, and other types of emotional "baggage" which can scar the
psyche for life.

(7) Violence - many patients insist that others should share in their delusions, even to the extent of using violence.

 

[monta]

Don't be daft.

 

[Oberon]

I would like to propose that religious beliefs be placed in the DSM as a category of 'mental' for the following reasons:

DSM categories are largely culturally dependent. Mental illnesses are, if not completely, largely without a biological basis, and are therefore defined largely in terms of deviance from cultural norms. Relgion is a cultural norm.

 

[dogsgod]

One can reason their way out of religion and its method of faith. I don't know that one can reason their way out of a mental illness. There is an association with religious beliefs that causes people to make mistakes, and mental illness combined with religious beliefs can be a toxic mixture, but it's doubtful that religious beliefs are the cause of illness, or is an illness itself, although it can appear that way considering the behavior of some.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I would like to propose ...

Don't be childish ...

 

[darkendless]

Don't be childish ...

Wow........ a non-secularist insulting in a secular forum. Careful now Jay, play nice

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Wow........ a non-secularist insulting in a secular forum.

You simply haven't a clue ...

 

[linwood]

Wow........ a non-secularist insulting in a secular forum. Careful now Jay, play nice

I believe Jay is a secular person.

 

[darkendless]

You simply haven't a clue ...

........ your elitism and self imposed arrogance makes even dignifying you with a response, serious or otherwise, completely useless.

A great ambassador for new members you are, so friendly and welcomming

 

[Caladan]

I believe Jay is a secular person.

You're right.
I guess its another successful thread from the workshop of the 'new atheists' you described. they really do make atheism look like a religion.. not a very tolerant religion.

 

[darkendless]

I believe Jay is a secular person.

**** it. That was not a serious post. Come to think of it, didn't sound the way i wanted it to. I fail...

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

A great ambassador for new members you are, so friendly and welcomming

Unlike you, I have zero interest in befriending or welcoming such pathetically adolescent attacks on religion.

 

[darkendless]

Unlike you, I have zero interest in befriending or welcoming such pathetically adolescent attacks on religion.

Then simply ignore it Jay, its not that hard. If i counted the last 100 posts of yours i'd seen, maybe 6 constituted more than a 1-liner insult.
I usually do ignore your posts, but gosh you really do this thing a lot. Does it make you feel all warm inside or something?

 

[TurkeyOnRye]

I'm afraid all beliefs are delusional in a fastly ever-becoming world.

 

[ManTimeForgot]

Article by Sweet Tea
The Southern Skeptic Fairy​

I would like to propose that religious beliefs be placed in the DSM as a category of 'mental' for the following reasons:

(1) Hallucinations - the person has invisible friends who (s)he insists are real, and to whom (s)he speaks daily, even though nobody can actually see or hear
these friends.

(2) Delusions - the patient believes that the invisible friends have magical powers to make them rich, cure cancer, bring about world peace, and will do so eventually if asked.

(3) Denial/Inability to learn - though the requests for world peace remain unanswered, even after hundreds of years, the patients persist with the praying behaviour, each time expecting different results.

(4) Inability to distinguish fantasy from reality - the beliefs are contingent upon ancient mythology being accepted as historical fact.

(5) Paranoia - the belief that anyone who does not share their supernatural concept of reality is "evil," "the devil," "an agent of Satan".

(6) Emotional abuse - * religious concepts such as sin, hell, cause feelings of guilt, shame, fear, and other types of emotional "baggage" which can scar the
psyche for life.

(7) Violence - many patients insist that others should share in their delusions, even to the extent of using violence.

Wow. Just wow. Even if all of these actually generalized to all religions (which they don't; I'm guessing that doesn't matter or you wouldn't have listed these as being qualities of all religions) this would still qualify as an unabashed attack without scrutiny as not all of these are even true (good luck proving half of this).

1) Not all religions suppose "invisible friends" and even if they did I fail to see how this necessarily rises to the level of mental illness. If someone was able to speak to extra-terrestrials and the super advanced beings chose not to contact other people, then something necessarily real occurred, and still no one would believe this person. "invisible friend" alone is insufficient to rise to mental illness as it must be accompanied by other indicators of mental ill-health.

2) Presupposing that "energy" or "fate" can be freely substituted for "invisible friends" and this argument still wouldn't hold water. Even if we ignore the "comfort" side of the argument presupposing that there are no additional levels to reality or that humans amount to nothing more than a body is pure speculation. We simply do not know enough to state beliefs about greater reality or the depths of human capability amount to delusions.

3) Can't even bring myself to address this. Want to talk about denial of reality? Why don't we actually go out and see just how many people behave this way?

4) Not all religions are "guilty" of this, nor is verifiable history able to discredit all religions' so-called "mythic history." I challenge anyone to show that Jesus of Nazareth or Gautama (Buddha) did not exist. The question of what they did is a subject worthy of inquiry, not something to be discarded as nonsense.

5) Number the amount of religion's which actually are guilty of this. Even if you were to look at Christianity alone, name the number of denominations guilty of this sort of behavior.

6) Find me an ideology which people adhere to which does not have similar "baggage." Human's are not perfect, nor are our ideologies. Deal with it.

7) Really? Just how many religions actually advocate this? Sure there are sects which are guilty of this. But in the name of Capitalism the US maintained a Cold War (with armed skirmishes) for the better part of 40 years. Am I to suppose that every institution humans have ever created is worthy of being tossed by the wayside (just about any institution that humans have ever created has caused violence; Family results in vendetta, language differences prompted ethnic cleansing, etc)?


Responding to absolutism with absolutism yourself is a work of foolishness. Fight fire with more fire? That we should destroy our world in the process... Yes, certainly the hallmark of wisdom there.

MTF

 

[Bloomdido]

Wow. Just wow. Even if all of these actually generalized to all religions (which they don't; I'm guessing that doesn't matter or you wouldn't have listed these as being qualities of all religions) this would still qualify as an unabashed attack without scrutiny as not all of these are even true (good luck proving half of this).

1) Not all religions suppose "invisible friends" and even if they did I fail to see how this necessarily rises to the level of mental illness. If someone was able to speak to extra-terrestrials and the super advanced beings chose not to contact other people, then something necessarily real occurred, and still no one would believe this person. "invisible friend" alone is insufficient to rise to mental illness as it must be accompanied by other indicators of mental ill-health.
You are right. Having invisible deities that you pray to in the hope that they influence your life to the positive is quite normal.

2) Presupposing that "energy" or "fate" can be freely substituted for "invisible friends" and this argument still wouldn't hold water. Even if we ignore the "comfort" side of the argument presupposing that there are no additional levels to reality or that humans amount to nothing more than a body is pure speculation. We simply do not know enough to state beliefs about greater reality or the depths of human capability amount to delusions.
It's all predefined or it's all free-will or it's all a load of bunkum.

3) Can't even bring myself to address this. Want to talk about denial of reality? Why don't we actually go out and see just how many people behave this way?
My god is more real than your god. There is no god but Allah. And Yahewa and Krishna and Annat and Ra and Hera and ...... And God won't heal amputees.

4) Not all religions are "guilty" of this, nor is verifiable history able to discredit all religions' so-called "mythic history." I challenge anyone to show that Jesus of Nazareth or Gautama (Buddha) did not exist. The question of what they did is a subject worthy of inquiry, not something to be discarded as nonsense.
I get to go to church and eat christ and drink his blood .....

5) Number the amount of religion's which actually are guilty of this. Even if you were to look at Christianity alone, name the number of denominations guilty of this sort of behavior. Small sects in most religions. People are prepared to kill and martyr themselves for their faith. Nothing changes.

6) Find me an ideology which people adhere to which does not have similar "baggage." Human's are not perfect, nor are our ideologies. Deal with it.
Dealing with religious indoctrination messes people up. Fact.

7) Really? Just how many religions actually advocate this? Sure there are sects which are guilty of this. But in the name of Capitalism the US maintained a Cold War (with armed skirmishes) for the better part of 40 years. Am I to suppose that every institution humans have ever created is worthy of being tossed by the wayside (just about any institution that humans have ever created has caused violence; Family results in vendetta, language differences prompted ethnic cleansing, etc)?
If you work on the Sabbath, it is my duty to kill you. If you conveert from Islam, it is my duty to kill you. If you perform abortions it is my duty to kill you.

Responding to absolutism with absolutism yourself is a work of foolishness. Fight fire with more fire? That we should destroy our world in the process... Yes, certainly the hallmark of wisdom there.

Using humour to make a point. Would have eplied earlier but my ban got in the way. ........................................
MTF

............................................

 

[Sunstone]

Although I'm too lazy to do it, you could probably come up with 7 reasons religion is conducive to mental health. That's to say, religion is a category that includes a lot of things.

 

[Willamena]

Although I'm too lazy to do it, you could probably come up with 7 reasons religion is conducive to mental health. That's to say, religion is a category that includes a lot of things.

Structure and discipline, for two.

 

[MissAlice]

Ironically I fit some of the following criteria only I'm not religious or believe in anything except for the annoying voices in my head....:ignore:

 

[Anti-thesisofreason]

Article by Sweet Tea

The Southern Skeptic Fairy​

I would like to propose that religious beliefs be placed in the DSM as a category of 'mental' for the following reasons:

(1) Hallucinations - the person has invisible friends who (s)he insists are real, and to whom (s)he speaks daily, even though nobody can actually see or hear
these friends.

(2) Delusions - the patient believes that the invisible friends have magical powers to make them rich, cure cancer, bring about world peace, and will do so eventually if asked.

(3) Denial/Inability to learn - though the requests for world peace remain unanswered, even after hundreds of years, the patients persist with the praying behaviour, each time expecting different results.

(4) Inability to distinguish fantasy from reality - the beliefs are contingent upon ancient mythology being accepted as historical fact.

(5) Paranoia - the belief that anyone who does not share their supernatural concept of reality is "evil," "the devil," "an agent of Satan".

(6) Emotional abuse - ­ religious concepts such as sin, hell, cause feelings of guilt, shame, fear, and other types of emotional "baggage" which can scar the
psyche for life.

(7) Violence - many patients insist that others should share in their delusions, even to the extent of using violence.

Sigh, just another extreme view filled with half truths.