Belief and Mental Health

[Fool]

When is belief healthy and when is it toxic?

 

[Valjean]

If a belief has deleterious social, psychological or technological results, it might be problematic.

 

[dybmh]

A belief becomes toxic when it is all consuming.

 

[SigurdReginson]

Belief is toxic when your mind becomes fixed on a specific point in spite of better evidence, belief is healthy when it's open to revision when better evidence comes along.

Testing one's epistemological toolset from time to time will allow someone to better utilize their beliefs in a more accurate way as well, if folks care about doing that.

 

[Nakosis]

It is healthy when it is my belief.
It is toxic when it is your belief.

Not sure one can evaluate their own belief without bias.

 

[stvdv]

When is belief healthy and when is it toxic?

Depends on POV. Science tells us that a "little toxic" is sometimes needed/useful to remove a "bigger toxic", and hence it's considered "healthy"

 

[sun rise]

A belief becomes toxic when it is all consuming.

I'd substitute "can be" for "becomes " --- A belief can be toxic...

In the East and West, one pointed devotion to God can lead to attainment. The legend of Milarepa in Tibet, for example, illustrates this as does any number of individuals from India and beyond and includes figures like Saint Francis, Rumi and Hafiz.

The "can be" comes into play when the belief manifests as psychological obsessive/compulsiveness.

 

[PureX]

When is belief healthy and when is it toxic?

The moment you think they're important, they become toxic.

 

[MonkeyFire]

When it is altruistic, or spiritually passive its untoxic. When it becomes hate mongoring, over infaliability, to false believers who glorify torment, it becomes wrong. Question, when does knowledge or science become to toxic?

 

[Hermit Philosopher]

When is belief healthy and when is it toxic?

Dear Fool

If one’s beliefs result in actions that hurt others and/or self, one’s beliefs are toxic.

The soundest of beliefs, contribute to one’s sense of inner peace, thereby resulting in behaviour that inspire to and increases harmony in self and others.


Humbly
Hermit

 

[dybmh]

one pointed devotion to God can lead to attainment

It would be interesting to review the process. I wonder if it is accurately described as "all consuming".

The legend of Milarepa in Tibet, for example, illustrates this as does any number of individuals from India and beyond and includes figures like Saint Francis, Rumi and Hafiz.

I looked these up briefly. I will need a little more guidance to see the connection you're making.

The "can be" comes into play when the belief manifests as psychological obsessive/compulsiveness.

When a belief becomes all consuming, it will always be obsessive, won't it? There's no room for anything else.

 

[Samael_Khan]

When is belief healthy and when is it toxic?

Belief is toxic when it makes one arrogant and see themselves that they are the gatekeeper of absolute truth.

Also if it creates high control groups in which accountability is to other men, making them your masters.

When it expects a person to harm others on a physical and emotional level.

When it causes a person to be more and more out of sync with reality.

 

[sun rise]

It would be interesting to review the process. I wonder if it is accurately described as "all consuming".

I looked these up briefly. I will need a little more guidance to see the connection you're making.
When a belief becomes all consuming, it will always be obsessive, won't it? There's no room for anything else.

India and elsewhere are home to histories of extreme austerities practiced by those who were dedicated toward spiritual attainment. Milarepa's story is one such.

There are various versions of Milarepa's biography with disputed points but the general point I was thinking of is that his teacher, Marpa, had him build a structure, demolish it and rebuild it multiple times before accepting Milarepa as a pupil. To me it's an indication that Milarepa was obsessed with having Marpa's teaching and willing to undergo trials of patience that most of us would never consider.

You're right about obsession. The point I did not make well was there's a difference between positive and negative obsession. There are many people who really wanted to attain something whether it be climbing Everest, making a scientific breakthrough, becoming a mega-billionaire that everything else becomes secondary.

I contrast that with people who have clinical diagnoses of obsessive-compulsive behavior.