IndigoChild5559
Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
Among mental health professionals, there is a form of trauma that is recognized and treated. It is called Religious Trauma Syndrome. You can read more about this here: Religious trauma syndrome - Wikipedia
My question surrounds the origins of this pathology, which is basically a toxic religious envirnoment. We would all agree that religions like People's Temple (Jonestown) and the Branch Dividians (Waco) were dangerous toxic religions. But what exactly is it that makes a religion toxic? What exactly is it that it harming the psyches of so many people? Where is the dividing line between a religion that is correlated with mental health, and one that destroys it?
I'll start with a few ideas and you can agree or disagree and perhaps add your own criteria.
My question surrounds the origins of this pathology, which is basically a toxic religious envirnoment. We would all agree that religions like People's Temple (Jonestown) and the Branch Dividians (Waco) were dangerous toxic religions. But what exactly is it that makes a religion toxic? What exactly is it that it harming the psyches of so many people? Where is the dividing line between a religion that is correlated with mental health, and one that destroys it?
I'll start with a few ideas and you can agree or disagree and perhaps add your own criteria.
- A charismatic authoritarian leader
- Suppression of questions
- Use of fear to keep people in line (shunning, hell)
- Members are required to hold a narrow, rigid set of beliefs
- Suspicion and disdain for those outside the faith
- Literal interpretation of religious text
- Undo control over the lives of members