Is Bible Belief a Mental Disorder?

[Lotan]

The bible contains lots of details that we might normally expect to find in fiction; talking snakes, angels, resurrections, etc.

If someone sincerely believed, for example, that Gandalf created the universe, and that Bilbo and Frodo were prophets, and they decided, for example, to home school their children so that they would be indoctrinated in those same beliefs, wouldn't that constitute grounds for suspicion that the person suffered from a potentially harmful delusion?

I really don't see a difference between this and other forms of religious belief based on supposedly 'divinely inspired' scripture, christian or otherwise, with the exception that established religious belief enjoys the acceptance of society, more or less. Further, although irrational behavior is by no means exclusive to the religious, their beliefs are often a factor as is this recent sad case. (I don't know if this fellow is christian or muslim, or whatever, nor do I care) Or this one. An extreme case might be the Texas woman who crushed her children's skulls because she believed god wanted to test her. Hey, how about those people who think that natural disasters are god's retribution for homosexuality? The list is endless of course.

So that's the question...
Is Bible Belief a Mental Disorder?

[scorpia]

Scorpia don't make us question your sanity.
I know what you mean I have experienced weird stuff in my life but I question my sanity all the time. Ok, maybe there isn't a real question.

What was so insane about that?

Please demonstrate that a soul exists. It's nice to make claims, but do try to back them up

That depends on whether there is a distinction between a conscienceness and a soul

Then if God is going to hide from me, why should I bother believing in him? Being selective and punishing people that he chooses not to reveal himself to makes God a sadistic bastard.

Romans 11: 25-32

Quote:
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Isreal has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

"The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins."

As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as the election is concerned, tey are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God's gifts and his calls are irrecoverable. Just as you who were at one time disobediant to God have now recieved mercy as a result of their disobediance, so they too have now become disobediant in order that they too may now recieve mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. For God has bound all men over to disobediance so that he may have mercy on them all.

So maybe he doesn't do it forever.

And another thing; Jesus on the cross himself "forgive them Father, for they do not know what they are doing." So who says God's going to forever hold a grudge against those hearts he did harden and punish them so? And if there rae hearts hardened, what makes one think that necessarily applied to one's self? Just because one's heart isn't hardened and God has revealed himself doesn't mean a person will choose God.

Of course, you can't prove that Jesus ever existed either, and there's plenty of evidence to show that Jesus, at least as described in the Bible, never lived. So again, where is your evidence

http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... php?t=2659

[Cephus]

Of course, you can't prove that Jesus ever existed either, and there's plenty of evidence to show that Jesus, at least as described in the Bible, never lived. So again, where is your evidence

http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... php?t=2659

Sorry, where's the evidence in that thread? So far as I know, the priest has never been able to offer up solid evidence for the actual existence of Jesus, as described in the Bible.