There are some viable theories of religious belief, and to posit that religious belief is a mental illness is one such theory.
It should be instructive to begin to discuss this theory with an analogy that should clarify that psychological disturbance underlies belief in gods and the supernatural. Let's say that I am sincerely claiming that I am in touch with powerful extraterrestrials. I say I communicate with them telepathically. I can and do ask them to use their highly-advanced technology to help me, and they grant my requests. I testify that their help to me has included their curing my illnesses and altering the weather for me. When skeptics ask about my ET friends, I explain that the skeptics need to please these ETs by accepting their existence. Otherwise, the skeptics will receive nothing from them!
It gets even better. I am certain that one day soon these ETs will arrive on earth from space with a spectacular display of their most advanced technologies. They will alter the light-refraction traits of the atmosphere to darken the sun and make the moon blood-red. They'll even make it appear that the stars are falling to the earth! And if that's not impressive enough, they will incinerate all people who have refused to believe in them with death-ray energy beams. Those of us who have faithfully followed these ETs will be teleported into their spacecraft to be taken away to live in paradise forever on their planet, Mumbo-Jumbo.
I'm crazy as anybody here, both believer and unbeliever, can clearly see. I'm very deluded. Yet, with just a few changes of the words I'm using, you can uncover basic Christian theology.
Why, then, is Christianity and other religions not mental illness?
The Mental-Illness Theory of Religion
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alexxcJRO
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Re: So you might be the one delusional.
Post #141Willum wrote:
If any person made the same claims that a religious person did, they would be considered mad.
If they claimed to talk to ET, instead of God, they'd be considered bonkers.
If they claimed ET returned from the dead, they'd be considered bonkers.
If the claimed ET loved them and died for our sins, they'd be considered bonkers.
If they claimed ET was actually three, three - THREE aliens in one, a father alien, a mommy alien and a son alien, well... you get the idea.
People that claim for example that were abducted by aliens are not mentally ill.
They just made a series of non-sequiturs and are just wrong, mistaken.
These people are not mentally ill. He has spent countless therapeutic hours with these individuals only to find that what struck him was the 'ordinariness' of the population, including a restaurant owner, several secretaries, a prison guard, college students, a university administrator, and several homemakers 'The majority of abductees do not appear to be deluded, confabulating, lying, self-dramatizing, or suffering from a clear mental illness,' he maintained."[9] "While psychopathology is indicated in some isolated alien abduction cases," Stuart Appelle et al. confirmed, "assessment by both clinical examination and standardized tests has shown that, as a group, abduction experients are not different from the general population in term of psychopathology prevalence."[10] Other experts who have argued that abductees' mental health is no better or worse than average include psychologists John Wilson and Rima Laibow, and psychotherapist David Gotlib.[11]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_abduction
"It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets."
"Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived."
"God is a insignificant nobody. He is so unimportant that no one would even know he exists if evolution had not made possible for animals capable of abstract thought to exist and invent him"
"Two hands working can do more than a thousand clasped in prayer."
"Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived."
"God is a insignificant nobody. He is so unimportant that no one would even know he exists if evolution had not made possible for animals capable of abstract thought to exist and invent him"
"Two hands working can do more than a thousand clasped in prayer."
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Willum
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Re: So you might be the one delusional.
Post #142[Replying to post 141 by alexxcJRO]
Are these students claiming ET came back from the dead, and saved their immortal souls?
You are resorting to the very tricks you complain about in others...
Are these students claiming ET came back from the dead, and saved their immortal souls?
You are resorting to the very tricks you complain about in others...
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alexxcJRO
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Re: So you might be the one delusional.
Post #143Willum wrote: [Replying to post 141 by alexxcJRO]
Are these students claiming ET came back from the dead, and saved their immortal souls?
You are resorting to the very tricks you complain about in others...
If these students were indoctrinated from young to believe this and was a common belief then they would not be mentally ill, suffering from psychotic disorders.
If a person develops a sudden idiosyncratic belief that is not common, maintains this mistaken belief with strong conviction even when presented with superior evidence to the contrary, has hallucinations, exhibits disorganized speech or thinking , grossly disorganized motor behavior then it's highly likely they are delusional and have a psychotic disorder.
Q: Do you really believe all/ the majority of religious people are mentally ill, suffer from psychotic disorders?
"It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets."
"Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived."
"God is a insignificant nobody. He is so unimportant that no one would even know he exists if evolution had not made possible for animals capable of abstract thought to exist and invent him"
"Two hands working can do more than a thousand clasped in prayer."
"Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived."
"God is a insignificant nobody. He is so unimportant that no one would even know he exists if evolution had not made possible for animals capable of abstract thought to exist and invent him"
"Two hands working can do more than a thousand clasped in prayer."
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Willum
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Re: So you might be the one delusional.
Post #144[Replying to post 143 by alexxcJRO]
Clearly we are talking about something...
What is the sudden onset of the need for war, invoking an imaginary friend, who is all-powerful and should be able to destroy any human enemies more effectively?
It is mass insanity, right along side mass murder.
Clearly we are talking about something...
What is the sudden onset of the need for war, invoking an imaginary friend, who is all-powerful and should be able to destroy any human enemies more effectively?
It is mass insanity, right along side mass murder.
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Re: So you might be the one delusional.
Post #145Willum wrote: [Replying to post 143 by alexxcJRO]
Clearly we are talking about something...
What is the sudden onset of the need for war, invoking an imaginary friend, who is all-powerful and should be able to destroy any human enemies more effectively?
It is mass insanity, right along side mass murder.
Clearly you have avoided my points and question.
Q: Do you really believe all/ the majority of religious people are mentally ill, suffer from psychotic disorders?
"It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets."
"Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived."
"God is a insignificant nobody. He is so unimportant that no one would even know he exists if evolution had not made possible for animals capable of abstract thought to exist and invent him"
"Two hands working can do more than a thousand clasped in prayer."
"Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived."
"God is a insignificant nobody. He is so unimportant that no one would even know he exists if evolution had not made possible for animals capable of abstract thought to exist and invent him"
"Two hands working can do more than a thousand clasped in prayer."
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Willum
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Re: So you might be the one delusional.
Post #146[Replying to post 145 by alexxcJRO]
I think I answered your question, engage brain, disengage sarcasm.
Even people who are insane have lucid moments.
Clearly religious people become insane when God is invoked in the justification of war, genocide, slavery, and so on.
It is more of an institutionalized and triggered-episodic insanity.
So, yes insane, but as individuals, or persons, no.
The problem is we are hedging into topics and concepts that are not usually discussed.
Mass hallucinations are not traditionally considered insanity, but, are they?
What is mass-insanity with a public trigger called?
I don't know, and do not have a method for expressing it.
But feel free to continue to mock my acknowledged in ability to express the concept.
I think I answered your question, engage brain, disengage sarcasm.
Even people who are insane have lucid moments.
Clearly religious people become insane when God is invoked in the justification of war, genocide, slavery, and so on.
It is more of an institutionalized and triggered-episodic insanity.
So, yes insane, but as individuals, or persons, no.
The problem is we are hedging into topics and concepts that are not usually discussed.
Mass hallucinations are not traditionally considered insanity, but, are they?
What is mass-insanity with a public trigger called?
I don't know, and do not have a method for expressing it.
But feel free to continue to mock my acknowledged in ability to express the concept.
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alexxcJRO
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Re: So you might be the one delusional.
Post #147I never heard of institutionalized and triggered-episodic insanity, mass insanity, mass hallucinations.Willum wrote: Clearly religious people become insane when God is invoked in the justification of war, genocide, slavery, and so on.
It is more of an institutionalized and triggered-episodic insanity.
Mass hallucinations are not traditionally considered insanity, but, are they?
What is mass-insanity with a public trigger called?
I only know of individual insanity, individual hallucination, mass hysteria.
Q: Are you making things up?
Q: If not can you show where did you got these terms from? Some sources?
If I am clueless about something I would like to know.
Q: What?:-sWillum wrote: So, yes insane, but as individuals, or persons, no.
This is confusing. You are not making any sense.
So religious people are mentally ill, insane but as individuals are not.
Please explain.
"It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets."
"Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived."
"God is a insignificant nobody. He is so unimportant that no one would even know he exists if evolution had not made possible for animals capable of abstract thought to exist and invent him"
"Two hands working can do more than a thousand clasped in prayer."
"Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived."
"God is a insignificant nobody. He is so unimportant that no one would even know he exists if evolution had not made possible for animals capable of abstract thought to exist and invent him"
"Two hands working can do more than a thousand clasped in prayer."
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Willum
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Re: So you might be the one delusional.
Post #148[Replying to post 147 by alexxcJRO]
Every political leader who ever invoked God's will to goto war.
The Bible uses God to exterminate the Canaan.
The Bible invokes God justify all number of atrocity:
I am simply generalizing willful atrocity to being mad.
If you don't want to explore this line of thought - then don't.
Surely you have heard of mass hysteria/hallucinations?
Every political leader who ever invoked God's will to goto war.
The Bible uses God to exterminate the Canaan.
The Bible invokes God justify all number of atrocity:
I am simply generalizing willful atrocity to being mad.
If you don't want to explore this line of thought - then don't.
Surely you have heard of mass hysteria/hallucinations?
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alexxcJRO
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Re: So you might be the one delusional.
Post #149Q: So do you believe George W. Bush, Tony Blair are mentally ill?Willum wrote: Every political leader who ever invoked God's will to go to war.
Willum wrote: Surely you have heard of mass hysteria/hallucinations?
I said I only know of mass hysteria. I never heard of mass hallucinations.
And then you ask: surely you have heard of not know of mass hysteria?
Q: Seriously? What is happening?
Also there is no such thing as a mass hallucination.
I did not find any credible, psychiatric source talking about mass hallucination. I did not find any mention of mass hallucinations in the scientific literature.
"It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets."
"Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived."
"God is a insignificant nobody. He is so unimportant that no one would even know he exists if evolution had not made possible for animals capable of abstract thought to exist and invent him"
"Two hands working can do more than a thousand clasped in prayer."
"Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived."
"God is a insignificant nobody. He is so unimportant that no one would even know he exists if evolution had not made possible for animals capable of abstract thought to exist and invent him"
"Two hands working can do more than a thousand clasped in prayer."
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Willum
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Re: So you might be the one delusional.
Post #150[Replying to post 149 by alexxcJRO]
[sarcasm]Yes, I believe that GW and Blair are mentally ill. [/sarcasm]
Really, going down the path of ingeniousness?
Since it needs to be spelled out to you:
Nah, it already HAS been spelled out to you.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_hysteria
Apparently your ability to perform a little research is compromised as well.
In any event - religion seems to have ONE OF ITS possible CHARACTERISTICS to be a publicly acceptable form of madness, whereby an imaginary power conducts irrational and violent acts in the name of a fictitious being, who for some reason condones insanity.
[sarcasm]Yes, I believe that GW and Blair are mentally ill. [/sarcasm]
Really, going down the path of ingeniousness?
Since it needs to be spelled out to you:
Nah, it already HAS been spelled out to you.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_hysteria
Apparently your ability to perform a little research is compromised as well.
In any event - religion seems to have ONE OF ITS possible CHARACTERISTICS to be a publicly acceptable form of madness, whereby an imaginary power conducts irrational and violent acts in the name of a fictitious being, who for some reason condones insanity.
