YART: So, at what point does religion become mental instability?

[Abelkems]

OK, I can't find my remote, so my TV is currently stuck on the 700 Club, and watching it, the only conclusion I can reach about this show is that these people are obviously insane. I realize there are extremists for every belief (very often, in our society, Islam tends to be the scapegoat (I even had my daughter come home asking why her teacher said all Muslims are terrorists)). The U.S. has the Fred Phelps group, and then we have these wonderful Christians...






Is there a definitive line between devout and bat-shit crazy?

[RoadToPerdition]

I've always been curious of this myself. I don't have an answer, but I've wondered how hearing God's voice is not considered mental illness but hearing a voice other than God's is.

[Abelkems]

Originally Posted by RoadToPerdition

I've always been curious of this myself. I don't have an answer, but I've wondered how hearing God's voice is not considered mental illness but hearing a voice other than God's is.

I have a (very ex-religious) friend who was committed for several weeks for claiming to hear God's voice. After much medication and a change of opinion, he was released, so apparently, even the professionals are still out on the subject.

[RoadToPerdition]

Well, I suppose it depends on the context of what God says. Was your friend being ordered to do unethical/illegal things by God's voice?

[Abelkems]

I don't really know those details. He just said their tune changed when he said he could communicate with God. I know he was gone for almost three weeks.

[Superboy]

This is why it's very important for religion and the state to stay very far away from each other, and yet, why the state must also protect religious freedom.

[kvrdave]

Crazy people come in so many different shapes and sizes, should it be any wonder when a large portion of people are also religious that some of that group will also include some crazies?

Plus, I think there is attention for this kind of crazy, similar to the people who have been probed in alien spacecraft.

[Superboy]

Originally Posted by kvrdave

Crazy people come in so many different shapes and sizes, should it be any wonder when a large portion of people are also religious that some of that group will also include some crazies?

Plus, I think there is attention for this kind of crazy, similar to the people who have been probed in alien spacecraft.

I wouldn't put these people in the same category as someone with genuine mental illness - they're having perfectly legitimate (as in well-documented and well-understood) human experiences that are being shaped by the cultural background.

It's interesting that you mention alien abduction - most people who have claimed to experience it are actually found to have traumatic, abusive histories, and the UFO hysteria is what shapes their post-traumatic stress-related delusions. It used to be the case, before the 1950s, even as recent as 100 years ago, that trauma victims claimed to have been visited by demons or angels. In fact, the narratives are so alike as to be almost indistinguishable other than the labels of "alien" and "demon".

[Superboy]

Originally Posted by RoadToPerdition

I've always been curious of this myself. I don't have an answer, but I've wondered how hearing God's voice is not considered mental illness but hearing a voice other than God's is.

I know people with bipolar disorder who go to Pentecostal churches when they're having manic episodes, so they can channel all that energy and focus their delusions so that they don't harm themselves. It's really bad for the believers, though, because they think they're witnessing a genuine miracle, instead of someone who is using their church as a stress egg.

[Heat]

Originally Posted by Abelkems

I have a (very ex-religious) friend who was committed for several weeks for claiming to hear God's voice. After much medication and a change of opinion, he was released, so apparently, even the professionals are still out on the subject.

100+ years ago, your friend would have been a saint.

[Artman]

I think what your seeing with the 700 club, etc are people trying to make sales. I've never watched, so I have no idea what's on, but I think I can safely say none of it's good.

I come from a non-denominational background, where we also take a negative view of religion and religious people. (especially those claiming our own faith)

[NORML54601]

I think snake handlers are probably at least a little nuts.

[mndtrp]

Originally Posted by Superboy

It's interesting that you mention alien abduction - most people who have claimed to experience it are actually found to have traumatic, abusive histories, and the UFO hysteria is what shapes their post-traumatic stress-related delusions. It used to be the case, before the 1950s, even as recent as 100 years ago, that trauma victims claimed to have been visited by demons or angels. In fact, the narratives are so alike as to be almost indistinguishable other than the labels of "alien" and "demon".

Aliens are just like DVDTalk, and people in general, they don't care about the mundane and the normal. That's why they abduct the people with traumatic, abusive histories. More exciting stories, graphic drama, rape, things like that.

[dvdjunkie32]

Originally Posted by RoadToPerdition

I've always been curious of this myself. I don't have an answer, but I've wondered how hearing God's voice is not considered mental illness but hearing a voice other than God's is.

I find it offensive to suggest that Christians are mentally ill. Listen to Brian Head Welch's, former lead Korn guitarist, testimony. God spoke to him and he immediately quit crystal meth cold turkey. That is a miracle. Meth addicts don't just quit over night.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf5WYigZHME


Besides God can speak to a Christian in many ways like through scripture. Brian talks about this as well.

[Deftones]

Actually, many meth addicts have quit over night. It's not a miracle.

[RoadToPerdition]

Yeah, I'm not sure if dvdjunkie32 was being serious, Deftones. "Head" seems pretty mentally unstable in that video...

[DVD Polizei]

We shouldn't focus on RELIGION. It's the person who's the fucking mental case, who's holding that holy book from one country or another.

And whether or not a person quits meth in 24hrs is a miracle or not, is not up to me to decide.

Theoretically, the best way is immediate stopping of use. However, considering how many are on meth, who WANT to get off meth but aren't, and those who ARE actually off of it...taking those statistics I'd say it was a form of willpower and something else. Because most people who are on meth...are still on it. Brian from Korn had willpower and who am I to say he didn't have a connection with a higher power. So, while it may not be a miracle per se, I'd say it was miraculous, meaning it was rather extraordinary.

[cultshock]

Personally, I think all religious people are delusional and at least a little nutty. And many are indeed "bat-shit crazy".

[Josh-da-man]

Originally Posted by Abelkems

Is there a definitive line between devout and bat-shit crazy?

Grown people with an all-powerful, imaginary friend from a book of bronze age fairy tales who watches out for them and will send people they don't like to a place of eternal torment after they die?

Sounds perfectly rational to me.

[NORML54601]

[Nick Danger]

Does the religion in question require everyone to wear black sneakers, get castrated, and commit suicide when a comet passes by the Earth?

[Sean O'Hara]

Do you believe in God?

If you answer, "yes" and you're older than five, you suffer from a mental disorder.

[Superboy]

Originally Posted by cultshock

Personally, I think all religious people are delusional and at least a little nutty. And many are indeed "bat-shit crazy".

batshit crazy here, and I disagree.

[cultshock]

Originally Posted by Josh-da-man

Grown people with an all-powerful, imaginary friend from a book of bronze age fairy tales who watches out of them and will send people they don't like to a place of eternal torment after they die?

Sounds perfectly rational to me.

That about sums it up.

[kvrdave]

Originally Posted by Sean O'Hara

Do you believe in God?

If you answer, "yes" and you're older than five, you suffer from a mental disorder.