Forums > Social Discussion > Religion: A mental illness?

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MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
Written by: Simian

ah, israel. Just another justification for my thesis that religious belief should be treated the same as any other mental illness. But that's another discussion entirely...




Well, this is another discussion entirely. smile

Thoughts?

I'm inclined to agree.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


babajagaBRONZE Member
old hand
863 posts
Location: Berlin, Germany


Posted:
everybody should do what him make feel better or make his ways easier.. point for me is if somebody tries to persuade you or tries to have influence to bring others to their believe..

What is psychology?- Looking for a black cat in a dark room. What is psychoanalysis? Psychoanalysis is looking for a black cat in a dark room -- in which there is no cat -- but finding one anyway.


GelflingBRONZE Member
Watcher of 80s cartoons
665 posts
Location: Chepstow & Bristol, United Kingdom


Posted:
Written by: Mynci


what would happen if a normal person walked around saying they believed in someone/thing that nobody could see/ touch/ smell/ hear/ feel...




I can't see/touch/smell/hear/feel you Mynci - I still believe that you exist though. Does that mean that I have a mental illness - I think not. The word religion simply means belief and since everyone belives in things that they have not seen, touched, smelt, heard or felt that makes everyone religous. My subject is science and as a scientist I believe in much "sketchier" things than a god such as evolution and the big bang.

>What do you think about the state of the Earth?
>I'm optimistic.
>So why do you look so sad?
>I'm not sure that my optimism is justified.


EeraBRONZE Member
old hand
1,107 posts
Location: In a test pit, Mackay, Australia


Posted:
If it's an illness then it's got some damn nice cathedrals to incubate in.

There have been a lot of people killed in the name of religion, but there's been a hell of a lot more living peaceful lives secure in the knowledge that there's something looking out for them.

Having moved back to Australia a year ago the place I miss most of all are the cisturcian monastery ruins in my viallge, and Winchester Cathedral. I'm not Christian but the sense of peace and power in these places is enormous.

There is a slight possibility that I am not actually right all of the time.


SethisBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,762 posts
Location: York University, United Kingdom


Posted:
But Gelfling, you are in direct communication with Mynci and he will actually answer any questions you ask him. (well, nearly any wink )

This is slightly different to a being with whom you can't communicate except through millenia old religious texts...

After much consideration, I find that the view is worth the asphyxiation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I may disagree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.


jeff(fake)Scientist of Fortune
1,189 posts
Location: Edinburgh


Posted:
Written by: Sethis

millenia old religious texts...



Which, too be fair, were probably written whilst under the influence of quite a lot of drugs.

If God wants me he can come and get. Otherwise the old geezer can just piss off. You hear that Jehovah/Allah/Buddha/Yahweh/Superman/Whatever? I think you are a crappy God and even if you did create the universe that's no reason for anyone to worship you.

Now that's tempting fate biggrin. (glances nevously at the sky) Oh look, I'm still alive. ubblol

According to Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle of Quantum Dynamics, we may already be making love right now...


SethisBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,762 posts
Location: York University, United Kingdom


Posted:
ROFL ubblol

Careful, people might take offence wink

But you can shelter under my "Atheist Lighting Rod" (tm) if you want... ubblol

After much consideration, I find that the view is worth the asphyxiation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I may disagree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.


Julie2022member
145 posts
Location: Little Rock, AR


Posted:
But you have to wonder about all those people who HAVE been struck by lightening!! smile biggrin

They do have support groups for religious people - it's called church.

However, there are two types of support- support as in "we're with you, and we like it." I'd call this forum a support group like that for fire lovers....

and there are the theraputic "get over it" support groups - like AA smile... they support you in your efforts to move past it while secretly keeping it up behind your back

Let's not forget Fight Club! Some support groups are just there because they need to be there!

In the second kind - yes, there should be religious support groups, especially for those who've been raised catholic smile (lol - that could result in brainwashing and contrite penatence.) Salem Witch trials, anyone?

The only way of belief and living that I've never had a problem with is Buddhaism. They might be all about enlightenment and some weird ways of thinking. But, they don't put theirselves any higher than anyone else on the planet, so you can hang out with one of them and be human without being negated by the end of the day. (A lot of christians love tearing someone apart if they don't "fit in".)

A lot of religious fanatics have a "greater than thou" way of thinking which can be very hypocritical.
Like my parents, for example - with all this "god" in their lives - they don't even live together anymore. But, oh - their marriage is great, if you ask them. Yeah, whatever - they don't ever see eachother! <= some serious hypocrasy there! And they think I'm a bad seed smile Gee, apparently it grows on tree!

Anyway *goes off to spin*

"I'm your Huckleberry."

The muse spake her thought and then there was silence. Thy spiked tongue had melted, only a bitter heart remained.


KyrianDreamer
4,308 posts
Location: York, England


Posted:
heh, I would love a support group for people who were raised catholic. you know i didn't even realize it was weird that i thought i wasn't supposed to call people on sundays till i was about 16.....

keep finding all kinds of little things made there way into my life, and cause its how you're raised sometimes you don't know any different....

Keep your dream alive
Dreamin is still how the strong survive

Shalom VeAhavah

New Hampshire has a point....


fluffy napalm fairyCarpal \'Tunnel
3,638 posts
Location: Brum / Dorset / Fairy Land


Posted:
I agree. Wholeheartedly. Read Simian's posts - and Mynci's too smile

Geologists do it in the dirt................ spank


Boo_BunnyBRONZE Member
Sparkely arty Mormon rainbow fairy
933 posts
Location: infront of you, United Kingdom


Posted:
'We claim the privilege of worshipping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, and what they may.'

That's my belief anyway... smile

Property of Fine_Rabid_Dog


onewheeldaveGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,252 posts
Location: sheffield, United Kingdom


Posted:
Written by: Boo_Bunny


'We claim the privilege of worshipping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, and what they may.'

That's my belief anyway... smile




How about-

'We claim the privilege of worshipping God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all people the same privilege, let them worship how, where, and what they may.'

ie scrap the Almighty on the grounds that-

1 it's unnecessary; God is God and does not require being prefaced with 'Almighty'

2 it could have contributed to the fact that, historically, the monotheistic organised religions have tended to display a high degree of arrogance towards others who do not share their concept of God- 'Almighty' can be read as 'mightier than yours'


then replace 'all men' with 'all people', on the grounds that-

1 humankind consists of a 50/50 gender mix, and it's good (IMO) if candidates for important global statements reflect that

2 again, historically, the monotheistic organised religions have displayed a high degree of gender discrimination, for example by disallowing females from the priesthood, and by the use of 'He' when referring to God.

Does that seem reasonable?

"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."

--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32


Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!


Posted:
i have been a christian for three years now, and i am beginning to think that it is just a comfort thing people think up in there heads, and that in actual fact that there is nothing there

Julie2022member
145 posts
Location: Little Rock, AR


Posted:
Ah - but, the big question still stands - is there something wrong to be seen in that? Or is it just like a kid and his blanket?

"I'm your Huckleberry."

The muse spake her thought and then there was silence. Thy spiked tongue had melted, only a bitter heart remained.


Posted:
i would say it is just like a kid and his blanket

SethisBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,762 posts
Location: York University, United Kingdom


Posted:
Well, up to a certain point it is, but when that kid tries to force other kids to use his blanket, and his only, then it gets a bit... messy... umm

After much consideration, I find that the view is worth the asphyxiation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I may disagree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.


ArythSILVER Member
in a beautiful daze....
134 posts
Location: Liverpool, England


Posted:
This is going a bit off the topic of is religion a mental illness but i've said what i though on that earlier, that i don't believe it is.

However in my opinion all organised religion is s**t, and that goes for everyone of them. In history religion has caused nothing but wars, persecution and suffering all in the name of their "god" anything which claims to be divine but then condones the massacre of hundreds of thousands to force people into a belief, surely cannot be the right way. I'll admit that i am going to talk mainly about Christianity but that is solely because of my ignorance and lack of knowledge about other religions historys, which i'm sure have a similar background, somewhere along the line.

thousands of years ago Jews persecuted Christians, who then persucuted Jews (not so long ago WW2) Christianity came to England and immidiatly began forcing the country towards its way of thinking removing our traditional beliefs and holidays, replacing them with the ones we know today. I don't think i need to talk about witch hunters.

This is continuing today in Africa where Christian witch hunters employed by their now Christian goverment are arresting trialling and killing traditional African Witch doctors, is it fair to remove an ancient culture like this.

We can all see even within different forms of the same religion (prodestannt and catholic) the amount of problems that occur.

I was a Prodestant for many years maybe around 12 attending church on a Sunday, giving money to the collection, before i started to question my vicar as to different aspects of what i interperated the bible as saying and what i thought. When i started asking questions i was met with the answer faith is blind and similar phrases, whith which i wasn't satisfied so i started looking at different things and drifted away from the church and community around it.

I honestly think that people are entitled to believe anything they want, but noone has the right to force their beliefs on others, demand that to have a belief you must attend a place of worship, or discriminate against others for whatever their belif is, no matter how absurd you might find it. I might disagree with a large number of things which people say about their belief but i would defend their right to believe in it.

...phew rant done for now......

Whatever happened to my green and pleasant land?


quietanalytic
503 posts
Location: bristol


Posted:
what, even jainism, aryth?

ture na sig


jo_rhymesSILVER Member
Momma Bear
4,525 posts
Location: Telford, Shrops, United Kingdom


Posted:
I think religion is fine if it gives people a reason to live and to carry on. I actually do have a mental illness (depression) and I know a lot of people with more serious illnesses who depend on religion to pull them through the dark times.
To me religions are different paths up the same mountain. There are people who take their sacred texts literally which results in conflict.
Short answer, religion is not a mental illness, it is the opium of the people. ubbrollsmile

Hoppers are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.


ArythSILVER Member
in a beautiful daze....
134 posts
Location: Liverpool, England


Posted:
Written by: quiet


what, even jainism, aryth?




i'm sorry can you explain what it is? like i said i'm quite ignorant of probably loads of different religions.

Whatever happened to my green and pleasant land?


KyrianDreamer
4,308 posts
Location: York, England


Posted:
Well, we did wander over on the first page into "is it a societal ill, its clearly not a mental illness by definition...." just in case anyone wants to grab that? No offense or anything, I'm just wondering, because ther's not been a clear resolution to that argument, wheras the mental illness one seems fairly well done...

Keep your dream alive
Dreamin is still how the strong survive

Shalom VeAhavah

New Hampshire has a point....


BirgitBRONZE Member
had her carpal tunnel surgery already thanks v much
4,145 posts
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)


Posted:
Written by: Aryth


However in my opinion all organised religion is s**t, and that goes for everyone of them. (...) I'll admit that i am going to talk mainly about Christianity but that is solely because of my ignorance and lack of knowledge about other religions historys, which i'm sure have a similar background, somewhere along the line.




Right... so how can you say all of them are s**t?

Without organised religion, there would not be such a thing as "religion", there would only be personal believes. In order to reach other people, communicate, support others (a large part of christian church activity where I come from is to do with supporting children and old people, and donations are regularly collected for poor countries) some organisation is necessary. I agree that without the christian mentality and actions by people acting in the name of God much less help would be needed in much less countries today, but at least they are trying to help where there were mistakes made before.

(oh, and without monestaries, my favourite beers would never have been brewed... wink)

Christians persecuted Jews... well, part of the Nazi agenda actually was about going back to Germanic believes, they didn't much like the churches, though of course they made use of them wherever they could. Of course they made use of "the Jews killed Jesus" to influence more people, maybe those that wouldn't have listened to any other arguments about why they should be against Jews, but the Holocaust was NOT in the name of God. Get some information on how many Christian priests were imprisoned or killed because they failed to go along with the Nazi ideas please.

I do believe lots of people need religion to hold on to something. When wars are started in the name of God, very often the people who initiate them know that they're just using the others' blind faith to accomplish their goals. In less religious societies, people are brought to war not by fear of going to hell but by fear of terrorism. You'll always find something to scare people enough to be willing to sacrifice themselves, and if you don't just make something up (like weapons of mass destruction).

"vices are like genitals - most are ugly to behold, and yet we find that our own are dear to us."
(G.W. Dahlquist)

Owner of Dragosani's left half


ArythSILVER Member
in a beautiful daze....
134 posts
Location: Liverpool, England


Posted:
Written by: Birgit



but at least they are trying to help where there were mistakes made before.






as far as i'm aware mistakes are still being made, but i don't want to get into petty little arguments, when we're talking about the bigger issues.

I think to sum up what i was trying to say

Large orgainised groups and group mentality lead to persecution of the few whether in religion, society, whatever............. i'm just aginst having people dictating how, when, where, and what to "worship". But like i said people can believe whatever they want as long as they don't push their views onto others!!!

Whatever happened to my green and pleasant land?


BirgitBRONZE Member
had her carpal tunnel surgery already thanks v much
4,145 posts
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)


Posted:
That's why I said "trying to help"...

About the dictating: If you live in a secularised country, you can decide which group to join, and if you can't be bothered to go to one that worships on a Sunday morning, find one that has late services smile It only gets bad when people force you to join a group or won't let you leave...

I was just a bit upset about how you had a go at every organised form of religion calling it shxt while you said that opinion is all extrapolated from the one you know... sorry if you felt offended by my post, I really didn't want to start petty arguments hug

"vices are like genitals - most are ugly to behold, and yet we find that our own are dear to us."
(G.W. Dahlquist)

Owner of Dragosani's left half


simian110% MONKEY EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME JUST CANT STOP THE MONKEY
3,149 posts
Location: London


Posted:
ok, since this thread was started by dr mike quoting me, i feel within my rights to point out that it's getting a bit OFF TOPIC



offtopic



The basic question of this thread is not if religion is "good" or "bad"



The question is whether it is "mad"



Lets say that i totally believe that i'm under the control of a massive purple squirrel called Maurice, who was making me be really nice to everyone in the world. i think it's fair to say that would classify me as "mad".



i could be a lovely person, who did loads of great stuff and never hurt anyone.



i would still be mad, because i'd be believing a far more complex version of reality than necessary, without any evidence to support me.



(This is known as "needlessly multiplying entities". It's pretty much accepted in modern rational thinking that believing complicated answers rather than simpler ones is a silly thing to do. A monk called William of Occam worked that out many hundreds of years ago, and we still refer to his rule against needlessly multiplying entities as "Occam's Razor")



Can religion be compatible with Occam's Razor?



Is it fair to say that one who chooses to dismiss Occam's Razor is 'mad'. (i think so).



If you'd like to argue about whether religion is good or bad, then why not resurrect one (of the many) threads discussing exactly that.



smile

"Switching between different kinds of chuu chuu sometimes gives this "urgh wtf?" effect because it's giving people the phi phenomenon."


SethisBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,762 posts
Location: York University, United Kingdom


Posted:
Maybe we should introduce Insurance Companies to Occam's Razor... ubblol

And I think that it is kinda possible for religion to be compatible with it. Basically, Science explains "How" and Religion explains "Why".

The easiest example is the beginning of the Universe. Scientists can explain the Big bang and quantum singularities all they want, but they can't explain why it should have happened. Whether there is a purpose behind it or not.

I personally don't think there is a "point" to existence, or a reason for it. However I am willing to believe the Scientists explanation as to how we exist. So from one point of view, I am obeying Occam's Razor (by not assuming the existence of "Gods"). However from another point of view, I am neglecting a significant part of my life (the reason for it). Does that make sense to people?

After much consideration, I find that the view is worth the asphyxiation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I may disagree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.


simian110% MONKEY EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME JUST CANT STOP THE MONKEY
3,149 posts
Location: London


Posted:
Does that make sense?



Not really...



"[Scientists] can't explain ... whether there is a purpose behind it or not."

Its more that their explanations have no space for some "purpose". It'd simply be something added on top. A needless addition.



The universe is simpler to explain if you don't assume it has a 'purpose' for which it was created.



Saying things like "there must be a purpose" or "there must be something more" is to ignore Occam's Razor.



To reverse the question:

Why must there be a purpose?

Why must there be something more?

"Switching between different kinds of chuu chuu sometimes gives this "urgh wtf?" effect because it's giving people the phi phenomenon."


GlåssDIAMOND Member
The Ministry of Manipulation
2,523 posts
Location: Bristol, United Kingdom


Posted:
My religion, I seem to be a life long member of the:
The Church of Poi biggrin
It definately a happy clappy church, we got music, singing, dancing, Strange beliefs and a great Support Group.
and bender and UCOF as wise elders preaching from on high.

Of course religion is not a mental illness, don't be so daft. smile

simian110% MONKEY EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME JUST CANT STOP THE MONKEY
3,149 posts
Location: London


Posted:
Glass is definitely ill.

he told me so himself.

"Switching between different kinds of chuu chuu sometimes gives this "urgh wtf?" effect because it's giving people the phi phenomenon."


GlåssDIAMOND Member
The Ministry of Manipulation
2,523 posts
Location: Bristol, United Kingdom


Posted:
ill - in a Hip Hop Sense biggrin

_Clare_BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)


Posted:
Word up homie



Non-Https Image Link

Getting to the other side smile


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