Religion

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130. Imagine that There is an Identifiable Group of Mentally Ill People with Religious Delusions

Tue Aug 19, 2014, 01:27 PM

Aug 2014

and a much larger group of religious people who have no symptoms of mental illness.

Sampling those two groups would show a positive correlation between mental illness and religious delusion. However, in no way does it demonstrate that religious causes mental illness or is a form of mental illness.

And of course it was "impossible to tell" cause and effect -- that kind of a study doesn't attempt to address causation.

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True or false: religious people are mentally ill purely by virtue of being religious? [View all] Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 OP

A study in the 70s found that the ChairmanAgnostic Aug 2014 #1

I would like a link to that study because I am going to say right now that it is utter bullshit. cbayer Aug 2014 #3

Here's a simple encylopedia intro to religion as "delusion," linking it to mental illness Brettongarcia Aug 2014 #80

Here's an article on why you should be very wary of using wikipedia as a source for religious topics cbayer Aug 2014 #81

Here's our latest professional psychological article linking Religion to Delusion Brettongarcia Aug 2014 #86

Sorry, not interested in anything posted by that member. cbayer Aug 2014 #87

Oh, wait! I took a look at this article just to see and…. cbayer Aug 2014 #88

It's in "Evolution and Cognition," 2004, indexed in Academia.edu. It cites Freud and ... Brettongarcia Aug 2014 #90

Ah, Evolution and Cognition. The esteemed publication of the Konrad Lorenz Institute. cbayer Aug 2014 #95

Not what I'm asking. Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #4

You think 90 percent of the world's population is mentally ill BainsBane Aug 2014 #6

Yep pipoman Aug 2014 #13

Why did you assume you knew what my own answer to the poll would be? nt Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #32

Well, I was taken back by the idea such a poll would even be posted BainsBane Aug 2014 #41

Well, now we know that at least eleven people can conceive of this idea. Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #48

I suspect that the poll was posted because... stone space Aug 2014 #55

I see BainsBane Aug 2014 #59

Well, an unattributed 40 year study. rug Aug 2014 #19

Good thing, too. ChairmanAgnostic Aug 2014 #26

So, are you going to produce a link to the study or not? cbayer Aug 2014 #73

Imagine that There is an Identifiable Group of Mentally Ill People with Religious Delusions On the Road Aug 2014 #130

False. ZombieHorde Aug 2014 #2

Like believing religious belief equates with mental illness BainsBane Aug 2014 #7

I don't think it necessarily makes you nuts. PeteSelman Aug 2014 #5

realizing they're just stories doesn't equate to irreligion carolinayellowdog Aug 2014 #18

Atheism is taught in the religious studies program BainsBane Aug 2014 #8

That's great. There is more and more of that happening. cbayer Aug 2014 #74

Perhaps it's more Wishful Thinking than anything else. BlueJazz Aug 2014 #9

There is a way:..... time is infinite. meti57b Aug 2014 #115

Well..I certainly hope I turn out better the next time I come around. BlueJazz Aug 2014 #128

LOL!!! meti57b Aug 2014 #129

False edhopper Aug 2014 #10

Delusion is not only a medical term. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Aug 2014 #34

Yeah edhopper Aug 2014 #49

But that is not how delusion is being used in this poll. cbayer Aug 2014 #76

Was the poll wording edited? Erich Bloodaxe BSN Aug 2014 #91

You are correct. The term "mental illness" was used and delusion was brought cbayer Aug 2014 #98

I can't keep my French guys straight ;) nt Erich Bloodaxe BSN Aug 2014 #100

I once had trouble keeping my french guys straight! cbayer Aug 2014 #103

Belief in things that aren't true? What exactly isn't true? cbayer Aug 2014 #75

I think the more important question is... trotsky Aug 2014 #11

Religious bigotry, the last bastion for the haters... pipoman Aug 2014 #12

So to those who voted yes am I mentally ill because I am a believer? hrmjustin Aug 2014 #14

Well none of these posters are doctors and upaloopa Aug 2014 #15

Looks that way. Nine current DUers think all religious DUers are mentally ill. rug Aug 2014 #20

And there are some who think if we challenge this we are showing our religious entitlement. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #21

I'm sure someone somwhere considers that to be a rational argument. rug Aug 2014 #22

Oh I ran into it a little while ago. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #23

And "mentally ill" is a negative thing to be? TygrBright Aug 2014 #16

If religiousness was indistinguishable from a heart attack you might have a point. Warren Stupidity Aug 2014 #28

That's what makes it even more objectionable. cbayer Aug 2014 #77

Being ill is usually considered a negative, be it heart disease or a headache. Starboard Tack Aug 2014 #83

No. You have it on the opinion of an atheist rock Aug 2014 #17

The claim is not that religious people are mentally ill, but that religious beliefs are delusional. Warren Stupidity Aug 2014 #24

We could be equally consistent by dropping the term delusional altogether. Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #25

I'm fine with delusion as a word to describe beliefs that are unsustainable but held with firm Warren Stupidity Aug 2014 #27

That's a self-negating definition. Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #29

nope delusional believes are held with firm conviction despite being unsustainable. Warren Stupidity Aug 2014 #42

Then the assertion "God is a delusion" involves Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #45

No more so than other magical invisible beings, faeries or leprechauns for example. Warren Stupidity Aug 2014 #47

That analogy comes loaded with assumptions that presuppose your conclusion. Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #62

You're delusional Dorian Gray Aug 2014 #43

I am making no attempt here to not offend people. Warren Stupidity Aug 2014 #50

Well Dorian Gray Aug 2014 #53

And if we fight back we are just showing our religious privilege. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #51

Denialism is fighting back? cleanhippie Aug 2014 #93

Denial of what? hrmjustin Aug 2014 #94

Exactly. cleanhippie Aug 2014 #96

You can't even answer the question. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #97

How can you be "fighting back" if you don't even know what you're "fighting back" against? cleanhippie Aug 2014 #99

ok I am done. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #101

Lol cleanhippie Aug 2014 #102

Go on, ask me. rug Aug 2014 #117

I honestly don't get religion chrisstopher Aug 2014 #30

Oh, yeah!! Some atheists get to call "religious people" mentally ill, delusional, stupid, ignorant, CAG Aug 2014 #31

Apparently if we fight back we are showing our religious entitlement. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #33

Well, geez, its hard to argue with such smart folk, ya know, cuz us believers CAG Aug 2014 #39

Wait now, according to some Obama is too cool to be a believer. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #40

That's true, in fact, most of those named are probably just faking it for votes...you'll see that CAG Aug 2014 #44

Yet if we fight back we are the bad guys. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #46

Bernie Sanders is Jewish; I couldn't find anything The Velveteen Ocelot Aug 2014 #54

sociology, sorry CAG Aug 2014 #58

Bernie Sanders Goblinmonger Aug 2014 #89

delusional, yes, the rest of your list, not really. Warren Stupidity Aug 2014 #85

As is evident from your posts. rug Aug 2014 #118

What a ridiculous question. Curmudgeoness Aug 2014 #35

I don't know about all of those who voted yes but one of them posts all the time about this. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #36

If anyone is stating it in this exact way, Curmudgeoness Aug 2014 #37

I am afraid not. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #38

Hah! I wish that were true, but it most definitely is not. cbayer Aug 2014 #78

As an observant Jew, I would have to disagree. agbdf Aug 2014 #52

These people are bigots demwing Aug 2014 #56

And then there's Warren Stupidity, okasha Aug 2014 #135

I know I'm sick of living in my own country Politicalboi Aug 2014 #57

"We consider religious rights right up their (sic) with civil rights. CAG Aug 2014 #61

I mean we can live without religion Politicalboi Aug 2014 #66

I don't think you'll find much argument here about separation of church and state. CAG Aug 2014 #68

And dark skinned people can live without demwing Aug 2014 #133

slightly more effective argument than my Burger King obsession.. :-) CAG Aug 2014 #136

NTSA. Iggo Aug 2014 #60

Yes... MellowDem Aug 2014 #63

Is that what you think? rug Aug 2014 #65

The mentally ill aren't being used MellowDem Aug 2014 #120

Of course they are. rug Aug 2014 #121

To sum up: Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #67

On its own it is useless... MellowDem Aug 2014 #122

"The purpose of psychiatry is to provide a convenient vocabulary for insulting people." immoderate Aug 2014 #64

And that is profoundly insulting to those that suffer with serious psychiatric illnesses cbayer Aug 2014 #79

Should people with mental illness be only positively reinforced? Told their illness is good? Brettongarcia Aug 2014 #92

Not mentally ill, just overly optimistic. notgoinback Aug 2014 #69

I take it this means you lost your faith thanks to that book? Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #70

logic Skittles Aug 2014 #82

spending vast amounts of time attacking strangers online strikes me as symptomatic carolinayellowdog Aug 2014 #71

Those that believe this to be true are expressing bigotry both against cbayer Aug 2014 #72

If I were arguing Dorian Gray Aug 2014 #84

I think it is more tied in to emotional development JNelson6563 Aug 2014 #104

Let me make sure I have this right. cbayer Aug 2014 #105

I consider emotional IQ seperate from psychological health. JNelson6563 Aug 2014 #116

So, you don't see low emotional IQ as a psychiatric issue, just as a trait? cbayer Aug 2014 #123

Actually their supposed belief in religion is just one of the manifestations of their insanity.... DrewFlorida Aug 2014 #106

Yes, of course. Over 80% of the people on this planet are insane. cbayer Aug 2014 #109

How would you describe the mental state of the population of Germany Warren Stupidity Aug 2014 #113

Of course, the Third Reich was established to promote religion. rug Aug 2014 #119

How did you manage to avoid having this poll hidden? stone space Aug 2014 #107

Well, obviously it is proof positive TM99 Aug 2014 #108

Looks like you inadvertently hit the "sarcasm" smilie. nt Curmudgeoness Aug 2014 #112

You do know the author of this OP is a believer, right? Goblinmonger Aug 2014 #131

So my poll got deleted because I'm an atheist? (nt) stone space Aug 2014 #134

Well, as has been repeatedly pointed out here, the odds of having a jury that is completely cbayer Aug 2014 #110

I would like to see how this is explained away. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #111

Does anybody have the jury results on the OP? stone space Aug 2014 #114

Well, the alerter will have them for sure and s/he is probably in this thread. cbayer Aug 2014 #124

That's my hope. (nt) stone space Aug 2014 #125

I would also be fascinated. Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #126

It will be a big letdown when... stone space Aug 2014 #127

Kind of a funny way to put it. peace13 Aug 2014 #132