Believing in Deities is a Form of Psychosis

[CeruleanNight]

It is to my belief, and observation, that having actual faith in any sort of deity from religious texts or folklore is a form of psychosis. 

What is psychosis? For those who don't know, psychosis is defined as a severe mental illness where in someone has lost touch with external reality. In other words, they believe in things that simply aren't real. And applying the facts to the topic of religion, with our current era's knowledge: it is indeed a FORM of psychosis. 

Now before you lose yourself, I'd like to state something. Religion, is barely often truly believed in. I tried to be a Christian once, and no matter how much I tried I could not believe in something that was utterly nonexistent and lose my touch with reality. 

People who do choose to be truly faithful and believe in such deities, are by, factual terms in a state of psychosis. With our current worldly knowledge, the facts stand true: gods and deities are not real. The facts are what we must go by in this debate, beliefs and faith, is by psychosis alone. While being mentally ill with psychosis has different effects, there have been many studies to show that religion in general is psychologically damaging.

Furthermore, many people in our history have believed in deities, so were all of them affected by psychosis? Firstly, I'd like to re-define the meaning behind a mental disorder. A mental disorder is simply a classification for a grouping of conditions to make understanding HUMAN ABNORMALITIES better. In it's primitive state, mental disorders are obsolete. There is no BIOLOGICAL condition, but rather an abnormality of the mind, at least I think. So technically they weren't 'ill', but just mentally abnormal in OUR PERSPECTIVE TIME. However then again psychosis of this form could've been perfectly normal at that time.

Then there are people who are like me, who tried their hardest to believe but couldn't due to the facts. With these people, I think they were merely pretending with religion in order to avoid persecution and whatnot. So with all of that stated, what are you thoughts?

Some questions to think on;

• Is it ethical to consider truly religious people mentally ill with psychosis?
  
• Should religion be eliminated from society to prevent psychological damage?
  
• Do you know anyone who went insane over God?
  
• Any more comments?
  

[Minimalist]

Some doubtlessly are crazy.  Most are simply born into it and are too lazy or too disinterested to question it.

The rest are smart enough to end up atheists.

[CeruleanNight]

Some doubtlessly are crazy.  Most are simply born into it and are too lazy or too disinterested to question it.

The rest are smart enough to end up atheists.

Honestly, that's just plain indoctrination, and it's religion's greatest weapon.
I hope some people will be able to realize that their religion is damaging and escape it. There have been many accounts of religious figures acting against their own teachings and their Bible's ethics, and the Bible itself is crazy. If one were to live actually biblically they'd be surrounding multiple of their rights, not to mention their right to free speech.

[Minimalist]

Absolutely.  I've used this quote before.

If we had opened our eyes to the light under the shadows of St. Peter's at Rome, we should have been devout Catholics; born in the Jewish quarter of Aleppo, we should have contemned Christ as an imposter; in Constantinople, we should have cried "Allah il Allah, God is great and Mahomet is his prophet!" Birth, place, and education give us our faith. Few believe in any religion because they have examined the evidences of its authenticity, and made up a formal judgment, upon weighing the testimony. Not one man in ten thousand knows anything about the proofs of his faith. We believe what we are taught; and those are most fanatical who know least of the evidences on which their creed is based.



--Brig. Gen Albert Pike, C.S.A.

Our most ardent jesus freaks on this board would, had they been born in Damascus, be strapping dynamite vests on and shouting Allah Ahkbar before blowing themselves to bits.  The religious delusion can serve any god any where at any time.

[brewer]

It is to my belief, and observation, that having actual faith in any sort of deity from religious texts or folklore is a form of psychosis. 

What is psychosis? For those who don't know, psychosis is defined as a severe mental illness where in someone has lost touch with external reality. In other words, they believe in things that simply aren't real. And applying the facts to the topic of religion, with our current era's knowledge: it is indeed a FORM of psychosis. 

Now before you lose yourself, I'd like to state something. Religion, is barely often truly believed in. I tried to be a Christian once, and no matter how much I tried I could not believe in something that was utterly nonexistent and lose my touch with reality. 

People who do choose to be truly faithful and believe in such deities, are by, factual terms in a state of psychosis. With our current worldly knowledge, the facts stand true: gods and deities are not real. The facts are what we must go by in this debate, beliefs and faith, is by psychosis alone. While being mentally ill with psychosis has different effects, there have been many studies to show that religion in general is psychologically damaging.

Furthermore, many people in our history have believed in deities, so were all of them affected by psychosis? Firstly, I'd like to re-define the meaning behind a mental disorder. A mental disorder is simply a classification for a grouping of conditions to make understanding HUMAN ABNORMALITIES better. In it's primitive state, mental disorders are obsolete. There is no BIOLOGICAL condition, but rather an abnormality of the mind, at least I think. So technically they weren't 'ill', but just mentally abnormal in OUR PERSPECTIVE TIME. However then again psychosis of this form could've been perfectly normal at that time.

Then there are people who are like me, who tried their hardest to believe but couldn't due to the facts. With these people, I think they were merely pretending with religion in order to avoid persecution and whatnot. So with all of that stated, what are you thoughts?

Some questions to think on;

• Is it ethical to consider truly religious people mentally ill with psychosis?
  
• Should religion be eliminated from society to prevent psychological damage?
  
• Do you know anyone who went insane over God?
  
• Any more comments?
  

Hello and Welcome.

Afraid I'm going to have to disagree with you based on extent. People who believe in gods can be, but are rarely psychotic. By your own definition, they rarely loose touch with external reality. They function in society. We typically can't pick most out until they open their mouth. 

You can decide for yourself if it's an ethical position. Before I take that position, define truly religious. 
The society I live in is made up of primarily religious persons but that number/percent seems to be on the decline. I'm content with the concept dying on the vine (won't be in my lifetime but I can dream). Most of the religious I know I would not consider psychologically damaged. 
Yes, I have known individuals that were institutionalized with mental disorders and had various religious fixations. However, I don't think the fixation caused the mental disorder. 

Mental disorders: some are caused by biological conditions, some psychological (intrinsic vs extrinsic). You need to make the determination of cause on a case by case basis. Sometimes it contains both components. 

The religious I consider delusional. But it's a delusion accepted in society. People can have other accepted societal delusions. Children have them all of the time. Mohamed Ali said I am the greatest of all time, clearly a delusion, but a delusion accepted by most as part of his personality.

[mordant]

It is to my belief, and observation, that having actual faith in any sort of deity from religious texts or folklore is a form of psychosis. 

What is psychosis? For those who don't know, psychosis is defined as a severe mental illness where in someone has lost touch with external reality. In other words, they believe in things that simply aren't real. And applying the facts to the topic of religion, with our current era's knowledge: it is indeed a FORM of psychosis. 

Now before you lose yourself, I'd like to state something. Religion, is barely often truly believed in. I tried to be a Christian once, and no matter how much I tried I could not believe in something that was utterly nonexistent and lose my touch with reality. 

People who do choose to be truly faithful and believe in such deities, are by, factual terms in a state of psychosis. With our current worldly knowledge, the facts stand true: gods and deities are not real. The facts are what we must go by in this debate, beliefs and faith, is by psychosis alone. While being mentally ill with psychosis has different effects, there have been many studies to show that religion in general is psychologically damaging.

Furthermore, many people in our history have believed in deities, so were all of them affected by psychosis? Firstly, I'd like to re-define the meaning behind a mental disorder. A mental disorder is simply a classification for a grouping of conditions to make understanding HUMAN ABNORMALITIES better. In it's primitive state, mental disorders are obsolete. There is no BIOLOGICAL condition, but rather an abnormality of the mind, at least I think. So technically they weren't 'ill', but just mentally abnormal in OUR PERSPECTIVE TIME. However then again psychosis of this form could've been perfectly normal at that time.

Then there are people who are like me, who tried their hardest to believe but couldn't due to the facts. With these people, I think they were merely pretending with religion in order to avoid persecution and whatnot. So with all of that stated, what are you thoughts?

Some questions to think on;

• Is it ethical to consider truly religious people mentally ill with psychosis?
  
• Should religion be eliminated from society to prevent psychological damage?
  
• Do you know anyone who went insane over God?
  
• Any more comments?
  

Mere denial / compartmentalization / delusion / groupthink is not psychosis.

I will grant you that the more we know via the scientific method, the more untenable / unjustified religious beliefs are, and the more dysfunction must be ginned up to keep people in religious faith by countering awareness of and trust in objective reality inputs. But this is a self-limiting issue. Fundamentalist religion is crumbling to the extent that education and personal wealth are dominant. The bigger threat right now, in my view, to the ultimate marginalization of religion is not religion itself, but the growth of income and educational inequality and the disappearance of a healthy middle class. Religion will continue to prey on the vulnerable -- the ignorant, uneducated and desperate. For awhile there we were depriving them of their inventory of followers; now, we might be creating a new underclass for them to give false hope to.

To your question about whether religious ideation rises to the level of mental illness, in a particular case I think the litmus test would be whether the adherent can function adequately in everyday life. Most of them hold down jobs, raise families, and are law abiding citizens. Therefore they are not sufficiently impaired to be considered mentally ill. Mental illness is not either / or, it's a continuum, and I think the ability to function as a somewhat useful member of society is the dividing line here.

[drfuzzy]

I think that the vast majority of religious people are brainwashed into belief at a very young age by their parents/guardians.  This brainwashing is a product of constant indoctrination and of a community that reinforces those beliefs.  Combine this with threats of hell for questioning and doubting, and if the individual remains in that community, they will never truly question their beliefs.  These beliefs make up a large part of their worldview, so anyone who questions those beliefs will be seen as a threat.

I would have to agree with m.h. that most of these individuals function quite well in society. I live in the "Bible Belt" USA.  Most of the people at work are religious (christian) and my job would be at risk if I declared my atheism.  In fact, I lost a job because I was on this forum during work hours, so I had better make this short and log out.

Have I known delusional religious people?  Oh definitely.  I was raised holy-roller Pentecostal.  My Mother was pretty much certifiably crazy.  The stories I could tell.  
Would I like to see religious belief become listed as a psychosis?  Fundamentalism, sure.  I don't think that's going to happen in my lifetime.  
Atheism is growing.  The antidote to religious fundamentalism is education - particularly science and logic education.

[Silver]

Delusion is a form of psychosis, and those who believe in that which does not exist certainly do suffer from delusion.

[Neo-Scholastic]

Yeah, well I think atheism is intellectually lazy, so there, Cerulean.

[Silver]

Yeah, well I think atheism is intellectually lazy, so there, Cerulean.

Atheists are quite the opposite.

If we were so intellectually lazy, we'd be theists.