Question For Fellow Atheists...

[robvalue]

It's a delusion, yes. It is very unfortunate that many of the behaviors and beliefs nurtured by religion can mimic mental illness. This interferes with the diagnosis.

Delusion can be a symptom of mental illness, but delusions can also be programmed in and reinforced. The distinction is important because mental illness usually requires treatment, and will respond to such. Someone with a programmed delusion doesn't need treatment, nor will they respond to it. They just "need" to realize what has been done to them, one way or another. But they can generally function perfectly well even with the delusion. Of course, it may well cause them to make bad decisions if they are more than lightly inside the realm of fantasy.

What is and isn't a mental illness is ultimately a matter of debate for medical professionals, so I'm just giving my take on it. I don't see advantage or accuracy in labeling religion as such, personally. The cause is not the same. Of course, when you have someone who is actually seriously mentally ill and mix that with religion, the result can be a disaster.

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Having said that, I've been indoctrinated myself with non-religious beliefs, which have plagued me my whole life. Cognitive behavior therapy has helped me come to terms with and challenge these beliefs. But it worked because I wanted to challenge them; I was open to the possibility I was wrong. That doesn't make me mentally ill. As it happens, I am mentally ill (I have depression) for which I am on treatment.