characterized by or holding idiosyncratic beliefs or impressions that are contradicted by reality or rational argument, typically as a symptom of mental disorder.
Using this as a definition of delusional.
I would say the majority of mainstream religions aren't delusions the way I think most people are raised within them.
Successful cults/religions are, for the most part, very careful in making claims that can't be contradicted by reality.
The claims are things that can never be proven or disproven. Things like.....
You go to heaven if you're good and you believe in the specific religion.
The prophet did this magic thing thousands of years ago.
The book the prophet wrote is absolutely miraculously amazing.
There are spirits everywhere that can't be seen except sometimes in your dreams or if you take drugs.
Magic boats, talking snakes, giants, monsters, transforming animals, miracles, this stuff happened loads back in the day.
There are gray areas such as claims that homosexuality is a choice, evolution didn't happen, dinosaurs didn't exist. I suppose those beliefs might be considered to be delusional in the sense they do go against mainstream scientific knowledge. They're beliefs that are contradicted by reality as we know it proven by mainstream science but they're all more complex topics than I think a typical delusion consists of. It's not as simple as someone believing they can fly or read minds when they can't. And not everyone who has gone against mainstream science has been delusional.
The people who I would say are delusional are the prophets themselves, or they might just be lying. Also people who involve mainstream religion into their delusional mental disorder.
Using this as a definition of delusional.
I would say the majority of mainstream religions aren't delusions the way I think most people are raised within them.
Successful cults/religions are, for the most part, very careful in making claims that can't be contradicted by reality.
The claims are things that can never be proven or disproven. Things like.....
You go to heaven if you're good and you believe in the specific religion.
The prophet did this magic thing thousands of years ago.
The book the prophet wrote is absolutely miraculously amazing.
There are spirits everywhere that can't be seen except sometimes in your dreams or if you take drugs.
Magic boats, talking snakes, giants, monsters, transforming animals, miracles, this stuff happened loads back in the day.
There are gray areas such as claims that homosexuality is a choice, evolution didn't happen, dinosaurs didn't exist. I suppose those beliefs might be considered to be delusional in the sense they do go against mainstream scientific knowledge. They're beliefs that are contradicted by reality as we know it proven by mainstream science but they're all more complex topics than I think a typical delusion consists of. It's not as simple as someone believing they can fly or read minds when they can't. And not everyone who has gone against mainstream science has been delusional.
The people who I would say are delusional are the prophets themselves, or they might just be lying. Also people who involve mainstream religion into their delusional mental disorder.
Are you ready for the fire? We are firemen. WE ARE FIREMEN! The heat doesn’t bother us. We live in the heat. We train in the heat. It tells us that we’re ready, we’re at home, we’re where we’re supposed to be. Flames don’t intimidate us. What do we do? We control the flame. We control them. We move the flames where we want to. And then we extinguish them.
Impersonation is treason.
