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RE: Religion is a Delusion/Mental Illness
May 11, 2015 at 6:14 pm
(This post was last modified: May 11, 2015 at 6:15 pm by Dystopia.)
(May 11, 2015 at 6:09 pm)mbk734 Wrote: I don't think mental illness is a negative thing and I have no bias against people with mental illness (I have bipolar). It is what it is. Some people are born with mental illness just like you are born into a religious family. Believing in a God/Heaven/Hell/Angels/Demons/Witches is a delusion. Having delusions is a symptom of mental illness. I don't think that mental illness is literally a mental illness that needs treatment. They just need some atheist cognitive behavioral therapy to heal their brainwashing from growing up in a religious family/school.
If you replaced some of those words your rhetoric resembles young earth creationists very closely 
So you don't think a mental illness is literally a mental illness? What is it then? Is it just half-mental illness? A quarter? Are you a psychiatrist and know what a mental illness is? - Since your basis to classify religion as a mental illness is the fact it is irrational/delusional then we are all mentally ill because we all have delusions and irrational beliefs. We are not robots and rationality is not always widespread even among brilliant critical minds.
Also, can I label someone who believes in something I disagree with as mentally ill? Because that's the basic premise you are proposing.
Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you
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RE: Religion is a Delusion/Mental Illness
May 11, 2015 at 6:28 pm
(This post was last modified: May 11, 2015 at 6:29 pm by z7z.)
(May 11, 2015 at 6:14 pm)Dystopia Wrote: If you replaced some of those words your rhetoric resembles young earth creationists very closely
So you don't think a mental illness is literally a mental illness? What is it then? Is it just half-mental illness? A quarter? Are you a psychiatrist and know what a mental illness is? - Since your basis to classify religion as a mental illness is the fact it is irrational/delusional then we are all mentally ill because we all have delusions and irrational beliefs. We are not robots and rationality is not always widespread even among brilliant critical minds.
Also, can I label someone who believes in something I disagree with as mentally ill? Because that's the basic premise you are proposing.
Sorry I typed incorrectly and was editing when you quoted me. Re-read my edited post:
I don't think mental illness is a negative thing and I have no bias against people with mental illness (I have bipolar). It is what it is. Some people are born with mental illness just like you are born into a religious family. Believing in a God/Heaven/Hell/Angels/Demons/Witches is a delusion. Having delusions is a symptom of mental illness. I don't think that religion is literally a mental illness that needs treatment. They just need some atheist cognitive behavioral therapy to heal their brainwashing from growing up in a religious family/school.
I think that religion could be classified as a mental illness because it is a false belief (delusion) based on zero evidence that is harmful to people. I don't advocate anti-psychotic medicine for religious people if that's what you mean. What are your delusions? I'd be glad to diagnose you 
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RE: Religion is a Delusion/Mental Illness
May 11, 2015 at 6:36 pm
Everyone has delusions, they're just not consciously aware, human beings are not known for being entirely rational and in many ways we act irrationally. There are many beliefs based on zero evidence or even in contradictory evidence. For example, there is no proof that the death penalty dissuades crime but a large part of supporters claim that the death penalty will frighten criminals and delinquents. There is no evidence that the free market is the magical solution to our problems, but libertarians still claim it will fix everything. There is no evidence that anyone here in AF isn't a disguised intellectual troll but I take it on faith that everyone just wants to have a nice rational discussion without hard feelings
Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you
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RE: Religion is a Delusion/Mental Illness
May 11, 2015 at 6:39 pm
-see what your faith gets you.......
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: Religion is a Delusion/Mental Illness
May 11, 2015 at 6:56 pm
(This post was last modified: May 11, 2015 at 6:56 pm by z7z.)
(May 11, 2015 at 6:36 pm)Dystopia Wrote: Everyone has delusions, they're just not consciously aware, human beings are not known for being entirely rational and in many ways we act irrationally. There are many beliefs based on zero evidence or even in contradictory evidence. For example, there is no proof that the death penalty dissuades crime but a large part of supporters claim that the death penalty will frighten criminals and delinquents. There is no evidence that the free market is the magical solution to our problems, but libertarians still claim it will fix everything. There is no evidence that anyone here in AF isn't a disguised intellectual troll but I take it on faith that everyone just wants to have a nice rational discussion without hard feelings
The death penalty deterring crime and the free market being the best economic solution are not what I would call delusions. Belief in an afterlife, heaven, hell, devil, angels, an all knowing judgemental man in the sky, etc. are more delusional to me, but I respect your opinion that religion is not literally a mental illness, but would you agree that some aspects are severely delusional? I am not arguing that atheists are completely rational either. Thank you for your critique.
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RE: Religion is a Delusion/Mental Illness
May 12, 2015 at 8:20 am
Religion is just a philosophical outlook to life isn't it.
Like many others, some good for your health, others not so good.
With religion, sure it's a bit out there, not much proof, just a lot of stories to trust.
But they're told to you by your parents! They know what's best, right kids!
The best part afterlife bit. That's my favourite!
And tell me which gullible individual wouldn't go for that!
eg: Ok, my life is fucked, I'm a poor slave to god, but hey, the next one might be better if god commands it! Or maybe the one after that.
Sounds pretty logical!
Tell me again, loyal Christians, what is the most prominent colour inside the Vatican. And who is the world's richest land lord who pays no taxes!
He's my clincher! At who's expense do you think that is at? You'll never guess!
god bless!
No God, No fear.
Know God, Know fear.
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RE: Religion is a Delusion/Mental Illness
May 12, 2015 at 10:47 am
greetings all! (I'm new to this forum, but figured I'd jump right in.)
to me, a related issue is that (assuming a purely physical world) all of my behaviors / thoughts are the product of an unfeeling, deterministic universe (or the result of the random motion of particles).
so, the 'choice' of what to believe or disbelieve isn't really 'mine', I can't take 'credit' for it...
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RE: Religion is a Delusion/Mental Illness
May 12, 2015 at 11:06 am
(This post was last modified: May 12, 2015 at 11:07 am by Whateverist.)
I've never met a purely physical, deterministic universe. The one I live in is out to get me. Really, it is all about me. Your appearance here is obviously an attempt by the universe to amuse me. Check mate.
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RE: Religion is a Delusion/Mental Illness
May 12, 2015 at 11:09 am
(This post was last modified: May 12, 2015 at 11:12 am by robvalue.)
Hello snooker man, welcome
Indeed, if we take the view things are deterministic (which is fairly reasonable I think, but not conclusive) then indeed, no one is making any "choice" beyond quantum randomness. But here we are, talking shit and thinking we're thinking about stuff, just in case.
We need another name for the version of Pascal's Wager with free will. Err... Hawkin's Wager. I try to act as if I do have free will, just in case I have. If I haven't, then I'm just doing what I was going to do anyway so haven't lost anything.
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RE: Religion is a Delusion/Mental Illness
May 12, 2015 at 1:25 pm
(This post was last modified: May 12, 2015 at 1:30 pm by snookerman.)
(May 12, 2015 at 11:06 am)whateverist Wrote: I've never met a purely physical, deterministic universe. The one I live in is out to get me. Really, it is all about me. Your appearance here is obviously an attempt by the universe to amuse me. Check mate.
sure, but I can't take credit for that... it would've happened anyways, or was the result of random particles...
(May 12, 2015 at 11:09 am)robvalue Wrote: Hello snooker man, welcome
Indeed, if we take the view things are deterministic (which is fairly reasonable I think, but not conclusive) then indeed, no one is making any "choice" beyond quantum randomness. But here we are, talking shit and thinking we're thinking about stuff, just in case.
We need another name for the version of Pascal's Wager with free will. Err... Hawkin's Wager. I try to act as if I do have free will, just in case I have. If I haven't, then I'm just doing what I was going to do anyway so haven't lost anything.
good idea! though, I don't think we're assuming a purely physical universe at that point... imo...
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