Tried to argue with a crazy person...

[The_Flying_Skeptic]

A classmate of mine had the same experience: she says she saw Jesus. I don't think there is anything you can do. You don't want to tell them they are crazy or delusional. Most people aren't that extreme so we should focus on enlightening those people on the science of abnormal psychology.

[Rev. Rye]

What was the argument in question like?

It wasnt much of an argument. I was trying to tell him that believing literally a book that talks about Noah's Ark is crazy. He replied saying Noah's Ark was found.
I told him that a book written by the followers of someone cannot be considered as objective. He replied by saying jesus told him, in person, that the New Testament is true....

at that point what can i do ?

Judging from your previous remark, I'd have to ask: are you in a position to have him committed to a mental hospital? If he had just said that he sees Jesus regularly, I'd leave him to his own devices, but crying tears of bread? That's definitely grounds for commitment.

[Caecilian]

Judging from your previous remark, I'd have to ask: are you in a position to have him committed to a mental hospital? If he had just said that he sees Jesus regularly, I'd leave him to his own devices, but crying tears of bread? That's definitely grounds for commitment.

Yeah, it sounds like schizophrenia to me. Whether he could be forcibly committed or not is quite another matter. In the UK, someone needs to be assessed as suffering from a mental illness and as a danger to themself or to others before they can be 'sectioned' (detained under section 2 or 3 of the Mental Health Act- there are also other, more rarely used sections). The first bit is usually straightforward- the second bit isn't.

I don't know where Rwandrell lives, but I suspect that most western countries would have similar safeguards.

[Samson]

Nice one Rev. and I agree....

Min, I hope you know I'm using your analogy in the future....(Pigs and mud wrestling)..lol

[bozo]

Is it not more painful to be " crying buckets " ( an old English saying )?
if so, passing bread should be really easy !

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

I concur with Dr. Minimalist's diagnosis. Bat-shit crazy.

Poor guy sounds as if he has paranoid schizophrenia.

Yep,he's nuts,and to argue with him is just plain stupid

I don't know where Rwandrell lives, but I suspect that most western countries would have similar safeguards.

Many do not. EG Here and in the US authorities will only act if a person is a danger to himself or others. In my city there are dozens of homeless schizophrenics who wonder the streets muttering to themselves and sometimes yelling at or holding conversations with invisible people. If they become a nuisance, the authorities bung them on a bus and send them to Perth, 2000 miles away. The Eastern states do the same to us. I understand busing the mentally ill is common practice in the land of the free.

[Minimalist]

Nice one Rev. and I agree....

Min, I hope you know I'm using your analogy in the future....(Pigs and mud wrestling)..lol

If there's one thing I'm sure of it is that you will find ample use for it in Louisiana!

[Shell B]

This does sound an awful lot like schizophrenia. I have learned (through experience) that it is never a good idea to argue with a schizophrenic. You can send them off on a worse tangent than they were before. Furthermore, there is no way that they will see things your way. The only hope for them is to seek treatment.

While it may seem like religion is his problem, it is not. Many schizophrenics start believing crazy things of a religious nature. I can only speculate as to why, so I won't bother trying to explain it. I'll just say that it's not quite the same as the 'crazy' lady down the street that goes to church three times a day. This guy is obviously real crazy, not stupid crazy.

[KichigaiNeko]

My most recent discussion on the internet with a theist was with someone that was more crazy than anyone i ever met.

A little background: his father apparently left him very early, and at 12 years old his mother suffered from an incurable condition. He had to stay home and look after her and in the end he had almost no human contact for the next 12 years, until his mother finally died of this illness. He got very depressed, attempted suicide at least once, was on at least 2 different prescription drugs, and spent all his time alone.

Then one day Jesus appeared to him in a vision. He cried tears of joy and his tears turned into bread that he ate. He then received numerous visions from God and now preaches about his message. He goes into the desert to pray and God answers all of his every prayers and speaks to him at least once a week. He also, of course, believes every single word of the Bible literally.

I have to say, some people are too far gone to be saved...

As ShellB has intimated...this person would seem to have a mental health issue that is greater than just a fundie belief system. Religion has much to answer for IMHO. (this poor person.)

[Rwandrall]

My most recent discussion on the internet with a theist was with someone that was more crazy than anyone i ever met.

A little background: his father apparently left him very early, and at 12 years old his mother suffered from an incurable condition. He had to stay home and look after her and in the end he had almost no human contact for the next 12 years, until his mother finally died of this illness. He got very depressed, attempted suicide at least once, was on at least 2 different prescription drugs, and spent all his time alone.

Then one day Jesus appeared to him in a vision. He cried tears of joy and his tears turned into bread that he ate. He then received numerous visions from God and now preaches about his message. He goes into the desert to pray and God answers all of his every prayers and speaks to him at least once a week. He also, of course, believes every single word of the Bible literally.

I have to say, some people are too far gone to be saved...

Look at his history, religion has played a small part...This guy has been devoid of human contact for 12 YEARS with a dying mother...thats enough damage to make anyone go nuts.

As ShellB has intimated...this person would seem to have a mental health issue that is greater than just a fundie belief system. Religion has much to answer for IMHO. (this poor person.)