Religion

Erich Bloodaxe BSN

(14,733 posts)

91. Was the poll wording edited?

Tue Aug 19, 2014, 09:37 AM

Aug 2014

Because at the time I read the OP (and still now) the word 'delusion' never shows up in it. It was a commenter who brought that up.

I would agree that delusions, whether religious or not, can result from organic pathologies. But I don't think (although I could be wrong) that the OP was claiming that his proclamation of religion as mental illness was limited to delusions.

In re the OP, btw, if you were to agree with that supposition, you would have to classify any child brought up as religious as being 'mentally ill'. Or, to expand it logically, to classify as 'mentally ill' anyone who was convinced to believe any set of incorrect or unprovable beliefs. As I mentioned above, we would have to classify 'supply-siders' as mentally ill in that case.

You can believe unlikely, untrue, unproven, or even unproveable things without being mentally ill. Heck, didn't Descartes suggest that we should believe just to be 'safe'? If we believe and we're right, we benefit. If we don't believe and we're wrong, we get punished. If we believe and we're wrong, we lose nothing. If we don't believe, and we're right, we don't gain.

I wouldn't think Descartes was mentally ill, just cynical.

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True or false: religious people are mentally ill purely by virtue of being religious? [View all] Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 OP

A study in the 70s found that the ChairmanAgnostic Aug 2014 #1

I would like a link to that study because I am going to say right now that it is utter bullshit. cbayer Aug 2014 #3

Here's a simple encylopedia intro to religion as "delusion," linking it to mental illness Brettongarcia Aug 2014 #80

Here's an article on why you should be very wary of using wikipedia as a source for religious topics cbayer Aug 2014 #81

Here's our latest professional psychological article linking Religion to Delusion Brettongarcia Aug 2014 #86

Sorry, not interested in anything posted by that member. cbayer Aug 2014 #87

Oh, wait! I took a look at this article just to see and…. cbayer Aug 2014 #88

It's in "Evolution and Cognition," 2004, indexed in Academia.edu. It cites Freud and ... Brettongarcia Aug 2014 #90

Ah, Evolution and Cognition. The esteemed publication of the Konrad Lorenz Institute. cbayer Aug 2014 #95

Not what I'm asking. Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #4

You think 90 percent of the world's population is mentally ill BainsBane Aug 2014 #6

Yep pipoman Aug 2014 #13

Why did you assume you knew what my own answer to the poll would be? nt Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #32

Well, I was taken back by the idea such a poll would even be posted BainsBane Aug 2014 #41

Well, now we know that at least eleven people can conceive of this idea. Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #48

I suspect that the poll was posted because... stone space Aug 2014 #55

I see BainsBane Aug 2014 #59

Well, an unattributed 40 year study. rug Aug 2014 #19

Good thing, too. ChairmanAgnostic Aug 2014 #26

So, are you going to produce a link to the study or not? cbayer Aug 2014 #73

Imagine that There is an Identifiable Group of Mentally Ill People with Religious Delusions On the Road Aug 2014 #130

False. ZombieHorde Aug 2014 #2

Like believing religious belief equates with mental illness BainsBane Aug 2014 #7

I don't think it necessarily makes you nuts. PeteSelman Aug 2014 #5

realizing they're just stories doesn't equate to irreligion carolinayellowdog Aug 2014 #18

Atheism is taught in the religious studies program BainsBane Aug 2014 #8

That's great. There is more and more of that happening. cbayer Aug 2014 #74

Perhaps it's more Wishful Thinking than anything else. BlueJazz Aug 2014 #9

There is a way:..... time is infinite. meti57b Aug 2014 #115

Well..I certainly hope I turn out better the next time I come around. BlueJazz Aug 2014 #128

LOL!!! meti57b Aug 2014 #129

False edhopper Aug 2014 #10

Delusion is not only a medical term. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Aug 2014 #34

Yeah edhopper Aug 2014 #49

But that is not how delusion is being used in this poll. cbayer Aug 2014 #76

Was the poll wording edited? Erich Bloodaxe BSN Aug 2014 #91

You are correct. The term "mental illness" was used and delusion was brought cbayer Aug 2014 #98

I can't keep my French guys straight ;) nt Erich Bloodaxe BSN Aug 2014 #100

I once had trouble keeping my french guys straight! cbayer Aug 2014 #103

Belief in things that aren't true? What exactly isn't true? cbayer Aug 2014 #75

I think the more important question is... trotsky Aug 2014 #11

Religious bigotry, the last bastion for the haters... pipoman Aug 2014 #12

So to those who voted yes am I mentally ill because I am a believer? hrmjustin Aug 2014 #14

Well none of these posters are doctors and upaloopa Aug 2014 #15

Looks that way. Nine current DUers think all religious DUers are mentally ill. rug Aug 2014 #20

And there are some who think if we challenge this we are showing our religious entitlement. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #21

I'm sure someone somwhere considers that to be a rational argument. rug Aug 2014 #22

Oh I ran into it a little while ago. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #23

And "mentally ill" is a negative thing to be? TygrBright Aug 2014 #16

If religiousness was indistinguishable from a heart attack you might have a point. Warren Stupidity Aug 2014 #28

That's what makes it even more objectionable. cbayer Aug 2014 #77

Being ill is usually considered a negative, be it heart disease or a headache. Starboard Tack Aug 2014 #83

No. You have it on the opinion of an atheist rock Aug 2014 #17

The claim is not that religious people are mentally ill, but that religious beliefs are delusional. Warren Stupidity Aug 2014 #24

We could be equally consistent by dropping the term delusional altogether. Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #25

I'm fine with delusion as a word to describe beliefs that are unsustainable but held with firm Warren Stupidity Aug 2014 #27

That's a self-negating definition. Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #29

nope delusional believes are held with firm conviction despite being unsustainable. Warren Stupidity Aug 2014 #42

Then the assertion "God is a delusion" involves Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #45

No more so than other magical invisible beings, faeries or leprechauns for example. Warren Stupidity Aug 2014 #47

That analogy comes loaded with assumptions that presuppose your conclusion. Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #62

You're delusional Dorian Gray Aug 2014 #43

I am making no attempt here to not offend people. Warren Stupidity Aug 2014 #50

Well Dorian Gray Aug 2014 #53

And if we fight back we are just showing our religious privilege. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #51

Denialism is fighting back? cleanhippie Aug 2014 #93

Denial of what? hrmjustin Aug 2014 #94

Exactly. cleanhippie Aug 2014 #96

You can't even answer the question. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #97

How can you be "fighting back" if you don't even know what you're "fighting back" against? cleanhippie Aug 2014 #99

ok I am done. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #101

Lol cleanhippie Aug 2014 #102

Go on, ask me. rug Aug 2014 #117

I honestly don't get religion chrisstopher Aug 2014 #30

Oh, yeah!! Some atheists get to call "religious people" mentally ill, delusional, stupid, ignorant, CAG Aug 2014 #31

Apparently if we fight back we are showing our religious entitlement. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #33

Well, geez, its hard to argue with such smart folk, ya know, cuz us believers CAG Aug 2014 #39

Wait now, according to some Obama is too cool to be a believer. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #40

That's true, in fact, most of those named are probably just faking it for votes...you'll see that CAG Aug 2014 #44

Yet if we fight back we are the bad guys. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #46

Bernie Sanders is Jewish; I couldn't find anything The Velveteen Ocelot Aug 2014 #54

sociology, sorry CAG Aug 2014 #58

Bernie Sanders Goblinmonger Aug 2014 #89

delusional, yes, the rest of your list, not really. Warren Stupidity Aug 2014 #85

As is evident from your posts. rug Aug 2014 #118

What a ridiculous question. Curmudgeoness Aug 2014 #35

I don't know about all of those who voted yes but one of them posts all the time about this. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #36

If anyone is stating it in this exact way, Curmudgeoness Aug 2014 #37

I am afraid not. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #38

Hah! I wish that were true, but it most definitely is not. cbayer Aug 2014 #78

As an observant Jew, I would have to disagree. agbdf Aug 2014 #52

These people are bigots demwing Aug 2014 #56

And then there's Warren Stupidity, okasha Aug 2014 #135

I know I'm sick of living in my own country Politicalboi Aug 2014 #57

"We consider religious rights right up their (sic) with civil rights. CAG Aug 2014 #61

I mean we can live without religion Politicalboi Aug 2014 #66

I don't think you'll find much argument here about separation of church and state. CAG Aug 2014 #68

And dark skinned people can live without demwing Aug 2014 #133

slightly more effective argument than my Burger King obsession.. :-) CAG Aug 2014 #136

NTSA. Iggo Aug 2014 #60

Yes... MellowDem Aug 2014 #63

Is that what you think? rug Aug 2014 #65

The mentally ill aren't being used MellowDem Aug 2014 #120

Of course they are. rug Aug 2014 #121

To sum up: Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #67

On its own it is useless... MellowDem Aug 2014 #122

"The purpose of psychiatry is to provide a convenient vocabulary for insulting people." immoderate Aug 2014 #64

And that is profoundly insulting to those that suffer with serious psychiatric illnesses cbayer Aug 2014 #79

Should people with mental illness be only positively reinforced? Told their illness is good? Brettongarcia Aug 2014 #92

Not mentally ill, just overly optimistic. notgoinback Aug 2014 #69

I take it this means you lost your faith thanks to that book? Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #70

logic Skittles Aug 2014 #82

spending vast amounts of time attacking strangers online strikes me as symptomatic carolinayellowdog Aug 2014 #71

Those that believe this to be true are expressing bigotry both against cbayer Aug 2014 #72

If I were arguing Dorian Gray Aug 2014 #84

I think it is more tied in to emotional development JNelson6563 Aug 2014 #104

Let me make sure I have this right. cbayer Aug 2014 #105

I consider emotional IQ seperate from psychological health. JNelson6563 Aug 2014 #116

So, you don't see low emotional IQ as a psychiatric issue, just as a trait? cbayer Aug 2014 #123

Actually their supposed belief in religion is just one of the manifestations of their insanity.... DrewFlorida Aug 2014 #106

Yes, of course. Over 80% of the people on this planet are insane. cbayer Aug 2014 #109

How would you describe the mental state of the population of Germany Warren Stupidity Aug 2014 #113

Of course, the Third Reich was established to promote religion. rug Aug 2014 #119

How did you manage to avoid having this poll hidden? stone space Aug 2014 #107

Well, obviously it is proof positive TM99 Aug 2014 #108

Looks like you inadvertently hit the "sarcasm" smilie. nt Curmudgeoness Aug 2014 #112

You do know the author of this OP is a believer, right? Goblinmonger Aug 2014 #131

So my poll got deleted because I'm an atheist? (nt) stone space Aug 2014 #134

Well, as has been repeatedly pointed out here, the odds of having a jury that is completely cbayer Aug 2014 #110

I would like to see how this is explained away. hrmjustin Aug 2014 #111

Does anybody have the jury results on the OP? stone space Aug 2014 #114

Well, the alerter will have them for sure and s/he is probably in this thread. cbayer Aug 2014 #124

That's my hope. (nt) stone space Aug 2014 #125

I would also be fascinated. Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #126

It will be a big letdown when... stone space Aug 2014 #127

Kind of a funny way to put it. peace13 Aug 2014 #132