Yahzi

"The corruption of reality: a unified view of religion, hypnosis, and psychopathology." John Schumaker, Prometheus Press.

IMHO, the Freud of the 21st century.

whichphilosophy

In fact we can therefore state that much scientific work on the mind is opinion.

Take Loren Moscher who treats schizophrenia successfully without enforcing drugs, or psychiatrists Thomas Szaz whose works include Manufacture of madness and the Myth of Mental Illness where he implies through reasoning that much of it is literally made up.

In fact if we accepted everything we were told about research into the mind,planet earth would be one vast insane assylum. (However I must admist it does appear to be the case at the moment).

Yahzi

There is a difference between science and psuedo-science.

The above is psuedo-science.

whichphilosophy

There is of course no scientific evidence that religion itself causes mental illness of course because the few fanatics that believe this in psychiatry can only offer conjecture and opinion but nothing scientific.

Meanwhile what are your reasons for stating the above are pseudo sciences. I was not aware that psychiatry was a science anyway, but there are various opinions within its establishment, some of which I would and would not agree with. If Loren Mosher and Dr Thomas Szaz have successfully treated schizophrenia with a minimal of drugs and certainly not forced them, that's not a bad thing.

Gurdur

ooooooer, I am indeed enjoying watching this.

Gabe the Angel

Hi

If I develop a habit of too much betting or drinking, etc. I go to a group and learn about how to modify my behaviour. With obsessive religious behaviour, I can go out on the street and recruit new members for my church to save them, there seems to be an area or distinction here.

Dear Toto

In the dark ages, they executed people as witches and demons, if there views did not fit in with the current religious dogma, that's why I put this in bible criticism, that was some paranoid form of insanity. So if that was from Bible study, how do you think some of the brainwashed kids from today see people who do not study the Bible?

Newton Joseph

You are so right. I wrote this essay that agrees with you

.Just as Las Vegas has a gambling game to fit the taste of every gambler so too Christianity has a denomination that will fit the taste of every Christian. The pathology of the compulsive gambler is that while gambling they can shut out their contemporary problems and is willing to risk all of their money to do so. Those who remain in the religion of their families are also compulsive in their religion and get their neurotic needs met by familiarity as to not cause cognitive dissonance. When they find their religion no longer satisfies their psychological needs will join a denomination that fits their particular neurosis just as the gamblers will find the game that satisfies their neurosis. There are those who can step back and examine their religion with critical eyes for the first time---even if they do suffer from cognitive dissonance and can stay with it long enough until the new information becomes familiar, they will discover the psychology of change. When religion ceases to comfort one intellectually and psychologically they often become atheists.
:devil1:

Gabe the Angel

I still question the problem from an addictive point of view. I have personally challenged this face to face with people who live and breath the Bible, they do not see a problem, in as much that they want to introduce others into their faith, it goes into a loop as im sure you know from personal experience. If there was a licence to go out onto the street and preach that would be half way to avoiding the gullible becoming involved in the fantasy that those who overindulge in the addiction. But what is it that can be done when those who are obsessive and look forward to eternity in heaven, instead of their short time on this world. Are they hurting anyone, of course they are, but how?

whichphilosophy

So this is the subject of Scientific studies? Of course not this is opinion and everyone is entitled to theirs. The description could be moulded to fit just about everything. This could be applied to politics, relating to fringe parties, so we could now classify anyone as mentally ill who joins a non-mainstream group.

So what do we do then with people who believe in religion. Give them mind altering psychiatric drugs?

Sure there are some religious fanatics political and even medical fanatics about, but they are far and few between, but put them on drugs for instance and we will end up with a person addicted to psychotropic drugs.

And who does it harm, or are only authorities allowed to make this decision.

Since the statements have implied all who believe in religion, one can only imagine the world can then be turned into on vast assylum.

Regards,

Regards,

whichphilosophy