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 Should religious belief be classified as a mental illness ? (55)

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Dermot(5736) pic



Should religious belief be classified as a mental illness ?

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), a strong and passionate belief in a deity or higher power, to the point where it impairs one’s ability to make conscientious decisions about common sense matters, will now be classified as a mental illness. 

The controversial ruling comes after a 5-year study by the APA showed devoutly religious people often suffered from anxiety, emotional distress, hallucinations, and paranoia. The study stated that those who perceived God as punitive was directly related to their poorer health, while those who viewed God as benevolent did not suffer as many mental problems. The religious views of both groups often resulted in them being disconnected from reality. 

Dr. Lillian Andrews, professor of psychology, stated, “Every year thousands of people die after refusing life-saving treatment on religious grounds. Even when being told ‘you will die without this treatment’ patients reject the idea and believe that their God will still save them. Those lives could be saved simply by classifying those people as mentally unfit for decision making.”

“Jehovah Witnesses for instance,” Dr. Andrews continued, “will not accept blood under any circumstance. They would rather die than to receive life-saving donor blood. Many religious people believe they have “healing power” in their hands. Many believe they can communicate with God using a personal language, which is unknown to anyone but the communicator and God (known as speaking in tongues). Many often tell of seeing spirits. All of these are signs of a mental break and a loss of touch with reality. Religious belief and the angry God phenomenon has caused chaos, destruction, death, and wars for centuries. The time for evolving into a modern society and classifying these archaic beliefs as a mental disorder has been long overdue. This is the first of many steps to a positive direction.”

With the new classification, the APA will lobby to introduce legislation which would allow doctors the right to force life-saving treatment on those who refuse it for spiritual reasons on the grounds that they are mentally incapable of making decisions about their health. 

The American Psychological Association says more information about the study and the new classification will be made available to the public in their upcoming journal (which is expected to be release in early August).

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3 points

to the point where it impairs one’s ability to make conscientious decisions about common sense matters

Since the definition of "conscientious" is "1. (of a person) wishing to do what is right, especially to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly. 2. relating to a person's conscience.", such decisions are subject to their own convictions and beliefs.

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With the new classification, the APA will lobby to introduce legislation which would allow doctors the right to force life-saving treatment on those who refuse it for spiritual reasons on the grounds that they are mentally incapable of making decisions about their health.

Such a ruling would be unconstitutional as it does violate a person's first amendment rights.

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Look at that, even atheists will argue against this.

2 points

Wait what atheist and Christians are agreeing on something?!? Is this the end times?!? Maybe its too late, maybe I have already gone insane! Agggghhhhhhh!!!!! Everyone run for you lives, the end is near!!!!

: )

sylynn(626) Clarified
1 point

This is what being a progressive used to mean; I may not agree with your beliefs, but I will fight for you to keep the right to practice it as you please, so long as it's not interfering with the rights of others.

2 points

Does that go into the vetting process of Radical Muslims entering the countries around the world. The countries of the EU welcome all Radical Muslims just wondering if those EU countries vet for mental illness of Radical Islamist.

1 point

Mental disorder (or Illness): A wide range of conditions that affect mood, thinking, and behavior. Is there really any belief now that can not be classified as a mental disorder? I mean looking at the world as an atheist affects your thinking just as much as being a Christian or Muslim might. In my country at least (America) doing something such as forcing treatment on someone whose religious beliefs go against it is a violation of our declaration of independence. And even if some people do believe that they are complete and utter morons they still have the right to exist in their stupidity, even if their “healing power” is not real they deserve the freedom to throw their lot in with the Deity they believe in. I mean personally I would probably accept treatment if my doctor recommended it but if he tried to force it upon me things might get a little crazy. I mean are they going to stab me with an anesthesia shot and then operate if I refuse an operation which in itself is a technical risk of my life? No, thanks. So no I do not think it should be classified as a mental illness anymore than atheism or people who believe Michael Jackson was better than Johnny Cash (even despite the fact that the second is obviously wrong :).

I however also intend to live forever — so far, so good.

Dermot(5736) Clarified
1 point

You say a wide range of conditions that affect mood thinking and behaviour ..... tell me how do you think an atheist looks on the world ?

To be an atheist is merely to lack a belief in a god nothing else ; to be a believer comes with a whole range of baggage that not alone affects you but people , societies and indeed countries where religion is practiced.

Let's take people who deny their children life saving medical intervention, plain and simply thats child abuse and has no part in a civilised society if you disagree well then you have to accept that the stoning to death of a person in Muslim society is fine because to intervene is a violation of the societies right to inflict such punishment on religious grounds .

If someone came to you and said they had a relationship with a spiritual entity that made itself known to them and this entity cannot be seen , heard or touched and influenced every decision they made in their lives and their families lives , would you deem this person rational ?

Bradylee(28) Disputed
1 point

An atheist looks on the world as being without God (or a god, however you say it)

which does affect their thinking of the world and how it works, right? And your baggage is technically having to deal with that fact that there is no God which even if it feels like no burden at all it will affect you and your views.

You are correct about the scenarios you set up to accept one would be to accept another, what i was trying to say is that these people should have governance over themselves not other people, in the case of the child since they are a minor I would say the country may have a right to intervene, and in the case of the stoning that is murder of someone else and would be the same as forcing your religion upon someone.

As for your last comment, I would say I would be skeptical definitely but I would try and discover the truth, and if there is no way to prove or disprove them then I will probably believe this guy would be a little off their rocker but not do anything because I can not prove it.

-Yuri-(284) Disputed
0 points

Disorder-disrupt the systematic functioning or neat arrangement of.

With this definition in mind it cannot be a mental "disorder" for religion gives the very reason for systematic functioning and arrangement.

Christians at least can be as organized or disorganized as anyone.

1 point

Wouuuuld that mean that I could get FMLA for it and leave work from time to time without it counting against me? I mean I can break out into random Hymn every so often to really sell it. ;D

1 point

It would be interesting to start praying aloud in work and singing hymns now and then they would possibly pay you off to keep quiet .

Now, I don't think if they want to die so much we should force saving them. Especially in religious beliefs.

I would, for example, transfer myself to a machine if that's a better option. Even though I never wanted to have been born (yes, I'm an antinatalist).

Also, considering that you've not read a lot of stuff which might be rather pessimistic, I'd recommend you pick Schopenhauer.

1 point

An antinatilist interesting, did you always feel this way or did you arrive at it ?

Oh I've done pessimistic in the past and have left it alone as it does not sit well with me , Schopenhauer I actually liked from what I remember .

I perhaps wasn't one as a Hindu when I was small.

It's pretty much been that way since I realised how the religions are false.

Existence is a load we must carry since it was put on us. Putting it down would be cowardice.

But it'd be nice to not have to be at all. I mean, if we limit the possibilities of God to the popular religions with personal deities, and cults, then he is also free of existence.

You might want to do things that might seem pessimistic again.

Too much optimism is one of the major causes of religion. Everyone has(/can have) a notion of a deity which wouldn't punish him.

1 point

Of course not. There is no drug, or therapy, or hit on the head capable of dislodging religious belief, so defining it as a mental illness just creates an untreatable condition for the fine mental health professionals out there.

1 point

It depends on its effects. Is wanting to murder hundreds of thousands of infidels out of a belief that God commands it, with the promise of 72 virgins for yourself and an afterlife of torment for those you murdered, a mental illness?

I would certainly say so.

Is subjecting your child to daily mental abuse through teaching them that sexuality is unnatural and forcing ideas of heinous and everlasting punishment for small human mistakes a mental illness?

I would certainly say so.

Is having a belief that there is a God itself a mental illness? I wouldn't say so.

Psychological diagnoses are about how the perspective of the diagnosed affects his or her life and the lives of others around them, and the degree to which these effects are positive or negative for the health and wellbeing of those people.

1 point

Well, deism and atheism aren't really "religious beliefs".

Religion isn't just about including a deity in your ontology.

seanB(950) Disputed
1 point

Religion: noun: the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.

1 point

Maybe not all godists or people who belong to a religion should be classified as mentally ill. Although, certainly and irrefutably, many of them are.

But I would say that anybody who believes the Bible is really the inerrant word of God or who thinks that everything in it is true is suffering from a delusion so powerful that it's much like delusions and fantasies that schizophrenic people have. And one of the commonest fantasies for schizophrenic blokes is religious shite. So there.

Anybody who is daft enough to think the earth is only 6000 years old also is bonkers. And anybody who thinks Genesis is the true creation story, sell, those wankers are also crazy as shit house mouses.

Cheers, mate!

1 point

Any belief can be taken to the extreme, be it religion, scientific orthodoxy, or political standing. I would say that those whose faith contradicts all reason (I.E. are practicing extreme cognitive dissonance) are indeed acting foolishly, though they still have a Constitutional right to do with themselves as they wish (provided, of course, they're not harming anyone else in the process).

This debate seems somewhat misleading, what with the title questioning all religious belief and the only provided example of the issue being of Jehovah's Witnesses, who are well known to be a cult and are hardly comparable to legitimate Theists.

Dermot(5736) Clarified
1 point

Any belief can be taken to extreme , could you give example please of non religious beliefs taken to extremes just for debates sake ?

Yes if as an adult you practice your religion and do not attempt to force your opinions or views on others fine , this does not happen though does it ?

The debate is not in the least misleading as I can give examples of the madness of religious belief inflicted on communities and populations worldwide , the Catholic Church for one collectively destroyed people's lives in my country and worldwide because they believed they were following the word of god .

That's amusing defining other believers as cultists when that's exactly how Christianity started out as in twelve men following a 'messiah ' ......

Cult ....A system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object .

LichPotato(362) Clarified
1 point

"Any belief can be taken to extreme , could you give example please of non religious beliefs taken to extremes just for debates sake ?"

A good example would be science, who some believe in so much as to believe it to be capable of determining unquestionable truth.

"Yes if as an adult you practice your religion and do not attempt to force your opinions or views on others fine , this does not happen though does it ?"

I can't speak for anyone else, but I've never attempted to force my religion on anyone, nor have any other Christians I know.

"The debate is not in the least misleading as I can give examples of the madness of religious belief inflicted on communities and populations worldwide , the Catholic Church for one collectively destroyed people's lives in my country and worldwide because they believed they were following the word of god ."

Since when is labeling all of a group based on a small minority's actions not misleading?

"That's amusing defining other believers as cultists when that's exactly how Christianity started out as in twelve men following a 'messiah ' ......"

You refer to Jehovah's Witnesses as "believers". Do you have any idea as to their doctrine and practices?

"They believe that all true Christian churches are of the devil.

They believe Jesus is not God, but is the Archangel Michael – the first being created by God.

They deny that God is a Trinity.

They believe Jesus died on a stake, rather than a cross.

They deny that Jesus rose bodily from the dead.

They believe that ony 144,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses will go to heaven. The rest will live forever in a paradise on Earth, never meeting the person who died for them – Jesus Christ.

They believe that salvation is impossible outside of the Watchtower.

They are not allowed to question the Watchtower leadership or teaching.

They claim you need to read the Watchtower’s magazines and other material in order to understand the Bible correctly. If you don’t read the Watchtower’s books, you will “fall into darkness” – what they call reverting to normal Christianity.

They have falsely predicted the end of the world five times.

They have just changed a major Watchtower prediction that the end of the world would come before the generation of Witnesses born before 1914 died." (http://www.cultwatch.com/jw.html)

The list goes on. Since when are any of those behaviors consistent with conventional Christianity?

1 point

No, That would violate the First Ament...............................................................

1 point

A question posed by a guy who apparently believes fish have four legs and feet.

Dermot(5736) Disputed
1 point

🤔 Demonstrating once again the sad state of education in your particular part of US if this is what you were told in college 🙀 Bless your heart 😀

You believe in talking serpents , a Jewish zombie , a virgin birth , demons , angels , Noah's ark and a 6,000 year old earth all from the mouths of Bronze Age goatherds yet dismiss evolution as nonsense 😂😂👌

I also am heartened that you who a mentally unstable religious hypocrite holds forth on these issues .......

1 point

Believing you are exonerated in death and have the right to exist outside of Hell is a religious belief and a mental illness.

1 point

No, I don't think religious beliefs should be classified as a mental illness. It is a thing that has been with their family for generations(I'm not religious, just saying) and they believe it. I count it as a belief, not a mental illness. If it was I think it would make people that aren't religious want to make fun of those who are. I'd say it would be rude and inappropriate to say that religious beliefs are a mental illness.

0 points

No it should not.

Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions — disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors.

This definition is saying that a mental illness is something which effects the mind in a variety of way classified as disorders

Disorder-disrupt the systematic functioning or neat arrangement of.

Because religions do not cause any disruption in systematic functioning or neat arrangement of your mental condition it is not a mental illness

1 point

religions do not cause any disruption in systematic functioning or neat arrangement of your mental condition

So much for blaming me.😁😁😁

-Yuri-(284) Disputed
1 point

I dont understand the point of what your saying here so I will disregard it.

Dermot(5736) Disputed
1 point

You say ....

Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions — disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior......

Religious influence also does exactly that it affects the believers mood , thinking and behaviour ; the manifestion of religious influence on society is a form of collective madness .

-Yuri-(284) Disputed
1 point

Agreed it does affect those things. But the key word in what sets apart a mental illness is the word "disorder" Religion does not effect a person in a disorderly manner.Also does not influence any kind of collective madness. Most basic laws are founded upon rules already set by religion because we know right and wrong. A emotional unscientific given at birth feeling.

Dermot(5736) Disputed
1 point

I disagree religions do in fact cause people to act in ways which if others as in non believers acted is such a way they would be deemed mentally unwell

-Yuri-(284) Disputed
1 point

Hm this does get difficult because I am only arguing for Christianity because some religions justify killing etc so that makes sense. But on the hand of my faith It does not. Problem is we are not only argueing one religion, this also then comes down to generalization were we are assuming ever religion either does classify as mental or does not. Which is simply not the case religions have some rather big differences

seanB(950) Disputed
0 points

Religions do not cause any disruption in systematic functioning or neat arrangement of your mental condition

Never?

-Yuri-(284) Disputed
1 point

What is your point here? I see very little how even responding to this would even benifit either side of the arguements.