ALL: Does the presence of a religious faith (of any kind) indicate mental illness? Thinking answers only!?

Question

DON'T just answer "yes" or "no". If you tackle this question, I want to see you defend your stance as if you are in a debate! NO cheap shots.

I'm hoping to see a bunch of thinking responses from BOTH sides. The best-stated answer gets the 10 points, whether I agree with you or not!

WORK FOR IT.

And be nice.

Let the games begin!

Answer 1

No, it does not. There is a big difference between a dogmatic belief-pusher vs. being someone with religious/spiritual faith. Many people--of all religions--are not fundamentalists, and their faith does not impede their ways of thought. They are intelligent enough to realize that their beliefs are just that: beliefs, based on faith. They keep faith and knowledge separated. Based on the fact that they consciously have the ability to recognize this difference, I would have to say that they are mentally healthy (supposing that there is not another, unrelated mental health factor).

Being dogmatic and not grasping the difference between faith and proof could be mental illness, though it is more likely either environmental retardation or fear.

Answer 2

What mental illness could there be for a need of a religion? Rather what drives the mystics that created these systems was an avenue for people to know themselves. Since is a result of scriptures more than often, from the point of view of scripture is to invoke thought of ones own self. However, the need for a religion is personal emptiness towards life, so they flock to the ground mindset of religion to get a grip on things, even if it is a lie. Not so much a mental illness but more of a sense of self definition and security, without the real work involved. A weak mindset does not equate mental illness. (I don’t consider “isms” religions. Religion is basically a bunch of traditions and entry level concepts that become obstacles to growth.

Answer 3

Hmm no cheapshots this is going to be hard

This really depends on the individual and where they are at in life when they choose to follow religion. It also depends on their conditioning as a child. From my observations the majority of religious people that have become religious in the later part of their life have stumbled upon it while they were depressed or down and it becomes a crutch for them. A way of submerging their problems instead of distaching themselves from them and dealing with them properly.

There are also people who use religion as a blame for their actions. A lot of people in this world dont like taking responsibility for their actions these days so they blame it on something else. Religion / God / The devil seems to be a great excuse. The devil made me do it. God spoke to me and told me to kill that person etc. So in this instance it is not the religion but the individuals perception of what is going on.

I would say if you were brought up in a fanatical church ie fanatical christian or islam etc then there is a lot of brainwashing going on and a lot of negativity being pumped into your head. It is scientifically proven that when you are angry or negative all the time your body releases toxins that can cause imbalances in your brain. This could eventually lead to mental problems.

To answer your question with my oppinion I do not think the presence of a religious faith in its pure form would indicate metal illness. It is only when the individual misses the point and uses it as a crutch instead of gaining enlightenment. Or the person is brainwashed and becomes unbalanced which is a result of another person twisting their perspective not the religion in its real form.

Answer 4

Belief in someone that cannot be seen or heard could be construed as mental illness.

For example, the Son of Sam has confessed that he murdered those people because of his neighbor's dog telling him what to do. Clearly, the man is insane, and he has been treated as such.

Yet, a preacher claims to hear God tell him how to live his life. Why is he not treated the same?

Now, one can argue that the intent is important. After all, the Son of Sam murdered people. The "pious man" may be told by God to give $500 to the orphanage. But does it matter what the actions are, if the actions come about as a result of an imaginary voice instead of his own moral compass? Does it make the pious man less ill than the serial killer?

Answer 5

It doesn't indicate mental illness. It indicates a person is a part of a society that believes in a diety. In Ancient Athens, when the greeks believe in the their gods, little Andonitus would be considered nuts for not believing in them.

Answer 6

I think it is too much of a generalisation, and unlikely to be true. That said, stereotypes exsist for a reason, so I would think that a high percentage of religious folk suffer from mental illness - a higher percentage than in the general population.
~ Oh, and I'm a Taoist who suffers from mental illness :)

Answer 7

Your question indicates an initial prejudice which has to be addressed. Someone could also say that the LACK of a religious faith indicates a mental illness as well...and your question is a "cheap shot," so you disqualify yourself and your own opinion, by your own rules.

Religious faith actually requires thinking on a higher level. You have to be there to understand that. Faith is not a game.

Answer 8

It's a matter of definition. It certainly is a delusion, but whether this qualifies as an illness is not clear as it is quite widespread. My own inclination would be to say yes, since it does show a malfunction, even though in most cases it is not serious, let alone disabling.

Answer 9

No, I think it is possible for perfectly healthy people to have religious faith. Thomas Paine, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Mohandas Gandhi, Dr. King, and other persons I greatly admire were men of faith. I see nothing in their life histories to indicate that they were mentally ill.

Believers often put forth the stereotype that atheists are all angry, depressed people. This is just as false.

I would rather say that many religious people accept faith as a replacement for proof and reason. If one has faith, they say, one doesn't need proof or reason. The rest of us find this a simplistic, almost childish, way of looking at anything, especially something upon which one is willing to base his or her lifestyle.

Answer 10

I would say that it doesn't represent mental illness as much as mental weakness. I think the belief of something should stem from solid truths and proven facts. Having the belief of something simply because we are told to have faith is childish and simple. Faith is something that grows because you see something happen 50 times. You have faith that it will happen on the 51st time.