Here is a new one from the guy that brought you “The Dark Side of Religion”. Enjoy and discuss…

Ending Biblical Brainwash

For better mental and cultural health, it's time we classified religious fundamentalism as a psychological disorder

By George Dvorsky
Imagine that you're a psychiatrist. A new patient comes to see you and says that he regularly talks to an invisible being who never responds, that he reads excerpts from one ancient book and that he believes wholeheartedly that its contents must be accepted implicitly, if not taken literally.
The patient goes on to say that that the world is only 6,000 years old and that dinosaurs never existed. He brazenly rejects modern science's observations and conclusions, and subscribes to the notion that after death he will live in eternal bliss in some alternate dimension. And throughout your meeting, he keeps handing you his book and urging you to join him, lest you end up after death in a far less desirable alternate dimension than him.
Is this a mentally healthy person? If you were a responsible psychiatrist, how could you answer yes? These symptoms border on delusional schizophrenia, which the American Psychological Association's DSM-IV describes as involving a profound disruption in cognition and emotion, assigning unusual significance or meaning to normal events and holding fixed false personal beliefs.
So, should you insist on follow-up appointments along with some strong medication? Well, quite obviously, the patient is a religious fundamentalist. So he would most likely not be diagnosed with a psychological problem. In fact, such a diagnosis could land you in hot water; the patient's religious beliefs are constitutionally protected.
Yet, perhaps it's time this changed, and that we made religious fundamentalism a mental and cultural health issue. People should be able to believe what they like, but only so long as their convictions don't harm others or, arguably, themselves. Fundamentalism, however, breeds fanaticism and often leads to terrible violence, injustice and inequality. If society can force drug addicts into rehabilitation because they're a danger to themselves and the public, then we should be able to compel religious fundamentalists to undergo treatment as well.
Religion as virus of the mind
The evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins considers religion an opportunistic and dangerous virus of the mind. Comments such as these have a long history, as religion has been a particularly popular target in the post-Enlightenment age. Marx claimed that religion was the opiate of the people. Freud claimed that it was an infantile need for protection in place of the parent. Ayn Rand thought that belief in God was demeaning to man. Nietzsche put it this way: "Is man one of God's blunders, or is God one of man's blunders?"
Dawkins' theory has much merit. He describes religion as a "meme," an idea that gets passed from person to person and generation to generation like a virus that infects hosts to reproduce its genes. Under this view, religion is a potent memeplex that works at a cultural and psychological level. Some psychologists even believe that the human brain is hardwired for spirituality, perhaps to help rational and intelligent organisms remain sane and functional while dealing with the confusions of existence.
Regardless, the human psyche has proven fertile ground for religious memes, which have evolved and withstood selective pressures over time and, as a result, now "organize" their hosts in such a way that institutions, including the legal system, have come to their protection. Evangelical memes -- such as those of Jesuits and Jehovah's Witnesses -- are some of the best at reproducing.
When faith goes bad
Of course, there's nothing inherently wrong with this. Under memetic theory, any idea that gets reproduced is a meme. So when do religious memes go bad? What distinguishes fundamentalism from other types of religious belief systems?
Philosopher Daniel Dennett, in an essay called "Protecting Public Health," provides some guidance. "As science and technology eliminate the barriers and friction that have heretofore constrained our human powers and thereby limited the scope of our moral choice, mankind's need for a reasoned, consensual, and open-minded ethics will become ever more pressing," he writes. Dennett is concerned with the fallacies and misinformation that people cling to -- including conspiracy theories, superstitions, mysticism, astrology and, especially, fundamentalism. He states, "Fanaticism of every sort, on every issue, is bound to compete for our attention...[and] unfortunately, many people cling to the simple wrong answers, and are even prepared to die -- and kill -- for them."
Intervening in people's thinking, however, is a sensitive issue, as it touches upon freedom of speech and freedom of religious expression. People have the right to be foolish, naive or dogmatic, just as they have the right to smoke cigarettes and drink too much alcohol.
So at what point do a person's convictions become a health issue? In my opinion, the answer is this: A belief becomes cognitively unhealthy when the believer's free will and normal critical processes have been damaged by the belief system's dialectic. I argue that fundamentalist religions, insofar as they cripple a believer's ability to have free will, exhibit rational choice and appropriately assess the nature of the physical environment, have already passed this threshold.
Danger to society
Moreover, the effect of fundamentalism on society is as detrimental as the effect of fundamentalism on believers. Fundamentalists are the ones who fly planes into skyscrapers and murder doctors that perform abortions. They are the ones who deny the existence of proven physical phenomena while rabidly insisting on the existence of clearly unsubstantiated marvels.
They are also incapable of recognizing that they have a problem, and are often amongst the most intolerant people on this planet, commonly referring to non-believers as pagans, heathens, or infidels.
And historically, underdeveloped sciences, mystically perpetuated pseudo sciences and false assumptions about the nature of reality have resulted in misery and countless social injustices. The more rational the understanding that humans have about their existence, the better off they are in dealing with the hazards of life and developing humane moral philosophies.
Acceptable belief systems
Of course, some beliefs and worldviews are more debilitating than others (both to the believer and to the society around them). Orthodox and literalist theologians apply a very limited worldview to reality, often basing their perceptions of existence on ancient texts and mythologies. Fundamentalist Judeo-Christians are no exception, as many still believe in Creationism, a 6,000-year-old earth and Noah's Ark.
But what about more moderate beliefs? What about belief in an immaterial soul? Or that Jesus performed miracles? Is it mentally unhealthy to believe such things? When do we cross the line and infringe upon constitutional rights?
Ultimately, belief in the soul or Jesus's resurrection is not so unhealthy as to render believers dysfunctional. Some of the brightest and most creative contributors to society were (and are) staunch Christians. It was Bach, after all, who composed music for the glory of God.
Furthermore, most people in the West rarely think about the deeper ramifications of their existence and humanity's relationship with God. Sermons are no longer fire and brimstone threats but, instead, poignant stories about why we should love and help our neighbors -- issues that I would categorize as self-evident truths, and hardly the monopoly of religious doctrine.
Modern religions are useful in that they have taken on the character of moral philosophies which help followers with interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships. Religions form an important, if not essential, role in society. They offer community, existential explanations, compassionate and valuable moral codes and an outlet for the human need for spirituality. (Personally, I am agnostic, as I recognize just how sublime and mysterious the universe really is.)
Also, neither modern scientism nor any other contemporary belief system is perfectly healthy. In fact, stubborn Western empiricists could learn a lot from Eastern philosophies. As Freud once said, "It is a mistake to believe that a science consists in nothing but conclusively proved propositions, and it is unjust to demand that it should. It is a demand only made by those who feel a craving for authority in some form and a need to replace the religious catechism by something else, even if it be a scientific one."
The differentiating factor must be this: A belief system is a mental disorder when it causes believers to deny the observations of empirical methodologies. With fundamentalists, this involves denying the nature of the physical world as it is being presented in favour of archaic and unyielding irrational orthodoxies; their brains have been infected and debilitated with unsubstantiated nonsense.
Kill the meme, not the patient
Since I'm arguing for categorizing something as a disease, it only makes sense for me to also propose a cure. And it is this: Engineer fundamentalist memes out of existence.
Fundamentalists have been mobilized by an unconscious meme that seeks to protect and propagate itself at all costs, even at the expense of a host's mental well-being. Viruses do exactly the same thing, often killing a host as they seek out transmission vectors.
The best way to prevent a meme from gaining a stranglehold on a host is to prevent it from reproducing in the first place. With religious fundamentalism, I propose two key elements for memetic immunization.
The first is responsible and accountable education and reporting of information to the public (including educational institutions, the media and the government). Children who are taught Creationism rather than natural selection, for example, are being primed for memetic infection. The second is raising the standard of living of all people. Assisting Third World nations would help alleviate problems of disenfranchised youths who become desperate and turn to religious fanaticism.
As proof of this strategy, we need only look at how the Taliban recruited members: They attracted poor and uneducated boys who easily accepted radical Islam as an outlet for their frustrations. And without proper education they were unable to properly distinguish religious gibberish from fact.
An important point needs to be made here, however: Killing a cultural artifact is not analogous to killing people. Culture is not self aware. Irrational fundamentalists should be treated as we treat others suffering from psychological ailments and offered immediate help. We should see them as suffering from a disease and help them to accept a more moderate religious stance and develop a more balanced life.
Hopefully, this will return to them free will, rationality and self-respect. In my opinion, these are the elements that give human lives meaning and purpose.
http://www.betterhumans.com/Columns/Column...13/Default.aspx
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Having grown up around fundies. Yeah, some of them have some major mental problems.

The question is where do you draw the line. People have a right to goofie ideas. A lot of people think old Darkwind is pretty nuts. I could see this turning into a witch hunt. Maybe it comes to does a religion promote violent behavior. If you are handing out guns to promote your religion you have gone to far off the deep end.

Look at the history of the Christian Bible.

Can you just imagine the wholesale slaughter if guns were around back then.....

I think it is now more important to look at where christianity is today rather than dwell on a past time which is referred to as the "dark ages" as a reason.



No different to the average world war then eh?

A religion has to have a base to build on and I was referring back to the very beginning of Judaism/Christianity and not just the dark ages.

No difference...and for what? In the name of religion (Judaism/Christianity/Islam).

No I was just saying that religion is not the sole cause of mass killings in the world, as many people have die for the power cravings of madmen as they have in the name of religion.

Not arguing with anyone, it's just these threads tend to turn into a religion-bashing fest, and while I am in no way religious myself, I just think it does take a severe pounding very often.

Kit Walker

Thanks for posting that artical it makes some very good points and having grown up around some christian fundamentalist my self i can absolutely agree with it lol

the only solotion is education

I understand what you are saying. Some (as you put it) madmen cause these mass murders and other atrocities and use religion to try to justify their actions.

Am I correct?

Aye, and i was also just pointing out that none are to do with religion whatsoever. And the posts were not really aimed at you, just some who tend to post that religion is the root of all the worlds evil.

OH!

Actually, I do look at Christianity today. I see a varying degree. I see people who are mild mannor about their faith and are alright with other people of faiths. Then I see people who will travel across country to protest a play in a high school that NONE of their children goes to because they don't agree of what the thing's about.... Preaching hate and intolorance. That's just one example of how wide the spectrem is.

It's just like Islam. It's a wide sharp degree... really mellow just fine people who want to live their lives, and worship in their own way and not bothered by other faiths... then there's the fundamentalists...

But the fundies are heard more because they make the most noise. They do the most drastic things... preach the most hate and try to instigate more witch hunts and inquisitions. That's who we'll see the most of. And that's why we keep bringing up what happened centuries ago.. because there are still people who are trying to do the same things.

Amen! Preach it Sister Silver Cougar!

Is it any different with any non-religious person? You get the normal, nice people who live their lives and then you get the nasty people who want ruin society for everyone else... criminals, murderers etc

Human nature will find any excuse it can to do whatever it wants all it takes is a will. Religion or no religion it's all the same, it's just a few of the circumstances are different.

Accually I've seen more murderers and other criminals and ruining of society by religios people then non. Mostly done by people who are one of the three abrahamic faiths then any other. I mean, who are the ones sueing schools to teach what they want them too? Who sued this college proffessor because she taught evolution in an evolutional theory class and not creationsalism?

I've seen more protests and killings done in the name of God then anything else. There is more fanatics in religions then with people who are athiests...

If you honestly believe that relligious people hold more killers, thieves and murderers than non-religious society then you must never have been out of the house. Numbers of crimes committed that have nothing to do with religion far outweigh those that do. By many, many times I expect.

Of course non-religious people don't have religious fanatics... but they have a far higher ratio of violent and immoral people in society when you compare the two.

That's just obvious... if you genuinely think otherwise that's just silly, you are making statements so heavily laden with bias as to make them verging on the ridiculous.

Let me think. Who was it that was beating me to a pulp yelling "where's your god now!?"

hmmm... who was it? Oh yeah, Atheists.

Actually, I think it was one of us Deists...we like to pick on those that worship make-believe gods instead of the Creator! Just kidding! We don't pick on others, we just pity them

I've never beaten anyone screaming "where's your god now" so stow it.

Rich, I do get out of the house.. and I love how you keep turning that blind eye to the truth. Keep it up!

i think this post pretty much sums up the questions as to which side is more violent and contributes to more crimes....

pretty interesting really especially that fact that societies with more religious people have a much MUCH higher crime rate....http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/forum...showtopic=52097

Religion is so violent and advocates violence, you can just about trace every violent act to religion, I just wonder why those taht are religious are okay with this and still defend the bible as god's word???NamasteSheri

lol what truth I "keep" turning a blind eye to? Can you please point out where in the past I keep turning a blind eye to "the truth"? Was that in the elephants are forming armies thread where you promoted the killing of innocent people by elephants? Ahh I do apologise for not liking women and children being killed unecessarily, what was I thinking lol. I forgot I should value all animals as worth more than mere people. Thats the only past thing I can presume you are talking about unless youd like to find some other stuff.

And there are various studies on religion/crime that draw different conclusions, one study does not constititure definitive proof, as studies are proven and disproven on a regular basis.

I live in a place called crawley which the the highest teen pregnancy rates in England yet is not religious.

I will get in touch with my uncle who is in the London met and get him to give me some figures and opinions on this issue then if im wrong I will hold my hands high and admit im wrong, I have no propblems doing that it's what lifes all about. But wherever I go in the UK whether it be trips to friends or nights out clubbing in the various major cities the crimes I see commited every time i go out are not religiously motivated. It's drugs, robbery, violence, or random thuggery.

Drugs and alcohol are major factors in crime. It is believed that over 40% of offences are committed under the influence of alcohol. And drug-related crime is believed to cost the country up to £18 billion a year. Now seeing as many religions bar their use, or at least promote it less than non-religious socoety, that amounts to a hell of a lot of crimes that aren't to do with religion in the UK. Add to that daily petty thievery etc and it leaves even less room for religious crimes.

I can't speak for anyone else but I have never witnessed or been a victim of religiously motivated crime, yet have seen absolutely tons that were not motivated by religion.

I'm just not convinced.

Richdog, here in the states we have more people involved in religion and some of the highest crime rates, teen mothers, drugs, etc... than anywhere in the developed world. I don't think all this religion has helped one bit. If anything it has made it worse. Now the Christian Right wants to block the morning after pill from being sold over the counter. I mean they don't want abortion but they really don't do anything to help prevent it other than b***h.

Yeah I admit that I find absolutely disgraceful, that they block the pill from being taken etc... that just doesnt work out in todays society.

But in the USA thow would the christian rights have the power to block it... do you mean just ina single state or something?

Sorry I guess I didn't explain very well. The Christian Right is a political organization of fundamental churches. They have a lot of power in the Republican Party. Bush is a Christian Right Republican. They have a lot of power in our government right now. The morning after pill has to be approved by the federal government to be sold in any state. States can block the sale of a medication, but they can not approve one. IMO religion and government is not a good mix.

anyone notice how brain-damaged bush looks when he gives that deer-in=the-headlights look?

How can you say that it is religion that is voilent.When my relegion teaches that it is the heart that is wicked in everyone of us. And as christians we look at ourselves first and not others. Yes there are wars that are started in the name of god and they have always been, but that dont say that GOD is involved with it.....There a lot of people out there thts confused. Religion dont teach people to fight. So I really dont know what bible you are reading that would give you the idea that it is the teaching of JESUS to fight.

Lev 19:15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: [but] in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.


Lev 19:16 Thou shalt not go up and down [as] a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I [am] the LORD.


Lev 19:17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.


Lev 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I [am] the LORD.

Oh give it a rest. How about bitching about what's in your own backyard instead of bitching about everyone else's. Mind yours.

Sighs Are you serious ??? very few believe the maliced heart bit, Its an epidemic those that read the bible are so asleepthey call everything something other than what it is , the bible is constructed in a way that the deity does what ever he wants murder poisions, kills children discriminates against his own creations then accepts no responsibility for his actions , and of course those that follow can't judge this deitys behavior thats a right only for the big guy. how convienent how everything is covered if i wanted to make alot of money quick and do what ever I wanted and let my subjects handle the mess I'd start a religon , the days of religion being takin seriously are over THANK GOODNESS humankinds ability to think is catching on Namaste Sheri

AHHH!!!!!! I'm going crazy

first of all no offense Sheri Berri but that thing that you put at the end of all of your posts "Namaste Sherri" drives me crazy! I don't even understand it! lol

And i'm suprised how some athiests can be so ignorant and close minded

by the way i'm gonna let yall in on a little tip......
*iac whispers*
"Argueing on the internet over religion isn't doing anybody any good thats including religious people and and athiests"
PM me if you wanna know why

Iac the standard response from a religious person is when we disagree with religon are all of the ones you put is it possible to be more original Namaste sheri


there ought to be an age limit at least 18 years old in this section or with parents permission.

excuse me miss namaste sherri

but what that supposed to mean?

Whatever you want it to mean namaste Sheri

I will pray for you to experience the lords joy and love

Don't bother i have a direct line to God myself my wish is his command, do your parents know you are on this site?? Namaste Sheri

I'm not just some little kid

ok?

my nine-year-old says that all the time.

You say your reigion is not violent?

You want violent Bible verses from the OT or the NT first?
How about poor family values?
Injustice?
Absurdity?
Intolerance?
Contradictions?
Women?

There is more in the list.

it seems like all the pro religious people here really aren't paying much attention to what their good book has been telling them, and then are out right attacking the non religious.. or those different because they feel their beliefs threatened

and still as far as non religious people being more violent please read the other post i mentioned it's very eye opening.....

http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/forum...showtopic=52097