Religious Belief = Mental Illness: A More Venomous Response

[Brettongarcia]

394. CONCLUSION: "All" religion CAN be a "delusion" (Pierre, Jour. Psych. Prac., 2001).

CONCLUSION: “Psychologists Said That All Religion is Delusional” (Dr. Pierre, J.Psych.Prac., 2001).

Could it be true? Could “all” religion be partially bad; even specifically a “delusion”? Could even modern, liberal, spiritual Christianity have bad, delusive things in it?

Today we have “freedom of religion” in the USA. So can we say bad things about religion? Legally, we can. But practically speaking there is extremely strong social resistance to such criticism, from believers. To be sure, Christians at times, will allow that there might be bad things, in say OTHER religions; other than their own. Or even minor small things wrong in their own denomination or church or belief. And yet however, they hold that there are still some good things in Religion in general too; that they can “cherry pick” and retain. So they hold that SOME religion at least, is good. Parts of their own religion are good.; and should not be criticized. But oone way to finally deal with everyone, is to finally suggest that after all, there might be something intrinsically wrong with essentially “all” religion.

Can we really say that “all” religion is flawed? There are plausible arguments that there must be SOME historical and emotional truths in many of our religions; so that it is said we should not condemn “all” of them. However? It might also be suggested that whatever elements of truth there might have been in religion are lost, perverted; as soon as they are put into a “RELIGIOUS” CONTEXT. “Religion,” one might say, imposes a sort of superstitious mindset on everything it touches. And that in itself, that context, might well ruin even whatever valid facts there might be put into it. In line with this, one famous atheist (Christopher Hitchins) has said, “Religion poisons everything” it touches.

So it might be that there is something that is in “Religion” in general, by its very nature, that ruins whatever true things are put into it. Even valid, good facts, are ruined in fact - the minute you think of anything in a religious context. When it becomes part of in effect the giant magical schema that is every religion; a belief in supernatural happenings and so forth. But there are big problems with “supernatural”ism, finally.

Fundamentalists attempt to deal with this by asserting that their Christianity is “not a religion”; rather they say, it is Christianity; Jesus. However, that assertion is easily questioned. And in any case if necessary, we can begin to show problems even specifically with Christianity, in any case.

For this and other reasons I suggest that we “all” move past traditional Christianity and Religion, and even "modern" liberal Christianity. To the scientific study of religion. Religious Studies, and so forth.