Is Religion A Mental Illness?

[The Truth and Light]

Since religion is a social organization no it is not a mental illness.

[Ifreann]

I'm correct and you know it. Jesus loves you.

Then why would he look at me when we make love?

[Canostan]

Anyone else around here think that holy books should be updated once every now and then?

The short answer is no. The message of God does not change and who (outside the catholic church) believes that they completely understand what God wants.

[The Truth and Light]

I'm correct and you know it. Jesus loves you.

Then why would he look at me when we make love?

Were there a God, he should bitchslap everyone who makes this joke.

[The Archregimancy]

Two things:
Has there ever been a more controversial thread on this forum?

Yes.

This likely isn't even in the top 20.

[Ifreann]

Then why would he look at me when we make love?

Were there a God, he should bitchslap everyone who makes this joke.

Eddie Izzard made a similar argument at the Secret Policeman's Ball. Except he was saying that God should have flicked Hitler's head off.

[The darkness esscence]

Two things:
Has there ever been a more controversial thread on this forum?

Yes.

This likely isn't even in the top 20.

someone should make a thread were people vote on the most controversial threads.

[Greater Evil Imperial Japanese Dystopia]

Two things:
Has there ever been a more controversial thread on this forum?

Yes.

This likely isn't even in the top 20.

May I have the honour to ask by curiosity (although I apologize for entering this conversation)

Which thread is the most controversial?

[The Archregimancy]

Yes.

This likely isn't even in the top 20.

May I have the honour to ask by curiosity (although I apologize for entering this conversation)

Which thread is the most controversial?

A topic for another thread (as indeed suggested The darkness esscence), no? It's more than a little off-topic for the present discussion.

[Sunny Pastures]

Not only is it a form of diminished mental capacity, it is a severe form of child abuse. Early man invented gods to instill reverence of authority and frighten the ignorant. Facts are 95% of the most dangerous criminals in the world are religious, many raised by religious parents who forced them as a child to believe in something that doesn't exist. When reality hits them they realize that they have been lied to their entire lives and it makes the problem so much worse. It will not be global warming, nuclear weapons or a black hole that kills life on this planet, but the belief in "God" (the great Mr See All, Invisible boy). In the universe we are the biggest joke. Notice how many religious people don't believe in life on other planets, because their "god" only made us, so the rest of the universe is a barren waste land that no species could live in.
And may I remind everyone that the "Bibles" we written hundred of years ago and represented society then, they have no bearing on today's matters. God did not write them, man did, early ignorant man. And many have been rewritten and misquoted for many years to form up with the speakers idea of "God"

[Ifreann]

Notice how many religious people don't believe in life on other planets,

Do you actually know any theists?

[The Archregimancy]

Notice how many religious people don't believe in life on other planets

Care to name any?

[Four-sided Triangles]

Care to name any?

Would be interesting though. Most Earth religions are so provincial and anthropocentric that I'm not sure how they would be forced to change if it turns out that intelligent alien life exists. No doubt we'd see the doctrines become even more watered down than they already are.

[The Archregimancy]

Care to name any?

Would be interesting though. Most Earth religions are so provincial and anthropocentric that I'm not sure how they would be forced to change if it turns out that intelligent alien life exists.

It's not as if it's never come up.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/ ... ise-aliens

[Four-sided Triangles]

It's not as if it's never come up.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/ ... ise-aliens

But like, would there have to be a different Jesus for each sentient race or what? Would there have to be a Klingon Jesus?

[The Cummunist State]

It's not as if it's never come up.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/ ... ise-aliens

But like, would there have to be a different Jesus for each sentient race or what? Would there have to be a Klingon Jesus?

I'm pretty sure the Klingons would be happy to keep giving sacrifices.

[Ende]

Not only is it a form of diminished mental capacity, it is a severe form of child abuse. Early man invented gods to instill reverence of authority and frighten the ignorant. Facts are 95% of the most dangerous criminals in the world are religious, many raised by religious parents who forced them as a child to believe in something that doesn't exist. When reality hits them they realize that they have been lied to their entire lives and it makes the problem so much worse. It will not be global warming, nuclear weapons or a black hole that kills life on this planet, but the belief in "God" (the great Mr See All, Invisible boy). In the universe we are the biggest joke. Notice how many religious people don't believe in life on other planets, because their "god" only made us, so the rest of the universe is a barren waste land that no species could live in.
And may I remind everyone that the "Bibles" we written hundred of years ago and represented society then, they have no bearing on today's matters. God did not write them, man did, early ignorant man. And many have been rewritten and misquoted for many years to form up with the speakers idea of "God"

Have you actually ever MET a theist?

[The Archregimancy]

It's not as if it's never come up.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/ ... ise-aliens

But like, would there have to be a different Jesus for each sentient race or what? Would there have to be a Klingon Jesus?

That, I can't offer you an opinion on. But Sunny Pasture's unsupported implication that the majority of theists (I know he said 'many', but the implication seemed to be broader; perhaps I'm unfair there) don't believe in extraterrestrial life is patently false.

Orthodox theologians don't seem to be too bothered either.

So between the Catholics and the Orthodox, that's a clear majority of Christians who don't really have a problem with the idea. Apparently at least some Muslims consider that Sura 6 of the Koran explicitly mentions extraterrestrial life.

One can certainly discuss whether the theology of those individual responses would remain viable should this become fact rather than a hypothetical scenario - but that's perhaps a topic for a different thread.

Edit:
While obviously not serious theology or science, there's also Ray Bradbury's short story The Man.

[Sanctus Pacis]

*sighs*

No.

[Greater Tezdrian]

No.

[The Alma Mater]

But like, would there have to be a different Jesus for each sentient race or what? Would there have to be a Klingon Jesus?

That, I can't offer you an opinion on. But Sunny Pasture's unsupported implication that the majority of theists (I know he said 'many', but the implication seemed to be broader; perhaps I'm unfair there) don't believe in extraterrestrial life is patently false.

Orthodox theologians don't seem to be too bothered either.

So between the Catholics and the Orthodox, that's a clear majority of Christians who don't really have a problem with the idea. Apparently at least some Muslims consider that Sura 6 of the Koran explicitly mentions extraterrestrial life.

One can certainly discuss whether the theology of those individual responses would remain viable should this become fact rather than a hypothetical scenario - but that's perhaps a topic for a different thread.

Edit:
While obviously not serious theology or science, there's also Ray Bradbury's short story The Man.

And, strictly speaking, they ALL believe in extraterrestial life. God/Allah after all created the earth - so he could not have been from earth.
Same might hold true for angels.

[Inky Noodles]

Not only is it a form of diminished mental capacity, it is a severe form of child abuse. Early man invented gods to instill reverence of authority and frighten the ignorant. Facts are 95% of the most dangerous criminals in the world are religious, many raised by religious parents who forced them as a child to believe in something that doesn't exist. When reality hits them they realize that they have been lied to their entire lives and it makes the problem so much worse. It will not be global warming, nuclear weapons or a black hole that kills life on this planet, but the belief in "God" (the great Mr See All, Invisible boy). In the universe we are the biggest joke. Notice how many religious people don't believe in life on other planets, because their "god" only made us, so the rest of the universe is a barren waste land that no species could live in.
And may I remind everyone that the "Bibles" we written hundred of years ago and represented society then, they have no bearing on today's matters. God did not write them, man did, early ignorant man. And many have been rewritten and misquoted for many years to form up with the speakers idea of "God"

Have you actually ever MET a theist?

What makes you better than them?
How are you SO DAMN SURE god doesn't exist?

[Jerusalem and Damascus]

Not only is it a form of diminished mental capacity, it is a severe form of child abuse. Early man invented gods to instill reverence of authority and frighten the ignorant. Facts are 95% of the most dangerous criminals in the world are religious, many raised by religious parents who forced them as a child to believe in something that doesn't exist. When reality hits them they realize that they have been lied to their entire lives and it makes the problem so much worse. It will not be global warming, nuclear weapons or a black hole that kills life on this planet, but the belief in "God" (the great Mr See All, Invisible boy). In the universe we are the biggest joke. Notice how many religious people don't believe in life on other planets, because their "god" only made us, so the rest of the universe is a barren waste land that no species could live in.
And may I remind everyone that the "Bibles" we written hundred of years ago and represented society then, they have no bearing on today's matters. God did not write them, man did, early ignorant man. And many have been rewritten and misquoted for many years to form up with the speakers idea of "God"

Diminished mental capacity? Severe child abuse?

Are you half-serious?

[The Cummunist State]

Not only is it a form of diminished mental capacity, it is a severe form of child abuse. Early man invented gods to instill reverence of authority and frighten the ignorant. Facts are 95% of the most dangerous criminals in the world are religious, many raised by religious parents who forced them as a child to believe in something that doesn't exist. When reality hits them they realize that they have been lied to their entire lives and it makes the problem so much worse. It will not be global warming, nuclear weapons or a black hole that kills life on this planet, but the belief in "God" (the great Mr See All, Invisible boy). In the universe we are the biggest joke. Notice how many religious people don't believe in life on other planets, because their "god" only made us, so the rest of the universe is a barren waste land that no species could live in.
And may I remind everyone that the "Bibles" we written hundred of years ago and represented society then, they have no bearing on today's matters. God did not write them, man did, early ignorant man. And many have been rewritten and misquoted for many years to form up with the speakers idea of "God"

Diminished mental capacity? Severe child abuse?

Are you half-serious?

Everyone knows any belief in a god or gods automatically means you're a idiot and fundamentalist and force their children to be religious and stuff!
Also, my mother is Christian. Yeah, no.

[Furious Grandmothers]

<SNIP>

Of course, this is a damn stupid argument to make because both sides can keep on showing just how bad the other can be, akin to pointing out how your opponent's clothing is dirty while standing hip deep in a sewer with him.

So let's agree that neither side has a moral high ground in terms of not having someone use it as an excuse to kill, maim, or commit horrific crimes.

This was more or less the point I was trying to address. Categorizing religion as a mental illness based on how bad some religious people have been in the past, given atheism's spotty history, isn't exactly fair. Neither Christianity nor any other religion can get on its moral high horse, because guess what? Our belief systems' (and I include atheism as a "belief system" given that the existence or nonexistence of God is necessarily beyond proof) adherents have all done things any rational person should be ashamed of.

I'm not sure this entire thread isn't asking for trouble, tbh, but that's a mod decision, not mine.

Atheism is not a belief system. It has 0 beliefs. It does not even actively claim that deities don't exist. All it does is avoid the claim that deities exist. Not the same, in case you're tempted to make the common misconception that lack of belief in the existence of something = actively believe that something does not exist. So what history can atheism have, much less, a spotty one?