Is Religion A Mental Illness?

[The Cummunist State]

"Hey, here's a tree I made with really tasty fruit right in front of you that my creations will tell you to eat, and they're right because eating that fruit will make you much better as human beings and allow you to think for yourselves, but if you eat from it you will die, except I didn't tell you about the fact that you won't just die, you'll also be burned forever. Have fun!"

The being burned forever is just the method to destroy an immortal soul. It's not really forever, either.

Riiiight. That's one of the problems I have with Christianity, it's the multiple-choice religion. No matter who you talk to it's always some different idea.

[Raeyh]

The being burned forever is just the method to destroy an immortal soul. It's not really forever, either.

Riiiight. That's one of the problems I have with Christianity, it's the multiple-choice religion. No matter who you talk to it's always some different idea.

Anyway, at that point in the Bible, he was just planning on sending everyone to Gehenna when they died. It wasn't until some point in the future when he decided that sinful mortals should share the fate of the rebellious angels in the Inferno.

[The Cummunist State]

Riiiight. That's one of the problems I have with Christianity, it's the multiple-choice religion. No matter who you talk to it's always some different idea.

Anyway, at that point in the Bible, he was just planning on sending everyone to Gehenna when they died. It wasn't until some point in the future when he decided that sinful mortals should share the fate of the rebellious angels in the Inferno.

That is a unjust punishment.

[Raeyh]

That is a unjust punishment.

Well, there is the advantage that if you are repentant when you die, you might not go to Gehenna or Hell in the afterlife. I mean, sensory deprivation isn't much better than torture.

[Nornalhorst]

Or maybe more likely this was all according to plan, the fact that he is omniscient and that he even placed the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden in the first place shows that in a way he intended for this to happen. He gave Adam and Eve a choice both leading down a different evolutionary path for humanity they could either eat from the Tree of Life and become powerful, unintelligent, immortals and live in a perfect environment or they could eat from the Tree of Knowledge and become extremely intelligent mortal beings who are weak and frail, live in an imperfect environment and have to deal with the consequences of intelligence and evil. The punishment they recieved also makes perfect sense, you may think God is being sexist for giving women increased labor pain but if you think about it the reason humans have so much difficulty delivering children is because of the size of the child's head which is caused by a larger brain that gives us our increased intelligence. The punishment for the man being he has to work until he dies also makes sense with our increased intelligence we want civilization we are no longer content with leading simple lives of picking fruit and running away from scary predators we want more so we have to work to get it.

"Hey, since you ate from the tree of knowledge, I'm going to make it so that you have to be punished at every turn no matter what and unless you obey my strict commands that no human could live up to that I designed to be impossible then you are worthless and I hate you and you're going to burn forever because you either give into the strong urges I gave you that no one can resist, OR you do a bunch of horrible things to other people and then sing songs in my name and call me pretty names like 'Thou' and when talking to me spell He with a uppercase H. Have more fun!"

Obviously God expects more from us since we are all intelligent beings capable of reason after all. God does however forgive us for our transgressions if we ask him to, and if we are truly ignorant of sin (babies, severely mentally retarded people, etc.) he doesn't hold it against us. His commandments aren't really impossible to follow things like do not kill, steal, lie, cheat, etc. are reasonable to expect from people if everyone in the world actually followed his commandments the amount of pain and suffering in this world would be alot lower. I'm a guy in college and I'm 20 years old yet never had sex it's just a matter of self-control. As for hell, hell is essentially a dumping ground for sinners obviously if you do not want to follow God you would hate to be in his perfect presence forever now would you, so instead all sinners are to be placed in a dimension to themselves away from God's presence forever.

[Tlaceceyaya]

"Hey, since you ate from the tree of knowledge, I'm going to make it so that you have to be punished at every turn no matter what and unless you obey my strict commands that no human could live up to that I designed to be impossible then you are worthless and I hate you and you're going to burn forever because you either give into the strong urges I gave you that no one can resist, OR you do a bunch of horrible things to other people and then sing songs in my name and call me pretty names like 'Thou' and when talking to me spell He with a uppercase H. Have more fun!"

Obviously God expects more from us since we are all intelligent beings capable of reason after all. God does however forgive us for our transgressions if we ask him to, and if we are truly ignorant of sin (babies, severely mentally retarded people, etc.) he doesn't hold it against us. His commandments aren't really impossible to follow things like do not kill, steal, lie, cheat, etc. are reasonable to expect from people if everyone in the world actually followed his commandments the amount of pain and suffering in this world would be alot lower. I'm a guy in college and I'm 20 years old yet never had sex it's just a matter of self-control. As for hell, hell is essentially a dumping ground for sinners obviously if you do not want to follow God you would hate to be in his perfect presence forever now would you, so instead all sinners are to be placed in a dimension to themselves away from God's presence forever.

If he expects more from us, why does he not expect us to be able to realize that there is no evidence for his existence and come to the logical conclusion that he does not exist? Or is that against the rules of reasoning?

[The Cummunist State]

That is a unjust punishment.

Well, there is the advantage that if you are repentant when you die, you might not go to Gehenna or Hell in the afterlife. I mean, sensory deprivation isn't much better than torture.

It's a infinite punishment for a finite crime. That is never just.

Obviously God expects more from us since we are all intelligent beings capable of reason after all. God does however forgive us for our transgressions if we ask him to, and if we are truly ignorant of sin (babies, severely mentally retarded people, etc.) he doesn't hold it against us. His commandments aren't really impossible to follow things like do not kill, steal, lie, cheat, etc. are reasonable to expect from people if everyone in the world actually followed his commandments the amount of pain and suffering in this world would be alot lower. I'm a guy in college and I'm 20 years old yet never had sex it's just a matter of self-control. As for hell, hell is essentially a dumping ground for sinners obviously if you do not want to follow God you would hate to be in his perfect presence forever now would you, so instead all sinners are to be placed in a dimension to themselves away from God's presence forever.

How about the other rules, such as women must marry their rapist, or worship him? It is impossible never to lie. Humans can not do that. I'm sure you have lied, haven't you? And of course, it would be a better world if we all killed the jews and pagans and gays! Yeah! Go bible! Kill everyone and then sing songs and worship a unknowable being you can't possibly know exists that is outside of time and space (even though that means he DOESN'T exist) and claim he is exactly like you because the bible says it because the bible says everything! the book of multiple choice. Also, don't claim he is perfect. Offering a infinite punishment for a finite crime, as I said before, is not just. How do you know hell is just a plane of separation from god? The bible also mentions it as a real place of fire and torture.

[ROBOTIC-O-ROTICA]

I don't see it as a mental illness.
Just a way for people to develop a general idea of morals and things.
I also believe religion is the anchor upon humanity to keep us from drifting into new ideas and concepts, which it seems to be a scary idea to a lot of religions.

Do you believe we need such an anchor?

No.
Absolutely not.

[Ovisterra]

Do you believe we need such an anchor?

No.
Absolutely not.

I'm with you on that one.

[Jormengand]

No.
Absolutely not.

I'm with you on that one.

*Jumps on bandwagon*

[Four-sided Triangles]

Obviously God expects more from us since we are all intelligent beings capable of reason after all. God does however forgive us for our transgressions if we ask him to, and if we are truly ignorant of sin (babies, severely mentally retarded people, etc.) he doesn't hold it against us. His commandments aren't really impossible to follow things like do not kill, steal, lie, cheat, etc. are reasonable to expect from people if everyone in the world actually followed his commandments the amount of pain and suffering in this world would be alot lower. I'm a guy in college and I'm 20 years old yet never had sex it's just a matter of self-control. As for hell, hell is essentially a dumping ground for sinners obviously if you do not want to follow God you would hate to be in his perfect presence forever now would you, so instead all sinners are to be placed in a dimension to themselves away from God's presence forever.

If he's fine with us keeping slaves and selling our children into slavery, he really doesn't expect much from us. He's more concerned with us following an arbitrary list of rules than he is with us actually being decent.

[Teutonic Territories]

Just to clear things up, eternal punishment = being separated from God. Jesus mentioned fire, but he could be speaking literally. Gehenna (spelling?) is an actual place, it was the burning trash pile outside of cities. A lot of meaning is lost in translation. For example, Armegedon refers to Gemedo, a town surrounded by constant warfare.

[Drumm]

No, of course not.

[The Cummunist State]

Just to clear things up, eternal punishment = being separated from God. Jesus mentioned fire, but he could be speaking literally. Gehenna (spelling?) is an actual place, it was the burning trash pile outside of cities. A lot of meaning is lost in translation. For example, Armegedon refers to Gemedo, a town surrounded by constant warfare.

As I said before, being separated from a non-loving non-omni anything mass murdering lunatic god and all his followers is heaven to most people.

[Eastern Afrika]

Saying Religion is a Mental Illness is like saying Cancer is a Parsite

[Jerusalem and Damascus]

Just to clear things up, eternal punishment = being separated from God. Jesus mentioned fire, but he could be speaking literally. Gehenna (spelling?) is an actual place, it was the burning trash pile outside of cities. A lot of meaning is lost in translation. For example, Armegedon refers to Gemedo, a town surrounded by constant warfare.

As I said before, being separated from a non-loving non-omni anything mass murdering lunatic god and all his followers is heaven to most people.

I wonder if that means God would send you to Heaven to spite you.

[The Alma Mater]

As I said before, being separated from a non-loving non-omni anything mass murdering lunatic god and all his followers is heaven to most people.

I wonder if that means God would send you to Heaven to spite you.

Yep. He is the type.

[Orcoa]

I wonder if that means God would send you to Heaven to spite you.

Yep. He is the type.

Well he can be a troll sometimes

[The Cummunist State]

As I said before, being separated from a non-loving non-omni anything mass murdering lunatic god and all his followers is heaven to most people.

I wonder if that means God would send you to Heaven to spite you.

Well no. Because he doesn't exist.

[The Alma Mater]

I wonder if that means God would send you to Heaven to spite you.

Well no. Because he doesn't exist.

But if He did, and was the Being the friends of Abraham make him out to be...

Would He ?

[The Cummunist State]

Well no. Because he doesn't exist.

But if He did, and was the Being the friends of Abraham make him out to be...

Would He ?

That's like asking me if the Great JuJu of the mountains is real, what would happen.

[The Alma Mater]

But if He did, and was the Being the friends of Abraham make him out to be...

Would He ?

That's like asking me if the Great JuJu of the mountains is real, what would happen.

So ?
People can have extensive debates on what Batman, Voldemort, Captain James T Kirk or whatever character from tv, film or literature you desire would do in certain situations. So why not in this case ?

[The Cummunist State]

That's like asking me if the Great JuJu of the mountains is real, what would happen.

So ?
People can have extensive debates on what Batman, Voldemort, Captain James T Kirk or whatever character from tv, film or literature you desire would do in certain situations. So why not in this case ?

Because Yahweh is a very BORING character, but Kirk is so much more exciting and fun!

[Nornalhorst]

Well, there is the advantage that if you are repentant when you die, you might not go to Gehenna or Hell in the afterlife. I mean, sensory deprivation isn't much better than torture.

It's a infinite punishment for a finite crime. That is never just.

Obviously God expects more from us since we are all intelligent beings capable of reason after all. God does however forgive us for our transgressions if we ask him to, and if we are truly ignorant of sin (babies, severely mentally retarded people, etc.) he doesn't hold it against us. His commandments aren't really impossible to follow things like do not kill, steal, lie, cheat, etc. are reasonable to expect from people if everyone in the world actually followed his commandments the amount of pain and suffering in this world would be alot lower. I'm a guy in college and I'm 20 years old yet never had sex it's just a matter of self-control. As for hell, hell is essentially a dumping ground for sinners obviously if you do not want to follow God you would hate to be in his perfect presence forever now would you, so instead all sinners are to be placed in a dimension to themselves away from God's presence forever.

How about the other rules, such as women must marry their rapist, or worship him? It is impossible never to lie. Humans can not do that. I'm sure you have lied, haven't you? And of course, it would be a better world if we all killed the jews and pagans and gays! Yeah! Go bible! Kill everyone and then sing songs and worship a unknowable being you can't possibly know exists that is outside of time and space (even though that means he DOESN'T exist) and claim he is exactly like you because the bible says it because the bible says everything! the book of multiple choice. Also, don't claim he is perfect. Offering a infinite punishment for a finite crime, as I said before, is not just. How do you know hell is just a plane of separation from god? The bible also mentions it as a real place of fire and torture.

Women marry their rapist? Haven't seen that as for some of the stranger laws in the old testament Jesus does explain some of them like the food laws and when questioned about them he says God actually cares more about what you say and do then what you eat, or the punishment for working on the sabbath day he explains that the sabbath day is a day to honor God, killing someone for taking the time out to help the sick and injured is just simply evil, and Paul explains that circumscion isn't required for gentile (non-jewish) followers of Christ. Anyway I know its near impossible to never break any laws since we are fallible mortals, that's why God offers to forgive us of our sins that doesn't mean a free ticket to do whatever we like (God isn't stupid he knows the difference between true repentence and someone pretending to repent so they can do sin all over again), he does want us to try our best to uphold his laws its not unreasonable to want people to tell the truth, and to respect and love their neighbor. As for killing everyone where does Jesus ever advocate killing sinners or unbelievers or Jewish persons? If you recall in the bible Jesus was the type of man who would actually go out and talk to sinners when no one else would and showed love and respect not anger and aggression in fact he angered many of the religious people doing so, they thought it was wrong to go out and talk to tax collectors, save people from being stoned, talk to prostitutes and tell them God's word. Also God doesn't exist outside of time and space you got it backwards he exists everywhere in every time its the definition of being omnipresent he is simultaneously the beginning and the end. Hell is infinite because your soul is immortal he can't allow you into heaven if you don't accept his rule or a sinner so you are taken to the dumping ground which is hell, the very word gehenna refers to an ancient dumping ground. Hell is a place of eternal torment as it is a place of eternal seperation from God whenever the Bible describes hell it is described as a place of eternal torment, the place of outer darkness, and seperation in this place since you have abandoned God, God has abandoned you forever. Also your actions have far greater consequences then you can imagine to you a murderer is a man who has decided to kill another man to God a murderer has not only killed someone but has destroyed everything that person could have done, any family he or she could have had, and the influences he/she could have had on this world. A rapist or any other sinner not only effects his or her victim but can indirectly effect the world forever.

[The Cummunist State]

It's a infinite punishment for a finite crime. That is never just.




How about the other rules, such as women must marry their rapist, or worship him? It is impossible never to lie. Humans can not do that. I'm sure you have lied, haven't you? And of course, it would be a better world if we all killed the jews and pagans and gays! Yeah! Go bible! Kill everyone and then sing songs and worship a unknowable being you can't possibly know exists that is outside of time and space (even though that means he DOESN'T exist) and claim he is exactly like you because the bible says it because the bible says everything! the book of multiple choice. Also, don't claim he is perfect. Offering a infinite punishment for a finite crime, as I said before, is not just. How do you know hell is just a plane of separation from god? The bible also mentions it as a real place of fire and torture.

Women marry their rapist? Haven't seen that as for some of the stranger laws in the old testament Jesus does explain some of them like the food laws and when questioned about them he says God actually cares more about what you say and do then what you eat, or the punishment for working on the sabbath day he explains that the sabbath day is a day to honor God, killing someone for taking the time out to help the sick and injured is just simply evil, and Paul explains that circumscion isn't required for gentile (non-jewish) followers of Christ. Anyway I know its near impossible to never break any laws since we are fallible mortals, that's why God offers to forgive us of our sins that doesn't mean a free ticket to do whatever we like (God isn't stupid he knows the difference between true repentence and someone pretending to repent so they can do sin all over again), he does want us to try our best to uphold his laws its not unreasonable to want people to tell the truth, and to respect and love their neighbor. As for killing everyone where does Jesus ever advocate killing sinners or unbelievers or Jewish persons? If you recall in the bible Jesus was the type of man who would actually go out and talk to sinners when no one else would and showed love and respect not anger and aggression in fact he angered many of the religious people doing so, they thought it was wrong to go out and talk to tax collectors, save people from being stoned, talk to prostitutes and tell them God's word. Also God doesn't exist outside of time and space you got it backwards he exists everywhere in every time its the definition of being omnipresent he is simultaneously the beginning and the end. Hell is infinite because your soul is immortal he can't allow you into heaven if you don't accept his rule or a sinner so you are taken to the dumping ground which is hell, the very word gehenna refers to an ancient dumping ground. Hell is a place of eternal torment as it is a place of eternal seperation from God whenever the Bible describes hell it is described as a place of eternal torment, the place of outer darkness, and seperation in this place since you have abandoned God, God has abandoned you forever. Also your actions have far greater consequences then you can imagine to you a murderer is a man who has decided to kill another man to God a murderer has not only killed someone but has destroyed everything that person could have done, any family he or she could have had, and the influences he/she could have had on this world. A rapist or any other sinner not only effects his or her victim but can indirectly effect the world forever.

WHoaaaaaa, wall of text and preaching buddy, sorry if I don't read all of it. I'll address some of the points you made as I read sideways through it.

As for Jesus never ordering killing others, here's one "So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. (Revelation 2:22-23)

And if you listened to any of your ill-minded folk in the church, he is either outside of space and time or is everywhere in every time. In the first case, he does not exist. In the second case, We should be able to test and find him. We can't. Because he isn't.

Okay, God doesn't expect us to always live up to his rules as long as we repent. Yeah, well, I think the holy spirit is a whore. <<< unforgivable sin. Next.

Also, to my actions being able to effect the world forever and stuff, yeah. If I murder someone, that may or may not have stopped great evil or great good. How is making a joke about Christianity---nay, how is murdering someone worthy of eternal punishment? It isn't. Nothing is worth eternal punishment. If you think something is and think you are in any way moral, you are completely mistaken.