🚀 go-pugleaf

First off I am not saying that all religious people are crazy. But here
are some things worth considering in this on going argument.

To equate mental health issues with religion is considered taboo, but
there are a lot of similiarities. 

1) OCD is a compulsion to think that if something is not done a particular
way or in a particular order, then it is wrong for the universe and 
the person cannot have justification for their actions otherwise. 
Hence they are compelled towards their behavior. 

A religious person on the other hand often sees that for something in the
universe to have a particular order to it that we are some how compelled
to believe in a higher power, else the universe has no justification.
Hence they are also compelled to "spread the word" else they feel guilt,
just as OCD people are compelled to put controls on others to suit their
own beliefs.

People from both camps practice irrational thought in order to justify
their existence. Insofar as that is concerned the behaviors and goals 
are the same even if the causes differ. All the education or positive
social behavior in the world (aka do good too others) cannot be used
as curtain behind which to hide issues of mental illness.

2) Christianity existed before the bible. Much about the bible is
clearly irrational and contradictory, however people still believe
in it. The bible was not the origin of Christian thought, only a
collection of writings associated with it.

The way that modern religions cling to biblical text is wrongful. 
The translation issue, the lack of proper canonization, the amount
of evidence that exists in dispute, the lack of physical evidence
to support the bible historically, and most of all the forgotten
fact that some of the old text was written in code to purposefully
decieve enemies reading it -- are all forgotten as they counter
delusional thoughts. And many religious zealots and leaders get
that way from having delusional ideals of grandour because they
believe they have divine right.

This is more a testament to how many people are irrational in their
behavior out of a need for faith and some degree of order. That does
not make them mentally ill. However delusions and deception are the
tools of people who seek to control others, and the bible is a 
perfect example of that. God tends to show people the meaning
of his existence in other ways, and the bible is not the last 
world on that. If you have ever had such an experience then you
would understand this better. 

Religious people are often the last to recognize that, and the
first to misinterpret such events when they occur.  

3) There is little doubt that religion is a haven for the mentally
ill to hide within, but that does not mean people searching for
the meaning of the universe or a justification in a higher power
are ill. The need to distinguish the wack jobs from those simply
trying to be pious is important. Wack jobs on the other hand only
distinguish so as to justify persecution of the heretics. They
are clearly deluded, even if they act in the name of god or not.

To qualify spiritual belief as a mental illness is wrong, because
it is a quest for knowledge. Religion on the other hand deals mostly
with blind faith, obedience, guilt, persecution, and hellfire so 
that it can warp the minds of its followers and create a cult or
occultic mentality. This latter practice is called brainwashing.
People who are brainwashed are considered mentally ill.

Humanism is a logical and compassionate spiritual outlook, therefore
it has little place in religious evangelical organizations -- as the
practice of being "decent" goes against religious dogma and "faith".
But people blinded by religious hypnosis are conditioned to follow
only the "irrational logic" of the Bible or Quran. Humanism counters
the actions of dictators and tyrants, so therefore a humanist is
labelled as the "common enemy".

When all is said and done, using god or religion as justification to
kill innocent people or those who dont believe what you believe is 
a wrongful basis of rational thought. Chances are high that if you
disagree with that line of reasoning, then you are most likely one
of those borderline wack jobs and you just dont realize it yet.

Time to put the matter to rest and acknowledge that the first 
priority is decency and compassion, regardless of what god we 
come from. Otherwise the battles will never end, and the suffering
caused by wack jobs will never cease, and the mentally ill that
follow religion will never be cured.

Just a few thoughts.......

"Religion is like Alcohol. Everyone thinks you should have some, but
no one is willing to say anything when you have too much."
RSC