After reading some of the comments, it seems to me that religious belief, much like the bible, is all about what a person chooses get out of it. It reflects what your particular physche and influences such as your family would have you believe. That may be very extreme, like thinking the rapture is imminent or just a comforting myth, like Santa Clause.
So true. There’s much to be comforted by in the familiar ( no matter how ridiculous). And much to fear of what the alternative might mean.
Not really delusional. More like willfully ignorant.
I guess it depends on your definition of delusional. I like willfully ignorant much better. Thank you!
No ,they are gullible, fearful , and brainwashed people
...and delusional
Richiegtt I agree with you .Non believers are the delusional ones if they think believers are .What an asinine gudgment to think they are delusional. Issac Newton was a believer and so were many more scientists and mathematicians
Yes, especially the super devout and ones who take religious texts literally.
If they are trying to get something religion can not provide.
Some people think that God is going to give them what they want or if they pray the right way God can be bribed into giving it.
Religion is simply a type of philosophy. It's suppoed to help you improve yourself and your life.
People are lazy, they don't want help, they want magic.
Yes. My boyfriend’s mom once told him that god told her that I would someday believe in him. Well...needless to say, I still haven’t.
Anyone who thinks that a supernatural force (that can communicate with them, lead them, guide them, protect them, etc.) has taken up residence in their "heart" is in some respect delusional...
agreed!
I don't get living for the next life. Seems they are wasting this one
Agreed! Agnostics are realists. We KNOW there is not a god who will throw us into hell-fire and brimstone if we are bad, We KNOW there is no heaven, and nobody can save us. It's just a fairy tale. Wasting a life is so sad. I'm watching my family act like animals in fear of God's wrath. It's insanity! But they don't know they're insane, and that is sad.
I can only respond due to my personal experience. My answer is a qualified YES! How do I know? Most of my family are looking toward the "end of times" predicting Jesus' return to earth, and I am often threatened (I'm not kidding) that if I do not return to the fold I will die a horrible death, and be excomunicated from the church, not to mention burning in hell, while the "righteous" will be lifted on a cloud and Jesus will reign for a thousand years, and they don't mind if broil in the fires of hell. Such bullshit!
That is major bullshit!
Personally, I'm looking forward to getting all the good stuff end-timers leave behind.
Many of them are.
I think for most of them it is just that they cant' face the world as it is, so they need the delusion to cinvince themselves that the world is a bettter place than it really is. I think these persons are mostly benign.
Then there are those who use religion tbecause they want o feel superior to others and are condescending, smug and often go off into fanaticism when they believe they aren't taken serioously, because they believe themselves to be more important than they really are. These persons are dangerous! Their delusion is in their own self importance, which is only bolstered by their religious beliefs.
Yes, the ones who trully believe are delusional, disconnected from reality, fantasy wonderland bonkers & certifiable but the ones who don’t actually believe but are in it for profit or control are assholes. ...imho
I agree in believing a lot of the church-goers are just going along with the flock and some have ulterior motives, especially in the political arena.
No more delusional than someone buying a lottery ticket, thinking that their chances of winning a decent prize are higher than their chances of getting struck by lightning, several times.
Both religion and the lottery are selling hope. If that works for people, then fine. Just as long as they respect that it doesn't work for me.
But you do actually have a chance of winning the lottery....... quite a major difference from religion I'd say.
I can agree to an extent. However, lottery tickets make it clear that there is only a chance, whereas religion confirms and guarantees that if you do these specific tasks and live a certain way you will be accepted into heaven.
Except religion there’s no winning lottery ticket.
For all intents and purposes, there is zero chance of any individual ever hitting the jackpot in a lifetime of buying lottery tickets. You have to seriously beat the odds, through random chance, to get a life changing win. You have to be pretty damned lucky to make more than you spend.
The lottery says it can make you a millionaire. Realistically, it won't. I know some people are absolutely 100% certain that there is no God, but I'd put the likelihood of there being one above my chances of winning the lottery jackpot.
What they believe affects us ALL...in how they vote. That's what we need to realize.
@ArdentAtheist But there are for agnostics as opposed to ardent atheists.
Yes. It amazes me how otherwise intelligent people can continue to belive such nonsense.
I agree with those here saying yes. It is important to remember that delusional thinking is the product of beliefs not based on reality or evidence. We are all delusional at some time or another, like when we fall madly in love and then look back in a detached way and think, well that was silly of me. A person's religion can be a life long delusion, especially if they really believe it. But a lot of people are religious only notionally; they don't really believe it, but think being religious is good for one reason or another - fitting in with the group, following the family, social and other reasons. I don't think that's delusional as much as social conformity and frankly intellectual laziness. Religions rely on huge numbers of people like this. Personally, I look down on people like that more than the truly religiously delusional.
When it comes to their religious beliefs, probably, but that doesn't mean they are delusional in other areas.
Religious beliefs flow over and spill into all decisions, including motives, and politics.
@calgirlblues -- Broad generalization, though it seems to be true much of the time.
Certain theists insist that a snake spoke.
Certain atheists agree too, but the snake only said one letter several times
"ssssssssss"
So, yeah, I would agree that if people of the book. ( all books) believe such theistic stories, then they're delusional in this aspect.
It depends on how religious they are. I consider any belief in a supreme being to be silly. But when you start getting super religious, you start to appear crazy in my eyes.
Crazy deluded. It's a fever that can take us all down!
If they don't respect division of church and state.
I consider religious people indoctrinated, often by attending church from birth.
Three of my friends are Christian ministers. Two men with Ph.D.'s and a woman with two master degrees. Two are counselors. All three are politically liberal and peace activists. They are among the most intelligent and kindest people I have met. Joe, a retired counselor, is the wisest man I know. They never hassle me about being an atheist.
I know some Christian ministers who have degrees and still believe in the deluded concept of the rapture!
Yes. I truly believe they have a mental illness.
I am still debating if that is a fact. Dr. Marlene Winell has said that it is a death cult.
Your picture gave me a flashback to about twelve hours ago when a man here in Louisiana was walking along the road carrying a huge cross over his shoulder.
Ugh.....
Magical Thinking versus Delusion.
One and the same
Often, but not necessarily. I know one man, for instance, for whom I have the greatest respect and admiration, yet he is deeply religious. Rather than delusional, I would say, indoctrinated.
no matter what you call it an "indoctrinated deeply religious person" is still delusional.