[Topic title: Is atheism a mental condition?]
I was thinking about what causes people to be atheists and I thought that maybe it isn't their fault, maybe it's a mental condition that prevents them from being able to see God and his creation? Surely if it is a problem with their mind they can be fixed with counseling?
Does anyone have any info on this subject, I'm sure I'm not the first person to suggest this.
56 comments
Quiet you guys! I'm picturing some lovely institute up in the mountains somewhere, with big TV's and a pool and all the happy pills we want. As long as we go along with the group therapy once a week, we could live like kings.
That, or they'll have us mine salt and give us a Christian burial when we die of exhaustion and smallpox.
Exactly what I've always felt about religious persons. It's not necessarily their fault, their just deluded.
Actually, he might be onto something. There's at least one scientist who claims that belief in a higher power is to some extent dependent on your genetic make-up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_gene
If it is a mental condition, it is one I will gladly keep. The mental condition of using my mind; oh, the irony.
I'll donate my counseling hours to you, 'kay?
"Does anyone have any info on this subject, I'm sure I'm not the first person to suggest this."
No, I understand that Tomas de Torquemata was big on dealing with people who had incorrect views about God. Arranged many personal interviews as well. Absolutely incorruptible in his faith too. You couldn't torquemata anything....
(Thank you Mel Brooks)
aaa: You don't want to suggest that....they have a way of making that sort of thing happen (at least, they believe it happens).
"I was thinking about what causes people to be atheists and I thought that maybe it isn't their fault, maybe it's a mental condition that prevents them from being able to see God and his creation? Surely if it is a problem with their mind they can be fixed with counseling?
Does anyone have any info on this subject, I'm sure I'm not the first person to suggest this."
@Green You nailed it, man. Damn, I wanted to lay some good burn in here on this one, but I can't touch that!
The mental condition which causes people to not hear voices in their head, or see invisible beings, or think that their hopes and wishes are telepathically picked up and acted on by intangible creatures is called 'sanity'.
Fuck you, and fuck your bigotry.
My relationship with my parents is just fine, I'm a little depressed but that's from other things, I'm not "morally depraved," I'm not trying to convert your kids, and I'm most definately not insane.
In your view, being non-Christian is a mental disease, if acknowledging God (big G) and his role in making the planet is deemed to be the sole criterion for the neutral condition.
Bravo. You may want to go change, your unwarranted sense of superiority is showing, and disgusting the general populace.
Yes, atheism is a mental condition, it's the condition of actually growing up instead of turning our belief in Santa into a belief in a sky-daddy.
No it cannot be fixed with counselling. However many fundies could probably be helped.
Not hearing voices and hallucinating angels and demons is a sign of mental illness. Just like condoms cause pregnancy, causing men to hate women, leading to homosexuality. But the joke's on you - us crazy non-hallucinators have got you sane God-fearing folks serving us fries every day.
Actually, whether or not you feel a 'higher power' is to do with how your brain is put together, but it's not a 'mental condition'.
Ha! Not having an imaginary friend is a mental condition?
Do you have any idea how offensive that is? Imagine if I were to get in every ones face with "maybe christians have a mental condition and they need some meds and counseling to be normal atheists..."
What a piece of steaming shit.
Hmm, interesting notion, why don't you contact the editors of the International Classification of Diseases and make a case of including Atheism as a mental health related condition.
I'll just <snicker> watch from over here
Not seeing what is not there ? sounds fine to me. Maybe you should ask if religions promote a mental condition of seeing what is not there and excusing horrible actions because of course God can do what he wants and it is all good.
By the way that is the belief of an abused child.
Let's see...we don't hear voices telling us to convert the heathen or put them to the sword, we don't see things like burning bushes or talking donkeys, and we fail to make grand illogical leaps in magical thinking like "dur, me not know where rain come from, must be magic man in sky".
Yep, that sounds like we're the crazy ones, alright.
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
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