Is religion a psychiatric problem?

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Somebody on another thread has announced that religion is a psychiatric problem.
Is it? After all in terms of humanity surely atheism fulfils the statistical role of abnormal thinking and belief, although I would never suggest that atheists were psychiatric.

[Gonnagle]

Dear Vlad,

Definitely not, it one of Dawkins Meme's, apparently some guy ( actually could have been a woman ) saw this volcano erupting and thought, bugger me we have angered the volcano god, and that was the start of the Meme, all true a guy down the pub told me.

Gonnagle.

[Stranger]

Somebody on another thread has announced that religion is a psychiatric problem.

Did they? Are you referring to this conversation: How The Modern World Makes Us Mentally Ill? If so, they didn't actually say that.

I'll repeat my point however:

It's difficult to deny that many religious claims would be viewed very differently if seen in one, or a small number, of individuals - including your claim of "personal knowledge" of somebody who died 2000 years ago.

"This to me is the true horror of religion, it allows perfectly decent and sane people to believe by the billions what only lunatics could believe on their own. If you wake up tomorrow morning thinking that saying a few Latin words over your pancakes is going to turn them into the body of Elvis Presley - you have lost your mind. But if you think more or less the same thing about a cracker and the body of Jesus you're just a Catholic."

-- Sam Harris

Which is more the point that was being made: that decent and sane people end up believing things that would be considered insane in isolated individuals.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Dear Vlad,

Definitely not, it one of Dawkins Meme's, apparently some guy ( actually could have been a woman ) saw this volcano erupting and thought, bugger me we have angered the volcano god, and that was the start of the Meme, all true a guy down the pub told me.

Gonnagle.

That Guy....Did he have great hair, movie star looks, high pitched cultured ladies voice, a PHd, a chair in the public awareness of science and carry a wee Chihuahua with a McEwans Export Doggie warmer jacket?

[Walt Zingmatilder]

"This to me is the true horror of religion, it allows perfectly decent and sane people to believe by the billions what only lunatics could believe on their own. If you wake up tomorrow morning thinking that saying a few Latin words over your pancakes is going to turn them into the body of Elvis Presley - you have lost your mind. But if you think more or less the same thing about a cracker and the body of Jesus you're just a Catholic."

-- Sam Harris

Is this some kind of weird version of argumentum ad populum........?

[Stranger]

Is this some kind of weird version of argumentum ad populum........?

No.

[Nearly Sane]

Is this some kind of weird version of argumentum ad populum........?

And again. For SteveH's benefit, though I suspect he will be bored by the larger explanation, here is Vlad again using a misunderstanding of the ad populum fallacy as regards a comment that doesn't impute truth or falsity on the basis of the number of people who believe it.

[Walter]

And again. For SteveH's benefit, though I suspect he will be bored by the larger explanation, here is Vlad again using a misunderstanding of the ad populum fallacy as regards a comment that doesn't impute truth or falsity on the basis of the number of people who believe it.

if I were having a conversation at the bar with Vlad I would have to record it just so i could  rewind every few minutes just to make sure of what I'd just said 

[Walter]

Dear Gonnagle

your confirmation bias is currently at the level of 'clutching at straws'.

[SteveH]

Somebody on another thread has announced that religion is a psychiatric problem.
Is it? After all in terms of humanity surely atheism fulfils the statistical role of abnormal thinking and belief, although I would never suggest that atheists were psychiatric.

You are confusing two senses of "normal": one is "perfect, free from fault"; the other is "average". Since most people have some minor ailment or infirmity, however trivial, it is nromal (second sense) to be abnormal (first sense).

[Walt Zingmatilder]

You are confusing two senses of "normal": one is "perfect, free from fault"; the other is "average". Since most people have some minor ailment or infirmity, however trivial, it is nromal (second sense) to be abnormal (first sense).

Worth pointing out except atheism/theism is a binary isn't it?

[Rhiannon]

It’s well established that religious practice can feed anxiety and OCD. ‘If I say this prayer/wear this talisman I will be safe’. I’ve seen it recommended that while in recovery from anxiety and OCD religious practice is put on hold.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

It’s well established that religious practice can feed anxiety and OCD. ‘If I say this prayer/wear this talisman I will be safe’. I’ve seen it recommended that while in recovery from anxiety and OCD religious practice is put on hold.

How would that work? I have no religious practice where anything makes me safe since I do not considered myself spared from the rigours of life