Does religion breed crazies?

[_Nomomo]

Exhibit A: LDS Faqs
I rest my case.

[_DrW]

I'd still ask that it be refined to acknowledge that we are largely talking about cultural norms and that they are guiding rather than causative.

For example, rather than speak of societal norms broadly, we have to examine behaviors against norms within their own cultures to see truly abnormal behavior. We ought not to shorthand "outside western societal norms" with "outside societal norms" broadly. I'd go so far as to argue that doing so is just another manifestation of the same impulses we are criticizing. Conflict between cultures is a different subject than whether or not religion creates actual aberrant human behaviors independent of the religious culture.

To guide the discussion closer to the OP, we could look at examples from western history like Sir Isaac Newton who was probably as religious, "crazy", and genius as any example we could hold up. What does his life tell us about the OP's question?

The overwhelming amount information available today regarding the validity of science vs. the unfounded belief of religion was not available to Isaac Newton. The science vs religion dichotomy and polarization that we see today simply did not exist as an issue in society in Newton's time. I would therefore suggest that you chose a largely irrelevant example to illustrate your point.

The subject being discussed here (I think) is regarding likely differences in a brain that develops in an environment in which reason, logic, and scientifically sound beliefs are guiding principles - as compared to a brain that develops in an environment in which unfounded belief, irrational ideation, false perceptions of fact and denial of objective reality are the norm.

In any case, I need to catch a plane in a few hours and need to get some sleep, so (as much as I hate doing it) I am going to have to "pull a DCP" and say that I will come back to this thread (if it is still going) when I return to the country.

Thanks for your point of view.
_______________________________

If you have not read it, Ray Kurzweil's 2012 book entitled "How to Create a Mind" is one that might be worth your while.

[_Some Schmo]

Does religion breed crazies?

Crazies breed religion.

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

I see it as a mutual attraction. Water seeks its own level, birds of a feather; that sort of thing.

[_honorentheos]

Hi DrW,

The subject being discussed here (I think) is regarding likely differences in a brain that develops in an environment in which reason, logic, and scientifically sound beliefs are guiding principles - as compared to a brain that develops in an environment in which unfounded belief, irrational ideation, false perceptions of fact and denial of objective reality are the norm.

Perhaps. Or we may be isolating out one form of the later and concluding that anything that does not share the same stylistic form must be the former. in my opinion.

And Newton was crazy in ways that had nothing to do with religion. In some ways, his obsession with alchemy might be seen as a corrupted form of his interest in science. His particular brand of religious belief was not mainstream. He was just wired different.

If you have not read it, Ray Kurzweil's 2012 book entitled "How to Create a Mind" is one that might be worth your while.

Thanks for the suggestion, looks interesting.

[_Maksutov]

And the book ends with this:
From too much love of living,
From hope and fear set free,
We thank with brief thanksgiving
_ _ Whatever gods may be
That no man lives for ever;
That dead men rise up never;
That even the weariest river
_ _ Winds somewhere safe to sea.

Then star nor sun shall waken,
_ _ Nor any change of light;
Nor sound of waters shaken,
_ _ Nor any sound or sight;
Nor wintry nor vernal,
Nor days, nor things diurnal;
Only the sleep eternal
_ _ In an eternal night.



You can read it here..
.. or I can send it to You as pdf file.

Ah, Swinburne's Garden of Proserpine. One of my favorites. Thanks for posting.

[_ludwigm]

And the book ends with this:
From too much love of living,
From hope and fear set free,
We thank with brief thanksgiving
_ _ Whatever gods may be
That no man lives for ever;
That dead men rise up never;
That even the weariest river
_ _ Winds somewhere safe to sea.

Then star nor sun shall waken,
_ _ Nor any change of light;
Nor sound of waters shaken,
_ _ Nor any sound or sight;
Nor wintry nor vernal,
Nor days, nor things diurnal;
Only the sleep eternal
_ _ In an eternal night.



You can read it here..
.. or I can send it to You as pdf file.

Ah, Swinburne's Garden of Proserpine. One of my favorites. Thanks for posting.

You are welcomed in the worldwide literature.
[#img] http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... ne-ape.jpg[/img]
.
by the way I've met first time with the name Proserpine as a name of an asteroid... (named after the Roman goddess Proserpina, the daughter of Ceres and the Queen of the Underworld).

[_tld]

Gave up on that thread, so I missed it. (IMHO, tld can best be described a "refractory".)

Perhaps, but when confronted with overwhelming opposition, it is either that or run (or not engage in the first place). I have done both in the past. This time I decided to stick it out until the bitter end.
:-)

[Guest]

I find that the "crazies" are more likely to hate God and any belief in such. There are always exceptions to the rule, but I find that most Christians at least try very hard to say things as honestly as possible without going out of their way to insult people. The "crazies" are the ones who are insulted no mater the subject or how nicely anything is said.

Nipper, in your opinion, is the following an "honest" statement?

It would seem to me that a closet drunk is far more aware of the evils of drinking than any tea toddler. And if you cannot figure out the implications, you many wish to reconsider any assumption that homosexuality has no victims or doesn't affect anyone else...

People fighting addictions would seem to have a better understand of how easily they begin and how hard they are to end... I feel that my above statement eludes to this simple fact. There are always victims where sin abounds. Yes, I feel it is a very honest, subtle, and keen observation. And your point?

[_LittleNipper]

Crazy... As in believing the voices they hear out of thin air are the voice of god and not a strong indication that they need medical intervention.

If someone believes voices he hears out of thin air, but does not believe the written word, well, that might be really crazy.

[_The Erotic Apologist]

People fighting addictions would seem to have a better understand of how easily they begin and how hard they are to end... I feel that my above statement eludes to this simple fact. There are always victims where sin abounds. Yes, I feel it is a very honest, subtle, and keen observation. And your point?

No, that's not what your statement "eludes" to. ("Eludes to"? What the heck does "eludes to" mean???) On the contrary, you're saying that people with SSAs victimize others by dint of their sexuality alone. That's neither honest, nor subtle, nor keen. That's just plain dumb, Nipper.