SallySang Posted April 8, 2014 Posted April 8, 2014 I'm thinking that maybe I need to give up religion altogether. It has a bad effect on Mental Health. 1
Guest afireinside Posted April 8, 2014 Posted April 8, 2014 You've had an epiphany that will be life changing! Nothing brings you down quite like religion. 1
thereisnoperfect Posted April 8, 2014 Posted April 8, 2014 Depends, to some degree, on the religion. See the book How God Changes Your Brain for details. But not surprisingly, believing in a judgmental, angry god is not good for your mental health. Meditation is. So is yawning(!) 2
mymistake Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 I like being without religion. I can't say that it's been perfect but it has been better. 2
midniterider Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 I'm thinking that maybe I need to give up religion altogether. It has a bad effect on Mental Health. Religion might be ok if I was the God in charge of it. Generally though, it's a waste of time and grinds against my common sense. I'm considering meeting up with some pagans for ritual next month and also the freethinkers group just for the social aspect. :-) But really it would be better just to find a club or group that does something fun. Like photography, or hiking or some other social thing. 1
seven77 Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 Religion might be ok if I was the God in charge of it. There is a religion for you -- Satanism. Each man, his own God and no God above each man. Quite a nice concept, I must say. I go to the Church of the Verbose. It often exceeds word and character limits, does not accept Twitter users, and scorns most popular fiction series that have been published in the past 20 years. 2
wanderinstar Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 I'm thinking that maybe I need to give up religion altogether. It has a bad effect on Mental Health. I think it is a great idea. What effect has religion had on you? No pressure to share though if you don't want to. I wish you all the best. 1
ExCBooster Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 Hey, Sally. Whatever you decide, I hope things are looking up for you. 1
Ellinas Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 Religion will be very bad for your mental health if it offends your worldview. You and only you can decide what you do or do not believe. Do not let anyone tell you what to think. 2
SallySang Posted April 10, 2014 Author Posted April 10, 2014 Thanks, everyone for your replies. I appreciate all of your comments. I joined Christianity about 6 or 7 years ago. Everyone at church mostly just ignored me, so it never went anywhere. Then I joined Buddhism. I was mostly ignored and left alone there, too. The philosophy and psychology are great. Meditation just makes me totally depressed, so I don't even try anymore. Here, so far, are the results of religion in my life: Initiation or intensification of Mental Health problems such as depression, anxiety, social anxiety, OCD, paranoia, and despair. Here is the amount of help I received from "religious" persons: Almost none. Here is how much I want to practise religion today: Not at all. It only makes me miserable. Here is my opinion of religion: Not good for Mental Health. ... I liked this: "Religion will be very bad for your mental health if it offends your worldview. You and only you can decide what you do or do not believe. Do not let anyone tell you what to think." seven77, you make Satanism sound attractive :-) And, to MakingSense, I'm glad your life is much better now. :-)
Roz Posted April 10, 2014 Posted April 10, 2014 The worst time I've had of my life was when I read the OT. I mean really read it without any church teaching superimposed over it. There was god (remember jesus said he and his dad are one) ordering the slaughter of young boys, and giving license for the rape and forced marriages of young girls. He gave these directives after the Israelites conquered their enemies, so these were captives. I imagined myself being one of those Israelite soldiers being told this. I imagined a young boy captive kneeling several feet from me, waiting to be executed. I then imagined his twin sister off to the side, frightened, crying. The other girls around her were already being dragged away by fellow Christians. I asked myself the question: "would I do it?" Thankfully I couldn't. It was something that really freaked me out, and ever since then being a Christian was like being a Nazi. Yeah, I couldn't commit those crimes, but I was still wearing the uniform. Not the Wehrmacht uniform either, the black SS one, because I professed belief that jesus was who he said he was and that the bible was true when I was baptized. That was one big mental fuckery that took me years to get over. When I finally ditched the uniform and resigned from Christ's army, I could finally square my morality again, I am at peace 2
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted April 12, 2014 Super Moderator Posted April 12, 2014 I'm thinking that maybe I need to give up religion altogether. It has a bad effect on Mental Health. I already did, for that very reason.
SallySang Posted April 13, 2014 Author Posted April 13, 2014 Roz, that is an interesting observation. Not being steeped in Christianity as such (my problem seems to be with religion as a general category and no one religion in particular), it never occurred to me to consider the thought that if Christ's Army is truly an army, then which armed force are they most like? I certainly never expected that the answer would be the SS! Very interesting conclusion! I enjoyed this line of reasoning, thank you. The Nazis faded from History ... Bad Mental Health styles of Christianity may do so, too? If they could tighten up their Mental Health act, perhaps they could survive? Do you think a Mental Health Reformation is possible? Can the basic substance of Christianity be re-shaped or re-formed to become something good for Mental Health? Or is such a feat impossible? Thanks, MakingSense TheRedneckProfessor, that is very interesting. You left religion precisely because it was making you mentally ill? Thank you, everyone for your replies. Very interesting and informative. It seems to be quite helpful to look at Religion through the lens of Mental Health.
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