avatarNicole Dake

Summary

The article explores the complex relationship between religious beliefs and psychological pathology, questioning why religion is not commonly classified as a delusion despite some beliefs mirroring pathological symptoms.

Abstract

The article delves into the fine line between religious beliefs and pathological delusions, noting that some religious convictions could be deemed delusional if held by individuals with certain mental health conditions. It discusses the historical perspective of psychiatrists like Freud, who considered all religious beliefs to be delusional, contrasting with the DSM-IV's exemption of religious doctrine from pathology. The piece highlights the difficulty in distinguishing "normal" religious beliefs from "pathological" religious delusions, especially when such beliefs are widely shared within a society. It also examines the role of societal acceptance in determining whether a religious experience is pathologized, using examples such as visions of Jesus in Christian cultures. The article further probes into the intersection of religion and mental health issues, considering the complexity of diagnosing disorders like Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder, and Schizophrenia in religious contexts. It points out the high prevalence of religious delusions among individuals with Schizophrenia and questions the distinction between religious visions and delusions. Finally, it touches on the societal impact of extreme religious beliefs, citing examples of violence and terrorism perpetrated in the name of religion, and challenges the notion that group beliefs negate the possibility of pathology.

Opinions

  • The author suggests that societal norms play a significant role in defining what is considered a pathological belief versus a widely accepted religious belief.
  • There is a concern that shared delusions among religious groups do not face the same scrutiny as individual delusions, which are diagnosable mental health conditions.
  • The article implies that the prevalence of religious delusions in mental health conditions like Schizophrenia raises questions about the nature of religious experiences.
  • It is argued that the acceptance of religious beliefs as non-pathological, despite their potential harm, is due to their widespread nature rather than any inherent truth or value.
  • The author posits that religious extremism and the violence it can incite should be critically examined as potentially delusional behavior, rather than being exempt due to its group-based nature.
  • The piece calls for a more objective criterion for diagnosing delusions, especially when they occur within a religious context and are shared by a group.

Why isn’t Religion Considered a Pathology?

Some religious beliefs sound downright delusional

Image by reenablack from Pixabay

Have you ever looked objectively at religious beliefs, and wondered how anyone can possibly believe that they are true? It may be that you are an atheist and eschew religion altogether, or you may have been introduced to the beliefs of another faith. Or, you may not even believe the mythology of your faith completely.

Whatever the case, there are some questionable and troubling things that some religious people believe. If it was an individual with Schizophrenia or Dementia that was putting forth some of the beliefs that these people have, then we would throw them in the loony bin for sure. But what about when it is a whole group of people?

Since I studied Psychology and Religion in college, I had a lot of time to spend looking at the overlaps between various disorders and religious beliefs. At one point I posed the question to one of my psych professors:

Why isn’t religion considered to be a pathology?

She said,

When the majority of people in your society believe the same thing, it isn’t considered a pathology.

Very interesting. So, does that make us lemmings walking towards the edge of a cliff? Or, does it mean that people weren’t crazy for thinking the earth was flat? What if they still think so despite evidence to the contrary?

According to the National Library of Medicine,

In clinical practice, no clear guidelines exist to distinguish between “normal” religious beliefs and “pathological” religious delusions. Historically, psychiatrists such as Freud have suggested that all religious beliefs are delusional, while the current DSM-IV definition of delusion exempts religious doctrine from pathology altogether.

According to this description, it sounds like there is no way to really classify large-scale religious phenomenon as being pathological. If a delusion is shared by a number of people, apparently it becomes less delusional. Interesting.

Individual Religious Delusions

Pathologies are only diagnosed on an individual level, not a group level. So, each individual in a group of ‘religious fanatics’ would have to be looked at individually to see if they fit what would today be considered a pathology, or psychological diagnosis.

According to David Cycleback,

Religious experiences and the hallucinations of mental disorders can be remarkably alike. A long and continuing medical, theological and philosophical debate has been about to and if to distinguish between religious vision and ideas and mental hallucinations.

How they are pathologized is based on how common they are, how they fit in with prevailing beliefs, how they relate to the person functioning and fitting with society, and even prevailing sentiments about them, and how the individual feels about them.

If a religious vision fits in with normal society views and culture and perception of reality (say a vision of Jesus in a Christian country), allows the person to fit in or work fine in society, and the person doesn’t find them bad, then it is not pathologized. In fact, religious trances and spiritual visions are promoted by many cultures, even today.

Since something on the individual level is only considered to be a mental health disorder if it is causing the person distress, then mental health issues as they intersect with religious beliefs become extremely complex.

What about pathologies like Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder and Conduct Disorder? Typically, it is not the person with the disorder that is suffering, but those around them. This is especially true with Antisocial Personality Disorder, as people with this disorder are more likely to be criminally inclined.

Or, what if religion induces paranoid symptoms, for which people rarely seek treatment?

There seems to be an overlap between religious delusions and Schizophrenia. Many of the delusions that are suffered by Schizophrenics are religious in nature.

Since both delusions and paranoia are symptoms of Schizophrenia, one could question if people who are grasped by extreme religious fervor are actually suffering from paranoid Schizophrenia.

According to Living with Schizophrenia UK,

It is often said that a person experiencing the first stages of serious schizophrenia is more likely to go to see a priest than a psychiatrist1. This is because the delusions suffered by people with schizophrenia often have a religious content. Sufferers may believe that they are a saint, a prophet or God himself, (which is more common in men), or (in women) that they are a saint or are pregnant with the Messiah.

For those living with Schizophrenia, the prevalence of religious delusions is very high. Living With Schizophrenia UK continues:

Various studies have found that the prevalence of religious delusions in schizophrenia is very high. Torrey in the US, for instance, has suggested that around half of sufferers there experience religious delusions.1 Other studies in other parts of the world have found differently. Mohr and Huguelet in Switzerland found the prevalence to be around 21% (this was probably representative of the overall prevalence in Western Europe) and Rudaleviciene and his colleagues in Lithuania found it to be as high as 64% there.

Looking at these symptoms brings up more questions than answers when it comes to the religious experience of individuals. How do you know if something is a vision, or a delusion? How do you explain outgroup paranoia? And, can someone be delusional and paranoid without being considered to have a mental health diagnosis?

Group Beliefs vs. Individual Beliefs

In every religion, people believe predominately the same thing as other practitioners of the same religion. However, there are always ‘fringe’ interpretations that become problematic for society as a whole. You can see this in the case of Christian Fundamentalists and all their sometimes violent persecution of minorities, and in the case of Muslim Jihadists that carry out terrorist attacks.

There are violent crimes committed in the name of religion, and wars started over its tenets. Witches were once burned at the stake. Although these practices could be considered mainstream within a group in society, that doesn’t make them any less damaging.

The beliefs that are the foundation of this type of violence, if on an individual level, could be considered pathological. However, if a group is in on the delusion together, that suddenly makes it OK?

Many cults are started by a charismatic leader, who then causes his followers to do dangerous, harmful and sometimes criminal behaviors in the name of religion. Look at Jonestown, the Manson family, and many others. There was violence carried out in the name of a fringe religion.

I’m sure we can all agree that these individuals are disturbed on some level, but, when they are in a group situation, psychology seems to remain silent.

By diagnosing delusion only on an individual level, and with a very subjective criteria, we are avoiding the issue regarding whether some religious beliefs are, at their core, delusional. Science is trying to placate religion and to coexist. However, at some point, we need to draw a line in the sand when it comes to religion, and especially religious extremism.

For more exclusive content, sign up for my newsletter on Substack.

Religion
Mental Health
Psychology
Society
Society And Culture
Recommended from ReadMedium