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Religious Fundamentalism 'May Be Categorised As Mental Illness & Cured By Science'

Religious Fundamentalism 'May Be Categorised As Mental Illness & Cured By Science'

Old Jun 2nd 2013, 6:05 pm
  #1  
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Default Religious Fundamentalism 'May Be Categorised As Mental Illness & Cured By Science'

Thought this was apt...

Huffington Post

Religious fundamentalism and cruelty to children may one day be treated in the same way as mental illness, a neuroscientist has speculated.

Kathleen Taylor, a research scientist at Oxford University’s Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, says strong negative beliefs could be eradicated using techniques already in the works.

Dr Taylor was speaking at the Hay Literary Festival in Wales when she was asked what she forsaw as positive developments in neuroscience in the coming years, The Times reports.

She replied: “One man’s positive can be another man’s negative. One of the surprises may be to see people with certain beliefs as people who can be treated.

“Someone who has for example become radicalised to a cult ideology – we might stop seeing that as a personal choice that they have chosen as a result of pure free will and may start treating it as some kind of mental disturbance.

“In many ways it could be a very positive thing because there are no doubt beliefs in our society that do a heck of a lot of damage.

“I am not just talking about the obvious candidates like radical Islam or some of the more extreme cults. I am talking about things like the belief that it is OK to beat your children.
There is more.

I can kind of understand it, because the practitioners are in effect being brainwashed to believe that something that is so obviously wrong, is right and that sane people do not follow such paths.

Bring on the pills I say.
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Old Jun 2nd 2013, 6:14 pm
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Default Re: Religious Fundamentalism 'May Be Categorised As Mental Illness & Cured By Science

This alleged cure is far far worse than the claimed problem.

How does one accurately define religious fundementalism? What religions are going to be targetted; only those the establishment are leery of?

What else ideologies will be deemed inappropriate, subject to state enforced behavioural modification.

This is some straight up sinister and dystopian sh%t!!
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Old Jun 3rd 2013, 4:33 am
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Default Re: Religious Fundamentalism 'May Be Categorised As Mental Illness & Cured By Science

Even though I think extreme religious belief is a mental disorder we have to be very careful here as all religions are not equal.

A fanatical Jain would be busy sweeping the floor in front of him as he walks so he doesn't accidentally tread on an insect. A fanatical Buddhist would likely be hidden away in a monastery seeking enlightenment and harming no one. We must be very clear that only people who subscribe to systems which can be construed to justify violence and harm should be defined as mentally ill (just as we would define non-religious people with an irrational need to cause harm to others in the same way).

I can see this could be used as a tool to oppress, every bit as much as the religions they are supposed to oppose. I think the long term view is to separate religion and state, educate everyone in a secular manner and allow complete freedom to offend religious beliefs (not slander individuals though) just as we have freedom to offend different political and philosophical beliefs.

N.
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Old Jun 3rd 2013, 6:31 am
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Default Re: Religious Fundamentalism 'May Be Categorised As Mental Illness & Cured By Science

Originally Posted by Norm_uk
Even though I think extreme religious belief is a mental disorder we have to be very careful here as all religions are not equal.

A fanatical Jain would be busy sweeping the floor in front of him as he walks so he doesn't accidentally tread on an insect. A fanatical Buddhist would likely be hidden away in a monastery seeking enlightenment and harming no one. We must be very clear that only people who subscribe to systems which can be construed to justify violence and harm should be defined as mentally ill (just as we would define non-religious people with an irrational need to cause harm to others in the same way).

I can see this could be used as a tool to oppress, every bit as much as the religions they are supposed to oppose. I think the long term view is to separate religion and state, educate everyone in a secular manner and allow complete freedom to offend religious beliefs (not slander individuals though) just as we have freedom to offend different political and philosophical beliefs.

N.
Which you will never achieve when there are religions which prohibit apostasy. Therein lies the root problem.
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Old Jun 3rd 2013, 6:57 am
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Default Re: Religious Fundamentalism 'May Be Categorised As Mental Illness & Cured By Science

Originally Posted by Bahtatboy
Which you will never achieve when there are religions which prohibit apostasy. Therein lies the root problem.
In some countries apostasy from the religion supported by the state is explicitly forbidden. This is largely the case in some states where Islam is the state religion; conversion to Islam is encouraged, conversion from Islam penalised...
Iran – illegal (death penalty)
Egypt – illegal (3 years' imprisonment)
Pakistan – illegal (death penalty[9] since 2007)
United Arab Emirates – illegal (3 years' imprisonment, flogging)
Somalia – illegal (death penalty)
Afghanistan – illegal (death penalty, although the U.S. and other coalition members have put pressure that has prevented recent executions)
Saudi Arabia – illegal (death penalty, although there have been no recently reported executions)
Sudan – illegal (death penalty, although there have only been recent reports of torture, and not of execution)
Qatar – illegal (death penalty)
Yemen – illegal (death penalty)
Malaysia – illegal in five of 13 states (fine, imprisonment, and flogging)
Mauritania – illegal (death penalty if still apostate after 3 days)
Morocco – illegal to proselytise conversion (15 years' imprisonment)
Jordan – possibly illegal (fine, jail, child custody loss, marriage annulment) although officials claim otherwise, convictions are recorded for apostasy
Oman – legal in criminal code, but according to the family code, a father can lose custody of his child
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Old Jun 4th 2013, 8:33 pm
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Default Re: Religious Fundamentalism 'May Be Categorised As Mental Illness & Cured By Science

Originally Posted by mentalist
In some countries apostasy from the religion supported by the state is explicitly forbidden. This is largely the case in some states where Islam is the state religion; conversion to Islam is encouraged, conversion from Islam penalised...
Iran – illegal (death penalty)
Egypt – illegal (3 years' imprisonment)
Pakistan – illegal (death penalty[9] since 2007)
United Arab Emirates – illegal (3 years' imprisonment, flogging)
Somalia – illegal (death penalty)
Afghanistan – illegal (death penalty, although the U.S. and other coalition members have put pressure that has prevented recent executions)
Saudi Arabia – illegal (death penalty, although there have been no recently reported executions)
Sudan – illegal (death penalty, although there have only been recent reports of torture, and not of execution)
Qatar – illegal (death penalty)
Yemen – illegal (death penalty)
Malaysia – illegal in five of 13 states (fine, imprisonment, and flogging)
Mauritania – illegal (death penalty if still apostate after 3 days)
Morocco – illegal to proselytise conversion (15 years' imprisonment)
Jordan – possibly illegal (fine, jail, child custody loss, marriage annulment) although officials claim otherwise, convictions are recorded for apostasy
Oman – legal in criminal code, but according to the family code, a father can lose custody of his child
Sad eh?
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Old Jun 4th 2013, 8:58 pm
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Default Re: Religious Fundamentalism 'May Be Categorised As Mental Illness & Cured By Science

I would go so far as to say that Religious Fundamentalism is almost as great a threat to Civilisation as Football Fanaticism !
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Old Jun 4th 2013, 9:03 pm
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Default Re: Religious Fundamentalism 'May Be Categorised As Mental Illness & Cured By Science

Originally Posted by scot47
I would go so far as to say that Religious Fundamentalism is almost as great a threat to Civilisation as Football Fanaticism !
Can you be executed for swapping from manure to chelsea?

I don't think so.

Get a grip scot.
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Old Jun 8th 2013, 9:41 am
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Default Re: Religious Fundamentalism 'May Be Categorised As Mental Illness & Cured By Science

Seems apt to quote Christopher Hitchins:

"Since it is obviously inconceivable that all religions can be right, the most reasonable conclusion is that they are all wrong."
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Old Jun 8th 2013, 9:50 am
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Default Re: Religious Fundamentalism 'May Be Categorised As Mental Illness & Cured By Science

Originally Posted by Meow
Seems apt to quote Christopher Hitchins:

"Since it is obviously inconceivable that all religions can be right, the most reasonable conclusion is that they are all wrong."

To that.

Christopher Hitchens was always on my list of people to have a pint with..

Last edited by britexpat76; Jun 8th 2013 at 9:53 am.
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Old Jun 8th 2013, 10:06 am
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Default Re: Religious Fundamentalism 'May Be Categorised As Mental Illness & Cured By Science

Originally Posted by britexpat76
To that.

Christopher Hitchens was always on my list of people to have a pint with..
+1.
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Old Jun 8th 2013, 10:08 am
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Default Re: Religious Fundamentalism 'May Be Categorised As Mental Illness & Cured By Science

Originally Posted by Kix
Can you be executed for swapping from manure to chelsea?

I don't think so.

Get a grip scot.
What about from Rangers to Celtics
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Old Jun 8th 2013, 10:10 am
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Default Re: Religious Fundamentalism 'May Be Categorised As Mental Illness & Cured By Science

Originally Posted by britexpat76
To that.

Christopher Hitchens was always on my list of people to have a pint with..
BE should create their own religion.
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Old Jun 8th 2013, 6:42 pm
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Default Re: Religious Fundamentalism 'May Be Categorised As Mental Illness & Cured By Science

Originally Posted by Meow
Seems apt to quote Christopher Hitchins:

"Since it is obviously inconceivable that all religions can be right, the most reasonable conclusion is that they are all wrong."
Being Christopher Hitchins whose logic is more likely to believe that spaghetti grows on trees and the source of meat is the supermarket, I am least surprised to hear that.

With this standard of logic I could equally argue that since virtually all western medicines have side effects on the human body, the most reasonable conclusion is that if you are ill you should not take those medicines

Interestignly, in Islam, to have a religion is to believe/disbelieve in God. That means Christopher Hitchins also has a religion (his certainty of no God) which also falls is his statement “they are all wrong”
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Old Jun 8th 2013, 6:50 pm
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Default Re: Religious Fundamentalism 'May Be Categorised As Mental Illness & Cured By Science

Originally Posted by redShark
Being Christopher Hitchins whose logic is more likely to believe that spaghetti grows on trees and the source of meat is the supermarket, I am least surprised to hear that.

With this standard of logic I could equally argue that since virtually all western medicines have side effects on the human body, the most reasonable conclusion is that if you are ill you should not take those medicines

Interestignly, in Islam, to have a religion is to believe/disbelieve in God. That means Christopher Hitchins also has a religion (his certainty of no God) which also falls is his statement “they are all wrong”
You obviously haven't ever read any of Christopher Hitchens' books , otherewise you wouldn't make such ignorant statements

I dare say that you would have to be bitten by a viper before you would accept that it was venomous.

Look up Tso Nao. It's very relevant to a talking puppet like you.

Last edited by OleJanx; Jun 8th 2013 at 6:55 pm.
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