This is an interesting article that proposes to classify religious fundamentalism as mental illness and makes the case that it spreads like a virus. Check it out and tell me what you think.
posted by Morgaine @ 12:36 AM
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3 Comments:
I would have liked this article better if its author hadn't been obviously hostile to all religious systems (he says he is, but his content gives him away).
Having said that, as a psychotherapist (and one who is lucky to not get many of these people in my practice), I do see the practice of fundamentalist religion as a psychological disorder. However, like people with personality disorders, fundamentalists do not seek help because they believe it is the rest of us who have the problem.
The one instance in which this type of thing can be directly confronted is in the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction. It is very common for someone who has stopped drinking or using drugs to switch "addictions," and the switch is often one involving compulsive religiosity. In my experience, many fundamentalist individuals are also addicted to drugs and alcohol, as well as other compulsions such as eating, gambling, and sex.
Fundamentalism does indeed breed violence, or--at the very least--hate toward particular groups. Doubtless, many fundamentalists are already suffering from other psychological disorders, such as addiction, posttraumatic stress, depression, and personality disorders. The question is: Can treating the diagnosed disorder result in a "cure" for the fundamentalism, or does fundamentalism need to be categorized as a separate disorder?
I'm not sure what the answer is, and I would have to think about it a long time before I stated a preference.
Obviously, in the first paragraph, I meant to say "he says he is not..."
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