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I'm a Christian, I lived in the USA for ten years, and AFAIK I never met a single Christian who would deny that mental illness is real or who would say that loc

by roca 2y ago

I'm a Christian, I lived in the USA for ten years, and AFAIK I never met a single Christian who would deny that mental illness is real or who would say that locking up or torturing mentally ill people is a good thing. And I expect most of them believe that demonic possession can also happen. These are not mutually exclusive beliefs.

sqeaky 2y ago
Do please note that I never said all Christians. But the label Christian does include you and tens of millions of people who think that the universe is 5,000 years old and that at some point in Real History there was a talking snake and fruit that altered consciousness for the rest of all history. If you need help finding such people do a search for young Earth creationist and a note that they routinely publish best-selling books and have their own churches, their own podcasts, and their own documentaries. But most relevant to this conversation they have their own politicians and lobbyists, many of them. So anytime you bring up your religion I can't tell which end of this gradient you're on. And it's also a gradient that you're choosing to be on and a gradient that you're choosing to bring up. If you don't think the fantastical elements matter then don't bring them up and don't defend them. If you do think of the elements matter, then I humbly request evidence and will change my mind when you present it. If you want to discuss reality then we can do that without any religion being involved, and that is sort of what the laws of most reasonable places demand when making policy. And if you think that the Fantastical parts of religion haven't impacted law in your area than either you're a very lucky person and don't live in any country I'm aware of or you simply haven't realized how much religion has made your country worse.
- roca 2y ago
  Yes, I do believe in some things you would call fantastical. https://www.amazon.com.au/Resurrection-Christian-Origins-Question-Vol/dp/0800626796 https://www.amazon.com.au/Resurrection-Christian-Origins-Que... > you simply haven't realized how much religion has made your country worse. https://www.amazon.com.au/Dominion-Christian-Revolution-Remade-World/dp/0465093507 https://www.amazon.com.au/Dominion-Christian-Revolution-Rema...
markovs_gun 2y ago
I feel like this may be a regional thing. If you don't live somewhere with a lot of Pentecostals this would definitely seem abnormal. I would say the majority of Pentecostals I know effectively believe that most major mental health problems are the result of demonic possession and should be treated with exorcism

by roca 2y ago

sqeaky 2y ago

Do please note that I never said all Christians. But the label Christian does include you and tens of millions of people who think that the universe is 5,000 years old and that at some point in Real History there was a talking snake and fruit that altered consciousness for the rest of all history. If you need help finding such people do a search for young Earth creationist and a note that they routinely publish best-selling books and have their own churches, their own podcasts, and their own documentaries. But most relevant to this conversation they have their own politicians and lobbyists, many of them. So anytime you bring up your religion I can't tell which end of this gradient you're on. And it's also a gradient that you're choosing to be on and a gradient that you're choosing to bring up. If you don't think the fantastical elements matter then don't bring them up and don't defend them. If you do think of the elements matter, then I humbly request evidence and will change my mind when you present it. If you want to discuss reality then we can do that without any religion being involved, and that is sort of what the laws of most reasonable places demand when making policy. And if you think that the Fantastical parts of religion haven't impacted law in your area than either you're a very lucky person and don't live in any country I'm aware of or you simply haven't realized how much religion has made your country worse.

roca 2y ago
Yes, I do believe in some things you would call fantastical. https://www.amazon.com.au/Resurrection-Christian-Origins-Question-Vol/dp/0800626796 https://www.amazon.com.au/Resurrection-Christian-Origins-Que... > you simply haven't realized how much religion has made your country worse. https://www.amazon.com.au/Dominion-Christian-Revolution-Remade-World/dp/0465093507 https://www.amazon.com.au/Dominion-Christian-Revolution-Rema...

markovs_gun 2y ago

I feel like this may be a regional thing. If you don't live somewhere with a lot of Pentecostals this would definitely seem abnormal. I would say the majority of Pentecostals I know effectively believe that most major mental health problems are the result of demonic possession and should be treated with exorcism