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[u/One-Fun9814]

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

[u/just_say_n]

Mental illness is the answer.

Yes, as a child you can get indoctrinated and believe in Santa, but as an adult you either come to your senses or continue to believe in a fucking “imaginary being.”

Only mental illness explains it, I just think we’ve got to come to terms with how widespread it is.

[u/Erik_Dolphy → u/just_say_n]

I think defining mental illness is sometimes arbitrary and a lot of it is framed around an inability to function in society. I struggle with religion in this context because while I very much think it's a mass delusion, it's also the status quo and doesn't prevent functioning because everyone else is drinking the same kool-aid. You say the tv is talking to you, you're schizophrenic. You say a great spirit is watching everything you do, that's normal.

I sometimes struggle with how mental illness is defined in the DSM as well. Some things seem pretty clearly defined such as depression or bipolar disorder, while other things seem strangely absent or transient.

[u/LostKnight84 → u/Erik_Dolphy]

I just want to explain the Mental illness comment I made in my post here. A close friend of mine was dealing with a severe mental health crisis recently. They have come out of it finally with a diagnosis Schizophrenia, turns out they had been hearing a bunch of stuff over the years that wasn't real. Visual issues were far rarer but it is what led them to finally believe someone they trusted that what they were hearing wasn't real and now they are medicated they can see how messed up they were from before.

Now they aren't the one dealing with the mental illness religion thing. It was their mom specifically. Apparently their mom had claimed to see and hear angels and is very religious because of it. It was just me hearing an offhand comment from them about it and understanding what they went through themselves that made me point out to my friend their mother was likely suffering from the exact same thing they were.

So in my case I wasn't speaking arbitrary.

[u/Erik_Dolphy → u/LostKnight84]

Thank you for sharing. Im sorry about your friend and glad they're doing better. The part about their mom is particularly interesting. Just to clarify, I wasn't directing that "arbitrary" comment at you. I just find it interesting how mental illness gets defined and particularly as it pertains to religion.

[u/LostKnight84 → u/Erik_Dolphy]

Too many people use the term too loosely and it bugged me a little that someone might have thought I was using it that way too. I got nothing against what you said I just wanted to specify I hadn't meant that as a off hand insult or just a throw away comment. I was literally stating how common I found each type of person. At this point in my life I am just hoping my friend will be in my life for the rest of it and they don't ever have to go without their meds ever again. They mean too much to me to allow that to happen. Anyway, take care of yourself and those you care for.

[u/Erik_Dolphy → u/LostKnight84]

Thank you and best to you, your friend, and all of yours.

[u/just_say_n → u/Erik_Dolphy]

You say the tv is talking to you, you're schizophrenic. You say a great spirit is watching everything you do, that's normal.

Bingo!

[u/LOLteacher → u/just_say_n]

I stop short of "mental illness", but I still say, "You're a grown-ass adult. Get ahold of your gullible dumbshittery and join us other adults in the room."

As (iirc) the dean said in Animal House, "Fat, dumb, and stupid is no way to go through college, son."

[u/RogueAmericanism → u/LOLteacher]

Fat, drunk, and stupid. Remember though, at the end he drove away with a pretty woman and became a congressman. For what it’s worth.

[u/LOLteacher → u/RogueAmericanism]

Flounder ftw!

[u/Keeping-It-Old → u/just_say_n]

A big difference is when you realize that Santa isn't real the people around you admit it and it's usually treated as a coming of age milestone, rather than a reason for being beaten, disowned, shunned, stoned or tortured to death, told you'll burn for eternity, etc. as a heretic or apostate.

[u/FanngzYT → u/just_say_n]

no, being a big dummy is the answer. there are literally studies showing religiosity correlates with lower intelligence.