The sad, twisted truth about conservative Christianity’s effect on the mind (Salon)

Salon ^ | Marlene Winell and Valerie Tarico

[Faith Presses On]

If a former believer says that Christianity made her depressed, obsessive, or post-traumatic, she is likely to be dismissed as an exaggerator. She might describe panic attacks about the rapture; moods that swung from ecstasy about God’s overwhelming love to suicidal self-loathing about repeated sins; or an obsession with sexual purity.

A symptom like one of these clearly has a religious component, yet many people instinctively blame the victim. They will say that the wounded former believer was prone to anxiety or depression or obsession in the first place—that his Christianity somehow got corrupted by his predisposition to psychological problems. Or they will say that he wasn’t a real Christian. If only he had prayed in faith believing or loved God with all his heart, soul and mind, if only he had really been saved—then he would have experienced the peace that passes all understanding.

[Faith Presses On]

"Religious trauma is difficult to see because it is camouflaged by the respectability of religion in culture. To date, parents are afforded the right to teach their own children whatever doctrines they like, no matter how heinous, degrading, or mentally unhealthy. Even helping professionals largely perceive Christianity as benign. This will need to change for treatment methods to be developed and people to get help that allows them to truly reclaim their lives."

Christianity to be a mental disorder and raising children in the faith to be"child abuse" and illegal.

[MNDude]

Is it ok to be Muslim though?

[cripplecreek]

If a former believer says that Christianity made her depressed, obsessive, or post-traumatic, she is likely to be dismissed as an exaggerator. She might describe panic attacks about the rapture; moods that swung from ecstasy about God’s overwhelming love to suicidal self-loathing about repeated sins; or an obsession with sexual purity.

Psychiatric patient seems to be the best description.

[IronJack]

Good thing atheists never experience any of those problems.

[KC_Lion]

Religion is the opium of the people Comrades! !

Except Islam. Islam is okay....

[SoFloFreeper]

Heh.

Yeah, atheism has done so much good in the world. All those hospitals and charities to help the needy....all done by giant atheist organizations.

And so many lives changed for the better once people thought the pursuit of their own pleasure and desires was the ultimate measure of good...whether it be the pursuit of philanthropy or hedonism...yeah, those kind of selfish lovers of a humanist vein really are laudatory.

Sartre was one of the happiest guys anyone ever knew.

oh, wait...

[Politicalkiddo]

“She might describe panic attacks about the rapture; moods that swung from ecstasy about God’s overwhelming love to suicidal self-loathing about repeated sins; or an obsession with sexual purity.”

Panic attacks? Why? That’s not God’s fault that she has problems with the prospect of the afterlife. And why would she be suicidal about the prospect of committing sins while suicide itself is a sin?

[CT]

Now think about a religion that isn’t God-based. A religion based on other men as our masters. A religion of slippery slopes, and people of questionable character.

Modern Day Liberalism is the pursuit of equity and justice through the use of of permanent tyranny.

[jjotto]

Substitute ‘anthropogenic global climate disruption’ for ‘Christianity’ and you got yourself a REAL thesis.

[cripplecreek]

Big brother loves the obedient.

[Jim Robinson]

How far they have fallen since WWII. Even their revered leader, FDR, prayed publicly for America. Come to think of it, so did LBJ, Carter and Clinton.

[Mamzelle]

Who are these women and who is paying them? Bet they have a line to Center for American Progress.

[Huskrrrr]

God’s grace and love. Very depressing?

[LearsFool]

I don’t know what religion the author is talking about, but it’s not Christianity. When did Jesus ever say that following Him would make all our problems disappear?

What He promised His disciples was hardship in this wicked world, and glory and bliss in the next.

[skeeter]

This is the groundwork for eventual criminalization of worship.

Sorry, lady. Christianity isn't a danger. You are.

[GeronL]

The Bible said we would be oppressed and hated by the world

[Billthedrill]

Psychobabble from a couple of amateurs flogging a book. No need to take it seriously.

[metmom]

Interesting insight into the secular, anti-God mind.

[Faith Presses On]

“To date, parents are afforded the right to teach their own children whatever doctrines they like, no matter how heinous, degrading, or mentally unhealthy. Even helping professionals largely perceive Christianity as benign. This will need to change for treatment methods to be developed and people to get help that allows them to truly reclaim their lives.”

The article’s first two paragraphs dkn’t really give a true picture of what it’s driving at, which is to make Christianity a mental illness.

[Viennacon]

Some very sick stuff going on here. It is exactly as you describe. Salon has a penchant for craziness, but this will soon appear in the NYT etc. There is a war ahead for Christians.