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Could the very high rate of mental illness in Europe be related to religion decline?

Based on what I'm reading, there's a whole array of mental conditions that are being taken into account in the studies, and there's some variance as to how they rate in each one. Perhaps I'm missing something, but is there one study that actually qualifies as "Apples to Apples" in its applications? Just asking.


Well, there's this from page 3 of the thread:
Nice graph here with the countries using comparable measures of mental illness:

http://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/why/evidence/mental-health


And this from page 2:
 
Martin Luther will be accountable for sins just like everyone else. I know of no modern Christian denominations that wouldn't denounce these Luther's teachings.
I can't speak for Missouri Synod, but ELCA was pretty big on Martin Luther last time I checked. The anti-Jew stuff wasn't very high on their sermon topic list though, to be fair.
 
Oh yes you did. Do you think that we all as dumb as the average believer?
Joobz implied I said all strokes are cause by sin. That is just one of "many" inaccuracies about my positions that have been stated over the last year or so. In a way that encourages me because it shows me some skeptics are constantly forced to be inaccurate about my positions in order to appear to make an effective response.
 
Joobz implied I said all strokes are cause by sin. That is just one of "many" inaccuracies about my positions that have been stated over the last year or so. In a way that encourages me because it shows me some skeptics are constantly forced to be inaccurate about my positions in order to appear to make an effective response.

Sorry to disappoint you, but the reason is really that your positions are not very clear.

Hans
 
Billy Graham has a simple definition of sin. It is anything contrary to the will of God.
The will of God as interpreted by Billy Graham, no doubt. :rolleyes:

However, I have no problem with that definition. This implies that sin does not apply to a secular society, which is also OK. We have enough in morals.

Hans
 
If you don't like Billy Graham's simple definition, the Catholic church has a deeper definition of evil. The second paragraph alludes to mental suffering and is thus related to the thread topic.

From the Catholic Encyclopedia article on Evil

Evil, in a large sense, may be described as the sum of the opposition, which experience shows to exist in the universe, to the desires and needs of individuals; whence arises, among humans beings at least, the sufferings in which life abounds. Thus evil, from the point of view of human welfare, is what ought not to exist. Nevertheless, there is no department of human life in which its presence is not felt; and the discrepancy between what is and what ought to be has always called for explanation in the account which mankind has sought to give of itself and its surroundings. For this purpose it is necessary (1) to define the precise nature of the principle that imparts the character of evil to so great a variety of circumstances, and (2) to ascertain, as far as may be possible, to source from which it arises.

With regard to the nature of evil, it should be observed that evil is of three kinds — physical, moral, and metaphysical. Physical evil includes all that causes harm to man, whether by bodily injury, by thwarting his natural desires, or by preventing the full development of his powers, either in the order of nature directly, or through the various social conditions under which mankind naturally exists. Physical evils directly due to nature are sickness, accident, death, etc. Poverty, oppression, and some forms of disease are instances of evil arising from imperfect social organization. Mental suffering, such as anxiety, disappointment, and remorse, and the limitation of intelligence which prevents humans beings from attaining to the full comprehension of their environment, are congenital forms of evil each vary in character and degree according to natural disposition and social circumstances.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05649a.htm
 
With regard to the nature of evil, it should be observed that evil is of three kinds — physical, moral, and metaphysical. Physical evil includes all that causes harm to man, whether by bodily injury, by thwarting his natural desires, or by preventing the full development of his powers, either in the order of nature directly, or through the various social conditions under which mankind naturally exists.
My highlight.

That is an interesting passage! So, thwarting a man's natural desires is an evil. So much for celibacy. ;) Not strange they have all these paedophile scandals.

I wonder if the Catholic Church scholars actually read their own stuff. :rolleyes:

Hans
 
And who determines what the will of God is?
The Bible which has been around for thousands of years and is the greatest selling book of all time (by most accounts) would seem like a good place to look for the will and the laws of God.
 
The Bible which has been around for thousands of years and is the greatest selling book of all time (by most accounts) would seem like a good place to look for the will and the laws of God.

So god is happy for us to beat slaves. Cool
 
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My highlight.

That is an interesting passage! So, thwarting a man's natural desires is an evil. So much for celibacy. ;) Not strange they have all these paedophile scandals.

I wonder if the Catholic Church scholars actually read their own stuff. :rolleyes:

Hans

Actually the Catholic policy on celibacy when it first began had more to do with economics than an aversion to sex. The church could save money if priests don't have to support a family, and they can also devote more time to their pastoral duties.
 

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