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

[Akhenaten]

Yes, but it might take a thousand years of those low rates to make up for all the deaths caused by Hitler 60 million, Stalin 20 million, and Mao 40 million.

To people who actually value life, nothing will ever make up for those atrocities. To people who worship what they themselves believe to be a genocidal maniac capable of destroying the entire population of the Earth except for a single family things are probably different. Thankfully I'm unable to think in such a way myself.

In any case, your attempted point fails dismally, as it has every time you've attempted to make it, unless you can show a relationship between a lack religious belief and the behaviour of the people in your examples.

And things might change as Europe becomes more multicultural and less affluent.

• What exactly do you mean by "more multicultural"?
  
  
• On what basis are you predicting a less affluent Europe
  
  
• In what way might things change and how did you calculate the odds?

Remember what happened in Norway when that guy killed around 70 people about 6 months ago.

No. Why don't you explain it for us? I could do with a laugh.

 

[Akhenaten]

We could extrapolate the OP to imply that Satan as the opposer of religion is to blame.

If we're going to start extrapolating stuff from a DOC OP we might just as well blame the tooth fairy's evil twin from Bizarro World.

 

[Akhenaten]

Find an opposer of religion and you will find Satan.

When different religions oppose each other which side is your mythical creature on? Is it a Protestant critter or a Catholic? Sunni or Shiite?

Given their track record it's not too hard to imagine some dark, malevolent demon is behind all religions, and only the atheists (and heretics) are free of the loathesome monster.

 

[Justinian2]

If we're going to start extrapolating stuff from a DOC OP we might just as well blame the tooth fairy's evil twin from Bizarro World.

This was the OP.

I was surprised to see just how high the figures for mental illness are in Europe.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44394646/#.Tma_hI672_I

I maintain that an increase in secularism and decrease in religiosity could be a major reason.

The supposition of the OP implies that an increase in secularism and decrease in religiosity is responsible for a decrease in sanity.

I think the supposition is plausible.

 

[Justinian2]

When different religions oppose each other which side is your mythical creature on? Is it a Protestant critter or a Catholic? Sunni or Shiite?

Given their track record it's not too hard to imagine some dark, malevolent demon is behind all religions, and only the atheists (and heretics) are free of the loathesome monster.

From Wikipedia, the definition of Satan:

satan: Satan (Hebrew: הַשָּׂטָן ha-Satan), "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible. In Christianity and Islam the title became a personal name, and "Satan" changed from an accuser appointed by God to test men's faith to the chief of the rebellious fallen angels ("the devil" in Christianity, "Shaitan" in Arabic, the term used by Arab Christians and Muslims).

This is the context I was using for Satan: "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible.

My supposition is that those that work feverishly to challenge the faith of humans in their religions are satanic.

I do not believe that "only the atheists (and heretics) are free of the loathesome monster (Satan) but that they ARE the monster.

It's OK to be an atheist, just don't foist the belief on others. Closet athiests aren't Satanic, in my opinion.

I also believe in the OP supposition that a decrease in religious teachings result in more insanity.

 

[Mudcat]

The supposition of the OP implies that an increase in secularism and decrease in religiosity is responsible for a decrease in sanity.

I think the supposition is plausible.

How do you come to this conclusion? This thread is 14 pages long now with over 500 replies, a good dose of which very aptly illuminates just why the supposition is wrong.

 

[Justinian2]

How do you come to this conclusion? This thread is 14 pages long now with over 500 replies, a good dose of which very aptly illuminates just why the supposition is wrong.

Would you please provide me with the links to three of the most 'apt' posts that demonstrate why the supposition is wrong? Thanks in advance.

 

[AdMan]

How do you come to this conclusion? This thread is 14 pages long now with over 500 replies, a good dose of which very aptly illuminates just why the supposition is wrong.

He obviously hasn't bothered to read any of them.

 

[AdMan]

Would you please provide me with the links to three of the most 'apt' posts that demonstrate why the supposition is wrong? Thanks in advance.

Do your own homework.

 

[Akhenaten]

This was the OP.

I know what the OP says. I read it quite some considerable time before you did.

The supposition of the OP implies that an increase in secularism and decrease in religiosity is responsible for a decrease in sanity.

Yes, and it's bollocks.

I think the supposition is plausible.

So you already said. You're still wrong.

 

[Akhenaten]

When different religions oppose each other which side is your mythical creature on? Is it a Protestant critter or a Catholic? Sunni or Shiite?

Given their track record it's not too hard to imagine some dark, malevolent demon is behind all religions, and only the atheists (and heretics) are free of the loathesome monster.

From Wikipedia, the definition of Satan:

<drivelsnip>

Why not answer the questions you were asked, rather than make up one of your own?

My supposition is that those that work feverishly to challenge the faith of humans in their religions are satanic.

The people who are most feverish in their challenging of the religious faiths of humans are, as I mentioned in my original set of questions to you, members of other religious faiths. How do you know that this fairytale monster of yours isn't the cause of all religious fever?

I do not believe that "only the atheists (and heretics) are free of the loathesome monster (Satan) but that they ARE the monster.

Of course you do, but since it's only a ridiculous superstition we can safely ignore it.

It's OK to be an atheist, just don't foist the belief on others. Closet athiests aren't Satanic, in my opinion.

What belief would that be?

I also believe in the OP supposition that a decrease in religious teachings result in more insanity.

So you keep saying.

Congratulations on being the forum's first ever DOCist. He'll be chuffed.

 

[Justinian2]

He obviously hasn't bothered to read any of them.

Your powers of ESP?

That fallacy is known as a 'hasty generalization'.

That statement would have been accurate if you said that "He doesn't agree with any that he's read".

 

[Justinian2]

Seem to be a lot of ardent Satanists Skeptics Athiests in Australia.

 

[dafydd]

Seem to be a lot of ardent Satanists Skeptics Athiests in Australia.

There are a lot of ardent atheists all over the world . So what? Got any more non sequiturs?

 

[Justinian2]

There are a lot of ardent atheists all over the world . So what? Got any more non sequiturs?

You posts are always non sequitur.

 

[Justinian2]

I believe one of the big problems with religion is that they are used as camouflage. Hitler, the Green River serial killer, and the fictitious Godfather all were Atheists/Satanists that hid behind a church facade.

May the church of the Atheist be destroyed!

(I don't think there is a Church of the Atheist, is there?)

 

[Toke]

The only real live satanists I know of were Norwegian ones, they became famous for burning churches.
What Justinian2 is missing here is that satanism is a religion on it's own and includes faith in both god and satan.

An Atheist does not believe in either and have no reason to burn down a church. Here in Aberdeen I have seen 3 beautiful churches turned into nice pubs/nightclubs.

 

[dafydd]

The only real live satanists I know of were Norwegian ones, they became famous for burning churches.
.

There was really only one satanist, and he denied being a satanist.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varg_Vikernes

 

[Edward Palamar]

Geeze, I'm glad we got that sorted out.

Have we? Take away the statements that are a fulfillment of "a sign to be spoken against" (Luke 2:34) and an unbiased examination may begin. Given the Scripture that God "blesses and curses whom He pleases" will lend ear to the possibility of ineffectual conclusions from the statistics of men. It could very well be that the very high rate of mental illness in Europe is related to religion decline, but there could be another reason (or reasons).

When living humanity goes bad, as it did bringing WWII, there is a clear cause and effect relationship. This can serve as a groundwork for religious decline/mental illness. The New Testament Epistles relate that believing in lies results in a perversity of spirit as a direct judgment against those who forsake God.

 

[Justinian2]

The only real live satanists I know of were Norwegian ones, they became famous for burning churches.
What Justinian2 is missing here is that satanism is a religion on it's own and includes faith in both god and satan.

An Atheist does not believe in either and have no reason to burn down a church. Here in Aberdeen I have seen 3 beautiful churches turned into nice pubs/nightclubs.

How does being an Atheist keep a person from being immoral? The most immoral people I have seen call themselves Atheists and haven't a clue what morality is.

Atheists aren't defined in theory. They are anything/nothing.