New study links belief in punative God to emotional problems

Discussion in 'Religion' started by Magical Realist, Aug 27, 2014.

  1. Magical Realist Valued Senior Member

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  3. river

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    Which is because we don't get into or investigate what the Ancient clay tablets say

    Once you explore these clay tablets , we have a deeper understanding of why god has emotional problems

    and rational , logical problems
     
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  5. wellwisher Banned Banned

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    In a liberal culture, where morality is relative, I can see how classic morality and the idea of divine punishment will create stress in many people. It is hard to be part of that culture, without breaking one or more classic moral laws each and every day. But if one was exclusively with the classic moral program, there is less fear because one has more control over violation; less peer pressure to violate. I would guess the impact of liberalism and atheism on the faithful plays a role in these punitive God problems. Huffington Post is a liberal rag, so they will not make this peer pressure connection.

    The situation is similar to normal peer pressure getting you to do certain things, and your parents finding out about it. One will be stressed and afraid what their parents will do, especially if the consequence was already discussed. One would not be paranoid about their parents or of God unless they felt that had done them wrong and had a reason to be afraid.

    I do not go around constantly fearing the police, because I try to be law abiding. But on a narrower scale, if I decided to break the speed limit, I will become more aware of my surroundings and more fearful of the cops stopping me for speeding. The fear has a source based on my actions. On the other hand, with a career criminal, cops could stress them all the time. This could cause emotional problems because of the worry and fear of punishment since they would deserve it based on simple cause and effect between rule and punishment.

    The article takes the position analogous to the parents setting rules. Peer pressure and trying to be part of the group, causes the child to violate the rules, so fear and regret appear. The peer pressure is exempt from scorn and only the parents are the problem.
     
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  7. river

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    My morality is based on the survival of Humanity
     
  8. Magical Realist Valued Senior Member

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    The situation is far stickier when you're talking the God of the Bible, who watches over your every thought and feeling like the thought police. Jesus said to be angry with your brother without cause is equivalent to murder. To call him a fool is to risk being burned in hellfire. To lust after a woman in your heart equals adultery. To divorce and remarry is adultery. To doubt and not have enough faith is a sin. Then Paul tops it off with an impressive list of goodies: gossiping, getting drunk, fornication, wrath, revelry, coveting, idol worshipping, contention, gluttony, blasphemy, sowing discord, being gay, laziness, pride, vanity, lying, backbiting, malice, uncleanness, envy, greed, hypocrisy, etc and etc. And if that isn't enough, there's always sins of omission: James 4:17 declares, "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."

    Not a single person back then could live up to this ridiculously stringent moral code and none can to this day. According to the Bible all are in danger of being tortured in hell forever. There are no guarantees. That's enough to drive any Bible believer bonkers over time. That's the end result of worshipping a vindictive monster with OCD as your God. That's the price you pay trying to look forward to an eternity loving and worshipping a psychopathic perfectionist.
     
    Last edited: Aug 29, 2014
  9. Jan Ardena OM!!! Valued Senior Member

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    So as long as humanity survives (despite it being a temporary situation), regardless of what it takes, you're good with that?

    Where is the morality, exactly?

    jan.
     
  10. sculptor Valued Senior Member

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    and the bottom line was:
     
  11. Jan Ardena OM!!! Valued Senior Member

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  12. Magical Realist Valued Senior Member

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    Do you find some flaw in this study?
     
  13. Jan Ardena OM!!! Valued Senior Member

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    Do you really accept this?

    jan.
     
  14. Magical Realist Valued Senior Member

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    Yep..I do. I saw it in action with my own mother. When her father died when she was 30 she was fearful he'd go to hell. As a result of obsessing over this she had a nervous breakdown. It was a chaotic experience and one that religious dogma helped to trigger.
     
  15. Saturnine Pariah Hell is other people Valued Senior Member

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    [video=youtube;jYkxWO4Op6c]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYkxWO4Op6c[/video]
    Hmmm...I wonder what would happen if their deity was visible, kind of benevolent or even just ambivalent.
     
  16. Magical Realist Valued Senior Member

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    Excellent deconstruction of the whole "having God around" concept. lol!
     
  17. Captain Kremmen All aboard, me Hearties! Valued Senior Member

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    People with emotional problems are more likely to think God is going to punish them.
    Most theists think that God is going to reward them, and punish people who don't have the right beliefs.

    I liked the video. Very good.

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  18. Saturnine Pariah Hell is other people Valued Senior Member

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    It's one scenario to add unneeded stress of trying to please an entity that is perceived as a everlasting paternal figure, that one cannot empirically verify, when knowing that life will already throw curve balls at you, but to add on top of that by having a punitive god as your deity of worship..that seems outright deranged. If it works for those people in question to have more stresses for their beliefs, if their deity is benevolent ,or even deistic..well that's their prerogatives. But In most cases it's not really a mater of choice for those individuals now is it? Since religion like any other indoctrination into ideology, starts at childhood. I strongly doubt you'll meet any Republican, Libertarian, Anarchist, Socialist or Democrat babies, but i'd bet my left pinkie finger that you'll find baby Christians, Muslims, Jews Hindus, etc.

    "Does deity X approve of this?" or " Does deity X disapprove of that?" That equates to, in my views, and is a indication of child-parent relationships/psychology in grown adults. "Would sky dad/mom like it if i did this?" or "Would sky dad/mom not like that i did this?"

    I understand everyone wants to feel secure in knowing that someone or something is watching out for them, or has concerns for what will happen to their consciousnesses after they die. However, is seems almost self defeating and a borderline self fulling prophecy of failure that the deity you worship is grouchy, judgmental, vengeful and has expectations that you can strive for ,but will ultimately fail at due to your inadequacies of being a human in comparison of this supreme being. This is the same being, mind you, whom if you fail them, they will end up condemning you to suffering in a alternate realm of existence for all eternity. How does one even try to attempt communication or have a relationship with a being like that? Why even bother? Why would such entity or being go through the effort of creating such fallible, contradictory creatures if not beyond the purpose of its' own amusement or study? What kind of conversation could you have if any, or better yet how could you function knowing that every second that this entity is judging every thought you have or every action you commit and slots them against it's supposed rules and guidelines written down by other fallible humans in the holy text of that you use to worship said deity?

    I fail to see the rational behind continuing to worship such a deity, or any deity for that matter. It's far more palpable and convenient when worship of a deity is one-sided and it helps that the deity is: invisible, resides somewhere we cannot enter in our mortal lives or are beyond our capacity for understanding.( Again why even bother attempting to have a relationship with it or it having a relationship with us, if it's that advanced and above us?) But those are the traits we've ascribed to these gods, which are egregious cop outs to curtail the questioning or skeptical people, both of which are cancers to religion. I've never been outright conditioned or raised to have unquestioning devotion for any of the deities mankind has fabricated. So for me, worshiping a god that sounds like, is believed to be, and is portrayed like, a distant and apathetic step parent, doesn't sound like a worthwhile religion to practice. It sounds more like a avenue for unnecessary stress and endless nights, laying awake in your bed, contemplating whether or not you made your parent in the sky happy that day for fear of your "soul" going through immeasurable pain and anguish.

    If deity X gave you lemons after all your devotion, find a new deity.
     
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2014
  19. river

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    Enlil compared to Enki

    No doubt Enlil is an incapable of empathy
     
  20. cluelusshusbund + Public Dilemma + Valued Senior Member

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    When i was about 8... they told us at Sunday school to have no fear... God is always wit us an will protect us... an that night when i was walkin home from the gas station ther was about half a block that was pitch dark... but i remembered what i had learned an i walked insted of runnin like i usualy did an the feelin of protection felt grate... but i felt a lot beter when i finaly made it to the street light.!!!

    Anuther time the teecher said God is always watchin us... an i guess at the time is sounded perty good... but that night when i was in the tub it felt a lot creepy that some old man was watchin me take a bath

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  21. Jan Ardena OM!!! Valued Senior Member

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    river, can you answer these questions?

    Thanks in advance.

    ''So as long as humanity survives (despite it being a temporary situation), regardless of what it takes, you're good with that?

    Where is the morality, exactly?''


    jan.
     
  22. Jan Ardena OM!!! Valued Senior Member

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    I dare say a lot of things helped, but how does this link to the OP?

    jan.
     
  23. Jan Ardena OM!!! Valued Senior Member

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    tut! tut! tut!...

    jan.
     

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