What would cause someone from a normal background to become a religious zealot?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you hear voices, you’re nuts.

If you believe other people when they tell you they hear voices, you’re…a believer?

^^ atheist demonstrating ignorance about prophets

I guess it could be a drug-related hallucination and not mental illness.

So, if you hear voices you are either nuts or stoned.

And if you believe people when they tell you they hear voices, you’re…. a believer?

You rule out the supernatural explanations—that’s your problem right there. You seem simple-minded.

Sorry, I don't believe in ghosts.

The whole point of faith is that there’s something outside ourselves. You can rule it out for yourself, but you can’t rule it out for others.

So you are leaning towards “ghosts” being the voices?

I’m starting to lean towards drugs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we get back to the question I am still mystified by and no one has answered?

How can you reliably tell the difference between someone who is mentally ill and someone who is genuinely hearing the voice of a deity?

Sure. Just as soon as you answer the question that was asked first, about why some of you are on here 24/7.

Asked and answered many, many times. But happy to do it again. And again, if necessary.

Because we care about this topic, religion. We care what is true. We care what is real.

Now, you promised, so answer the question:

How can you reliably tell the difference between someone who is mentally ill and someone who is genuinely hearing the voice of a deity?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we get back to the question I am still mystified by and no one has answered?

How can you reliably tell the difference between someone who is mentally ill and someone who is genuinely hearing the voice of a deity?

Sure. Just as soon as you answer the question that was asked first, about why some of you are on here 24/7.

Asked and answered many, many times. But happy to do it again. And again, if necessary.

Because we care about this topic, religion. We care what is true. We care what is real.

Now, you promised, so answer the question:

How can you reliably tell the difference between someone who is mentally ill and someone who is genuinely hearing the voice of a deity?

That’s not an answer. “We care about this topic” doesn’t explain the 24/7 trolling and obsession. I care about lots of things—my family, the environment, my favorite tv shows, my job, our pets—but I don’t spend 24/7/365 obsessing about them on a mom’s website. Obsession is an illness.

Anyway, you’re boring and your circular arguments and deflections are boring. I’m off to have fun, but all your nonsense is out here for everybody to see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we get back to the question I am still mystified by and no one has answered?

How can you reliably tell the difference between someone who is mentally ill and someone who is genuinely hearing the voice of a deity?

Sure. Just as soon as you answer the question that was asked first, about why some of you are on here 24/7.

Asked and answered many, many times. But happy to do it again. And again, if necessary.

Because we care about this topic, religion. We care what is true. We care what is real.

Now, you promised, so answer the question:

How can you reliably tell the difference between someone who is mentally ill and someone who is genuinely hearing the voice of a deity?

That’s not an answer. “We care about this topic” doesn’t explain the 24/7 trolling and obsession. I care about lots of things—my family, the environment, my favorite tv shows, my job, our pets—but I don’t spend 24/7/365 obsessing about them on a mom’s website. Obsession is an illness.

Anyway, you’re boring and your circular arguments and deflections are boring. I’m off to have fun, but all your nonsense is out here for everybody to see.

talking about yourself, I see. I don't blame you for running off - it often happens when backed into a corner with no way out. Obsession is indeed an illness -- you might want to see a professional about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we get back to the question I am still mystified by and no one has answered?

How can you reliably tell the difference between someone who is mentally ill and someone who is genuinely hearing the voice of a deity?

Sure. Just as soon as you answer the question that was asked first, about why some of you are on here 24/7.

Asked and answered many, many times. But happy to do it again. And again, if necessary.

Because we care about this topic, religion. We care what is true. We care what is real.

Now, you promised, so answer the question:

How can you reliably tell the difference between someone who is mentally ill and someone who is genuinely hearing the voice of a deity?

That’s not an answer. “We care about this topic” doesn’t explain the 24/7 trolling and obsession. I care about lots of things—my family, the environment, my favorite tv shows, my job, our pets—but I don’t spend 24/7/365 obsessing about them on a mom’s website. Obsession is an illness.

Anyway, you’re boring and your circular arguments and deflections are boring. I’m off to have fun, but all your nonsense is out here for everybody to see.

So you can't answer the question then. Fair enough. Your resort to ad hominem is telling and I don't feel the need to go beyond that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we get back to the question I am still mystified by and no one has answered?

How can you reliably tell the difference between someone who is mentally ill and someone who is genuinely hearing the voice of a deity?

Sure. Just as soon as you answer the question that was asked first, about why some of you are on here 24/7.

Asked and answered many, many times. But happy to do it again. And again, if necessary.

Because we care about this topic, religion. We care what is true. We care what is real.

Now, you promised, so answer the question:

How can you reliably tell the difference between someone who is mentally ill and someone who is genuinely hearing the voice of a deity?

That’s not an answer. “We care about this topic” doesn’t explain the 24/7 trolling and obsession. I care about lots of things—my family, the environment, my favorite tv shows, my job, our pets—but I don’t spend 24/7/365 obsessing about them on a mom’s website. Obsession is an illness.

Anyway, you’re boring and your circular arguments and deflections are boring. I’m off to have fun, but all your nonsense is out here for everybody to see.

So you can't answer the question then. Fair enough. Your resort to ad hominem is telling and I don't feel the need to go beyond that.

+1

PP didn’t have any valid points so he started obsessively attacking PP. The lack of substance isn’t surprising.

[Anonymous]

Another zombie thread of the same old, same old.

It’s Christmas time. Make cookies, listen to Christmas music, go for a walk, buy some gifts for kids, do anything but haunt this forum and try to debate about religion and voices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another zombie thread of the same old, same old.

It’s Christmas time. Make cookies, listen to Christmas music, go for a walk, buy some gifts for kids, do anything but haunt this forum and try to debate about religion and voices.

Some of us are capable of it all. So why not? If not, what is a religion forum for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another zombie thread of the same old, same old.

It’s Christmas time. Make cookies, listen to Christmas music, go for a walk, buy some gifts for kids, do anything but haunt this forum and try to debate about religion and voices.

No one is forcing you to open this thread.

Except, maybe…voices?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another zombie thread of the same old, same old.

It’s Christmas time. Make cookies, listen to Christmas music, go for a walk, buy some gifts for kids, do anything but haunt this forum and try to debate about religion and voices.

No one is forcing you to open this thread.

Except, maybe…voices?

Why would mental illness be funny to you? It’s not something that is humorous. I find the lightness of tone when discussing such things extremely distasteful. I don’t know why it’s a joke, because if you’ve ever actually dealt with seriously mentally ill people, it’s devastating for those people and their families. It’s not something that anyone laughs about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another zombie thread of the same old, same old.

It’s Christmas time. Make cookies, listen to Christmas music, go for a walk, buy some gifts for kids, do anything but haunt this forum and try to debate about religion and voices.

No one is forcing you to open this thread.

Except, maybe…voices?

Why would mental illness be funny to you? It’s not something that is humorous. I find the lightness of tone when discussing such things extremely distasteful. I don’t know why it’s a joke, because if you’ve ever actually dealt with seriously mentally ill people, it’s devastating for those people and their families. It’s not something that anyone laughs about.

Well, I do know a few “religious zealots”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another zombie thread of the same old, same old.

It’s Christmas time. Make cookies, listen to Christmas music, go for a walk, buy some gifts for kids, do anything but haunt this forum and try to debate about religion and voices.

No one is forcing you to open this thread.

Except, maybe…voices?

Why would mental illness be funny to you? It’s not something that is humorous. I find the lightness of tone when discussing such things extremely distasteful. I don’t know why it’s a joke, because if you’ve ever actually dealt with seriously mentally ill people, it’s devastating for those people and their families. It’s not something that anyone laughs about.

Well, I do know a few “religious zealots”.

And you have a propensity to laugh at and poke fun at people who cannot control the negative circumstance life has foisted upon them, through no fault of their own. I don’t know how you interact with people offline but it cannot be pretty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another zombie thread of the same old, same old.

It’s Christmas time. Make cookies, listen to Christmas music, go for a walk, buy some gifts for kids, do anything but haunt this forum and try to debate about religion and voices.

No one is forcing you to open this thread.

Except, maybe…voices?

Why would mental illness be funny to you? It’s not something that is humorous. I find the lightness of tone when discussing such things extremely distasteful. I don’t know why it’s a joke, because if you’ve ever actually dealt with seriously mentally ill people, it’s devastating for those people and their families. It’s not something that anyone laughs about.

Wait a minute. Are you saying Paul was mentally ill? He heard voices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another zombie thread of the same old, same old.

It’s Christmas time. Make cookies, listen to Christmas music, go for a walk, buy some gifts for kids, do anything but haunt this forum and try to debate about religion and voices.

No one is forcing you to open this thread.

Except, maybe…voices?

Why would mental illness be funny to you? It’s not something that is humorous. I find the lightness of tone when discussing such things extremely distasteful. I don’t know why it’s a joke, because if you’ve ever actually dealt with seriously mentally ill people, it’s devastating for those people and their families. It’s not something that anyone laughs about.

Wait a minute. Are you saying Paul was mentally ill? He heard voices.

I think some people would say it's different if the voice you hear is God's.

For instance, if someone told you that George Washington was talking to them, they would be considered mentally ill, but if they said God was talking to them, they'd be considered lucky, or holy, but certainly sane.

So if it's a dead person or a non-person (e.g., Donald Duck) who is talking to you, you're crazy, but if it's God, you're not only sane, you're holy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another zombie thread of the same old, same old.

It’s Christmas time. Make cookies, listen to Christmas music, go for a walk, buy some gifts for kids, do anything but haunt this forum and try to debate about religion and voices.

No one is forcing you to open this thread.

Except, maybe…voices?

Why would mental illness be funny to you? It’s not something that is humorous. I find the lightness of tone when discussing such things extremely distasteful. I don’t know why it’s a joke, because if you’ve ever actually dealt with seriously mentally ill people, it’s devastating for those people and their families. It’s not something that anyone laughs about.

Wait a minute. Are you saying Paul was mentally ill? He heard voices.

I think some people would say it's different if the voice you hear is God's.

For instance, if someone told you that George Washington was talking to them, they would be considered mentally ill, but if they said God was talking to them, they'd be considered lucky, or holy, but certainly sane.

So if it's a dead person or a non-person (e.g., Donald Duck) who is talking to you, you're crazy, but if it's God, you're not only sane, you're holy!

Hmmm... I think you're being facetious But okay. Makes perfect sense!