Religion
In reply to the discussion: Religious Belief = Mental Illness: A More Venomous Response [View all]TM99
(8,352 posts)and hoping someone won't see through the bullshit.
In no way is it appropriate for you to assess or assume that someone has or doesn't have a mental illness. Even as a trained professional, situational context is paramount so that it is not manipulative, pejorative, or emotionally abusive.
You think you know the DSM, and yet you demonstrate to me that you simply do not. The current DSM-IV exempts religious doctrine from pathology in its definition of delusion. Truly pathological delusions can involve religious imagery or mythology but they are not 'religious in nature' and have nothing to do with the religion but rather the individual suffering from the delusional illness. And as of the DSM-IV, V62.89 Religious or spiritual problem, was added to assist clinicians with normal human beings who are struggling with spiritual issues....not spiritual delusions or pathologies. You can educate yourself on this through the following link:
http://www.spiritualcompetency.com/jhpseart.html
So why is it relevant to your argument to continue to link mental illness and religion, whether monolithically or via piecemeal?