Hypothetical fundie plea

TithonusSyndrome · Post by **TithonusSyndrome** » 2007-03-15 11:44am

Imagine one day you were approached by a person who you knew to have a strong history of fundamentalist belief. He came to you and stated this plea to you:

"I've known for some time that the beliefs I've held cannot possibly be true. The personal cost of keeping them has long since outstripped the value of maintaining the facade for the benefit of my friends and family, and have made this clear to them, come whatever may. I am not afraid of what they will do to me, and I welcome the opportunity to face the social pressures head-on. That isn't the problem, however. I am still gripped by the belief that a voice-like phenomena occurs in my head that I interpret as that of God's, among other things. No matter how well I know it to not be the case, I am still taken by sudden fits of 'strong belief', where I interpret the world around me as the work of a creator and my rational mind becomes harder and harder to heed.

Please, help me!"

What would you do?

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » 2007-03-15 11:53am

So he's hearing voices? Get him mental help immediatly, I hear voices and they never tell you to do good things.

TithonusSyndrome · Post by **TithonusSyndrome** » 2007-03-15 11:59am

Well, I wouldn't overplay that part, but more or less what would you do if a fundie came to you and asked how they could be cured of a persistent tendency to stray towards irrationality?

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2007-03-15 12:03pm

TithonusSyndrome wrote:Well, I wouldn't overplay that part, but more or less what would you do if a fundie came to you and asked how they could be cured of a persistent tendency to stray towards irrationality?

That's like asking how you can be "cured" of having a bad temper or a poor work ethic. It's something you manage for life with personal discipline, not something you "cure".

Post by **K. A. Pital** » 2007-03-15 12:05pm

Advise to see a good psyche doctor.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » 2007-03-15 12:08pm

TithonusSyndrome wrote:Well, I wouldn't overplay that part, but more or less what would you do if a fundie came to you and asked how they could be cured of a persistent tendency to stray towards irrationality?

I know that you don't want to overplay that part of the issue. But he's having a serious mental problem that he is interpreting as God talking to him. If you medicate him and take away that issue you may find that rationality or a tendency towards rationality may follow. At least if "God" is not talking to him anymore some of the reasons for his belief may not persist for much longer. The rest can be handled with personal disciple as Darth Wong has mentioned.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2007-03-15 12:20pm

He needs help, whatever route is taken. If someone has a figure of power telling them to do things, with that much conviction given to such an entity, then you can be looking at serious problems. People have committed murder because they thought "God" was ordering them to do it for the greater good. A psychosis that manifests as physical harm means going to a mental detention centre if it cannot be controlled with drugs or the subject lacks discipline.

CaptJodan · Post by **CaptJodan** » 2007-03-15 01:06pm

I really don't think TS was making the mental voices thing out to be anything more than "I feel touched by God and his influence a lot" type of issue that affects so many fundies. I think it was just a badly worded example which didn't convey the irrationality over the "I hear voices" part.

I think there are members of this board who have come from a stricter religious background than I have and therefore might be better able to answer this than I, but I'd likely try to help them. I'd probably start out exposing them to much of the world around him, asking him what particular aspects of the world he feels prove the work of a creator, show the actual evidence, and work from there.

Like anything else (and like Mike put so well) it's a skill that must be taught, at least in the case of a fundie. "You must unlearn what you have learned". After sufficent time, maybe give them little "tests" where you show them a story or an argument for either a dubious scientific claim or a religious claim and see if they can find the problems with it through rational means.

TithonusSyndrome · Post by **TithonusSyndrome** » 2007-03-15 03:58pm

Yeah, the part about hearing the voice of God is mos def overstated. I was more wondering if there'd be any merit in a voluntary fundie-deprogramming camp or anything like that.

Kittie Rose · Post by **Kittie Rose** » 2007-03-17 03:59am

I don't know if that's a good idea. I can't help but think that are "insanities" can be just as much a part of us as our obvious virtures, as long as they're being managed to the point where they don't negatively affect others.

Superman · Post by **Superman** » 2007-03-17 05:01am

A trip to a psychiatrist is a good idea.