Families controlling through Religion

[Lamb]

When we hear about some extreme families in the news and find out they're religious people the response is that their religion is controlling them. Do you think it's the religion that's controlling them or their mental health that gets in the way?

 

[psalms 91]

I think like anything else things can be done to extreme and yes mental health does play into it I think

 

[Stravinsk]

When we hear about some extreme families in the news and find out they're religious people the response is that their religion is controlling them. Do you think it's the religion that's controlling them or their mental health that gets in the way?

Who is the "we"? There are all kinds of news sources from all over the world and if they are corporate with a history of purposeful deception, people like me and those who think like me do not include them in our viewing, or if we do, it's with a wary eye. Part of mass programming populations (and attempts of certain individuals in groups, unfortunately) is to try to portray the illusion that their view is the majority view, and if they succeed, they succeed in influencing the group as a whole. Since most people want to be liked and admired, this works well because they ask the wrong questions like "what does the majority think"?

Extreme behavior can be good or evil or neither. It really depends on what is being referenced. Asking for a determination on such scant information on what that entails with the only options for the "problem" being a binary choice for which we know not what is even being labeled "extreme" makes little sense and smells of some sort of appeal to assumed majority opinion. One finds this tactic frequently in corporate news.

 

[NewCreation435]

When we hear about some extreme families in the news and find out they're religious people the response is that their religion is controlling them. Do you think it's the religion that's controlling them or their mental health that gets in the way?

I'm not sure what specific situation your talking about, so I am unsure. I do know that one of the absolutely most psychotic guys I ever met in 10 years of doing mental health work also used a lot of religious language in his speech. The legalism of the Old Testament really appealed to him. There was really no grace in his conduct or speech though. Maybe for people with rigid thinking the legalism appeals to them?

 

[ValleyGal]

Some people would call certain Anabaptist groups "extreme" because they live and work peacefully among themselves and do not interact a whole lot with modern society. Personally, I call some Christian groups rather extreme, such as the prosperity groups or the ones who are so charismatic that they run up and down the church aisles or throw themselves on the floor or against the wall. I would call ISIS pretty extreme.

Then you have the cults. I think something is wrong with their core beliefs, such as narcissism or need to control. I don't necessarily think mental illness comes into it, though some might. How do cults start? Isn't it usually with a leader who has fantastic people skills, so he can lure in vulnerable people, eventually turning into an abuse of power? I don't know. The only one I can think that was likely psychotic - or probably sociopathic - was the one from Helter Skelter.

 

[NewCreation435]

Some people would call certain Anabaptist groups "extreme" because they live and work peacefully among themselves and do not interact a whole lot with modern society. Personally, I call some Christian groups rather extreme, such as the prosperity groups or the ones who are so charismatic that they run up and down the church aisles or throw themselves on the floor or against the wall. I would call ISIS pretty extreme.

Then you have the cults. I think something is wrong with their core beliefs, such as narcissism or need to control. I don't necessarily think mental illness comes into it, though some might. How do cults start? Isn't it usually with a leader who has fantastic people skills, so he can lure in vulnerable people, eventually turning into an abuse of power? I don't know. The only one I can think that was likely psychotic - or probably sociopathic - was the one from Helter Skelter.

David Koresh in Waco was like that. He could preach to his followers for hours

http://people.com/crime/waco-david-koresh-truth-lies-documentary/