Therapy for the Delusional

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the guide most commonly used by psychological professionals) defines a delusion as:

A false belief based on incorrect inference about external reality that is firmly sustained despite what almost everybody else believes and despite what constitutes incontrovertible and obvious proof or evidence to the contrary. The belief is not one ordinarily accepted by other members of the person's culture or subculture. (Emphasis added)

The main point being that this esteemed group of professionals had to add that second sentence to the definition in order that religious people not be included among the deluded.

But, of course they are. And where is the logic in essentially saying that so long as most other people believe it that any belief is acceptable?

History is replete with “mass delusions”, i.e. widely accepted beliefs, which were wildly unethical or harmful:

• Nazism
• Slavery
• Witch Hunts
• McCarthyism
• Belief in demon possession
• Belief that illness was caused by sin

These were “acceptable” because most people in society, at one point, believed in them? That is just complete bullshit meant to protect the delicate constitutions of the blindly faithful and religious apologists whose delusions are catered to, pampered and protected like some parents guard their child’s belief in the tooth fairy.

Isn't it time we stopped protecting and being so deferential to people of faith? Any therapist will tell you that you should never buy into a deluded person's fantasies. If you do, they will never get better.

So, without malice, the next time someone tries to force you or your children to pray, or to say “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays” or to attend a religious service in which you have no interest or to have a religious element to a public, secular event SPEAK UP. Nothing gets better if you don’t.

For those of us in delicate positions for whatever reasons, such as employment or interacting with a spouse’s family, anonymous flyers, letters to the editor, comments on local websites, or simple personal non-participation and other types of public action can be just as valuable. But you must do something to show that this type of behavior is not only outside the bounds of polite society, but deeply delusional.