Expert: Aupmanyav - 6/13/2010

Question
Clint - I'm a Southern Baptist minister's daughter with an enormous respect for my father's walk of faith. I have doubted, logically, biblical truths since I was 5. I embraced atheism for 5 years and reestablished my 'faith' in the midst of tragedy. I employed my willful suspension of disbelief wholeheartedly, hoping to find God as never before. The result was a nervous breakdown. I have newly re-embraced my disbelief, establishing a solid foundation therefore with an education of the facts, theories, writings and belief systems of well established atheists and agnostics. I have a master's in counseling psychology from Southern Nazarene which resulted in my inability to deny my disbelief in christianity as it had been represented to me. The charade was never more evidenced to me as it was when 'christian' psychologists were wholly incapable of reconciling for themselves or others the enormous chasm between science's best understanding of mental and emotional ilnesses v. spiritual ramifications of sin/guilt. While I have read an abundance of literature pertaining to the science, logic, histories of atheism v. religion, what I cannot find are works representing the psychological ramifications of persons living in a largely delusional society. Beyond the obvious causes of war, misogyny, homophobia, etc.  I've studied much about the obvious detriments to one's psyche and self when long term delusions are endured. There are vast writings about the effects of cult and cult-like organizations and their psychological impact on followers.  There seems to me that there should be a vast amount of research and writings, opinions and the like on the psycho-social impact on mankind as a whole having filtered everything though the delusion of Gods, 'bibles', belief in hell, etc.  It seems obvious to me that living in delusion in this important area of religion would weaken the mind and psyche and make it less immune to other distortions of reality and 'mental illness' in general.  That is my theory, but I cannot find one piece of scholastic work on this topic.  Is this something you could direct me toward?  Your opinion on the matter is of course welcome, but I am hungry to dig into this aspect of psychological abuse to the human condition.

I hope I did this right.  Thank you so much, in advance, for any time and insight you might give my personal struggle.  

I'm from Oklahoma as well. My father is still a member of the SBC home mission board working actively as a national consultant to churches nation wide wishing to implement free medical clinics into their arsenal of reaching the lost.  I will not come out again, publically with my atheism until he has passed on. But I want to be fully prepared to embark on my own ministry, as you have, to bring solace, peace and understanding to those like me struggling to walk away.  I guess that's why the psychological impact studies and opinions are so valuable to me.  Thank you again.

Answer
Dear Sherrie,

I think you have already studied quite a lot. Rather than spending more time on reading, join an atheist forum, where you would find opinions of all shades, theist as well as atheist. You would also know how the eastern religions and philosophies handle these things. I am a member of www.freeratio.org. We would be happy to have you there. The full name of the forum is 'Freethought and Rationalism Discussion Board'. The problem with study is that you form your own opinions. In a discussion board, one's wrong assumptions are pointed out, and we can correct ourselves. With best regards,

Yours sincerely,

Aupmanyav