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Is it just me or does the Christian doctrine of “you are weak, broken, worthless without god” completely underpin the mental health/suicide problems we have? People are taught that trusting themselves and valuing their own strength is a sin. It makes it impossible to grow as a whole person. It’s so hard not to keep bringing this up in light of the recent celebrity suicides but any time I say anything that calls Christianity into question I am automatically written off as antagonistic. Does anyone else feel like they are trying to turn on a light that people are determined to keep off?

YunieNunes 4 June 9
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15 comments

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What is the text that "you are weak, broken, worthless without god” is taken from please?

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'Completely' underpin?

A contributory factor, perhaps.

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We love to hang out with other people. We love to feel safe. If we don't have friends, if we feel rejected, if we feel unsafe, unimportant, we feel to die and in the extreme level, some take the decision to suicide. It doesn't always need to have a religious origin as both religious and non-religious people suicide. For example, the suicide rate in Japan or Sweden (highly non-religious) is very high. But it's easily understandable why a non-religious person can feel secluded, feel rejected, feel unsafe, feel unimportant in a religious community. So, for a non-religious person, just being non-religious, being knowledgeable about science and facts are not enough, they need to develop self-love, need to develop high interpersonal skills which go beyond anybody's religiosity, may be need to try to be less argumentative and understandable about irrational human mind and psychology. It doesn't matter what other people are determined of doing if you know very well about your own determination. But that requires a strong will power that takes time to develop and I know a lot of people, even myself very often don't or can't have it. But I strongly stand by these existentialistic/nihilistic/stoicist approach towards life that I learnt from Sartre, Neitzsche, Kahlil Gibran and other philoshophers. And I hope to continue to learn and grow and live amidst differences of all kinds with a smile in my face. So, it's not sin at all to trust and value your own strength.

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It is to control you! If you believe that crap then you are weak

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While it is a factor it is not the driver, or in more religious times the rate would have been even higher. It is a complex issue. Here are a couple of factors I think are meaningful:

-The economic system we live in. Capitalism breaks traditional social bonds. We evolved in tribal , and until very recently (200 or so years) for the most part lived in familial and tribal proximity with shared responsibilities and cohesion. Now, obviously not. So how we live is contrary to how we evolved. Marx discusses this at length, and used the term alienation. If any of you have suffered through corporate programs that try to "engage" you, you get the idea.

-I think the rampant use of prescription (and illegal) drugs has to be a factor as well. The statistics for use of anti-depressants, opiods, and on and on and on is mind blowing. Again, we did not evolve taking drugs. They do things to you. Sadly, the system we find ourselves in makes us sick, and rather than fix the system we medicate. Yikes......

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It does. This dynamic also exists for LGBT people within . They have a higher rate of suicide compared to atheist LGBT people. That's probably because their own faith is telling them they're 'wrong'.

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I don't know if it matters if you're a believer or not... Depression affects everyone equally and there are so many factors for this... There's more christians and believers population wise, so we're prone to see a connection, but it could also be that our country endorses individuality and not a collectivist ideology like other countries, so it could be that we don't feel like anyone can help us when we're facing a problem. It could also be a copy cat trend... If depressed people hear about someone committing suicide in the media, then that could also help them make up their mind about killing themselves. It could be anything, really.

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It's just one contributing factor to some people. Traumatized children worldwide can have ptsd and commit suicide, even in countries without religions, like China.

There are also inherited DNA factors, being on the autism spectrum, etc.

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I certainly agree that the “born sick and commanded to be well” trope of christianity causes some sort of mental dilemma for people that actually believe it, but I believe this idea is more damaging to children. To be told at a young age that you should feel shameful and seek forgiveness for things you’ve never done, nor comprehend yet and being threatened with eternal torture certainly causes lasting mental trauma and I believe it to be a form of child abuse. Would this extend into your adult years, I believe so. Has to make them feel inadequate when they doubt they are measuring up to the “perfection” of their god. So yes, I can agree with your statement in a general sense. Does it completely underpin the mental illness/suicide problem we have? I would doubt it does so completely, but it certainly adds a fair amount of weight to the issue.

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It still boggles my mind that the Xian thinking of we are part of their NT says that "Jesus" was predestined before creation and yet Adam/Eve had to eat that "fruit" and "sin". So, Yahweh did all of those old testament things before having himself that was present during its creation. Yes, the contorted logic that it takes to reconcile the biblical contradictions.

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"God or bust!" Actually, I like the sound of bust.

godef Level 7 June 10, 2018
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I think there is truth to it, yes. At least in the sense that it creates an unhealthy state of mind and low self worth.

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I don’t think that mindset is a major factor for suicides, though it can’t help. That said I have to admit the fear of Hell must also prevent some suicides.

Right, suicide is a "sin."

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Very Good. It is a somewhat mental health problem to believe in yahweh. The Christian dogmatic principles are in giving all to the lord and thus letting the deity control the outcome of ones own life. The afore mention statement gives breath to the credence that nothing is possible without god. That without the creator, we are sick, broken, ect.... however the taking of ones life is a cardinal sin, unforgivable in christian doctrine. One way ticket hell so to speak. But I do see your point.

Etre Level 7 June 9, 2018
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I keep to myself and only let out a bit at a time. I do agree that Christianity does belittle people though. A year ago I had to spend a night in a homeless shelter. In order to spend the night, I had to listen to pastors saying that we may be down, but faith would bring us back. Then they sang hymns with words like wretch and beast at me. Great way to get people on their feet again!

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