And the difference is……???

What is the difference between believing that a god actually exists and a delusion?

If someone can give me a reasonable answer I might be willing to change my understanding of reality.

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Comment by Tom Sarbeck on January 5, 2017 at 2:35pm: Reg, with tongue firmly planted in cheek...

That no gods exist is my belief and your delusion.:)

Comment by Pope Beanie on January 5, 2017 at 3:44pm: The category of "delusions" covers a broad range of specific delusions, and a broad range of posssible outcomes. E.g. it wasn't so consequential once when people believed the earth was flat; but not yet understanding the nature of communicable diseases enabled large & fatal epidemics.

Likewise, just a belief in God has a wide range of positive and negative consequences, and mostly unforseen by evolving cultures.

Plus the acompanying, strong inference that all delusions are faulty, while some beliefs become widley accepted as true and verifyable.

Comment by matt.clerke on January 5, 2017 at 4:52pm: What's the difference between any belief and a delusion? A delusion is just a belief that has been shown to be untrue.

Comment by Davis Goodman on January 5, 2017 at 5:09pm: Delusions require (amongst many other things) endless self confirmation of whatever you are believing in and one has at the very least, subconscious lingering doubts about and a lack of every day evidence. Otherwise why would your daily rituals and holy texts have you repeat again and again that the obviously existing thing...actually exists. Google search the amount of times Allah exists appears in the Koran. The amount of times most mantras include "rebirth" and how much of the Catholic mass is dedicated the existence of God and Jesus and the most important qualities of him. There is an obsessive need to restate what they consider to be obvious.

This applies to someone who thinks they are becoming a rock star, that the government is spying on them, they will eventually win over the boy or girl who clearly dislikes them, Israel and Palestine will find peace this time...really this time seriously, God exists...god definitely exists, oh god I know you exists...god I don't doubt that you exists...god exists...god totally exists and exists and exists...exists does God, God is the most existingest thing ever.

Comment by Davis Goodman on January 5, 2017 at 5:11pm: (that is to say...there is no difference...if a person is serious when they claim God exists, totally, I'm absolutely sure, there is no doubt, no chance it's not the case...I'm totally cereal"

Comment by Belle Rose on January 5, 2017 at 11:22pm: Delusion is a term typically used in the mental health profession to denote when an individual's perception of reality is skewed.

Believing that a God exists is taken on faith...."Sola Fide" if you will...

Comment by Belle Rose on January 6, 2017 at 12:03am: And to add to that - everything rides on that doctrine within the Protestant perspective - sola fide - it "makes or breaks" everything else...and is what separates Protestants believers from Catholic traditions.

Comment by Jake LaFort on January 6, 2017 at 12:21am: Belief in gods is typically accomplished through indoctrination. Indoctrination results in believers who espouse views with as little validity as any sufferer of a delusion. So in effect they are interchangable.

However a sufferer of a delusion has typically had a break with reality. The genesis of the delusion is from within and represents a manifestation of mental illness. A delusion is typically idiosyncratic and personal. A belief in god is shared by other assholes.

Comment by Belle Rose on January 6, 2017 at 12:33am: The whole idea of "the God delusion" (which I am totally familiar with btw) is really cute. And it packs a punch to insult believers. Effective marketing if you will. But it is a blatant misuse of the word "delusion."

Comment by Jake LaFort on January 6, 2017 at 1:38am: I dont think Dawkins intended it to be an insult. But it is probably going to be perceived as such especially when ya lack the excuse of having a mental illness.

And i generally agree with you. Believers tend to be either indoctrinated/brain washed. Or as in your case and doctor bob's are incapable of dealing with reality and have gone to great lengths of contorted thinking to justify belief.

At the same time there are those who are theists and suffer from religious delusions. For example some guy thinks he has to suffer in his role as JC.

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