MemberPostViewed: times
detectiveSymptoms of Religious Addiction


Hi folks,
This is an excerpt from "when God Becomes a Drug" by Father Leo Booth. I thought it might be of interest.

The symptoms of religious addiction:

Inability to think, doubt, or question information or authority

Black-and-white simplistic thinking

Shame-based belief that you aren't good enough, or you aren't doing it 'right'

Magical thinking that God will fix you

Scrupulousity: rigid, obsessive adherence to rules, codes of ethics, or guidelines

Uncompromising, judgmental attitudes

Compulsive praying, going to church or crusades, quoting scripture

Unrealistic financial contributions

Believing that sex is dirty-that our bodies and physical pleasures are evil

Compulsive overeating or excessive fasting

Conflict with science, medicine, and education

Progressive detachment from the real world, isolation, breakdown of relationships

Psychosomatic illnesses: sleeplessness, back pains, headaches, hypertension

Manipulating scripture or texts, feeling chosen, claiming to receive special messages from God

Trancelike state or religious high, wearing a glazed happy face

Cries for help; mental, emotional, physical breakdown; hospitalization

(props to Scully for recommending this book)
IP: r4t0nFn7R0yrdbvr
ScullyRe: Symptoms of Religious Addiction
I used Booth's book extensively when I was writing an English term-paper about JWs when I was in college. The check-list you quoted is frighteningly eye-opening!

For anyone who's interested, here's a link to my term paper (which received a grade of 97%):
http://www.caic.org.au/jws/control/cultic1.htm

One of my favorite quotes from this book, actually is this:
if you cannot question or examine what you are taught, if you cannot doubt or challenge authority, you are in danger of being victimized and abused
Doesn't that sound a lot like our "favorite" cult??

Love, Scully
IP: 9IWxEyW862KrflXn
detectiveRe: Symptoms of Religious Addiction
I'd recommend this book, though a little heavy in the twelve-step talk.

On another note, I find this book infinitely more palatable than "Toxic Faith". It doesn't work exclusively from a christian perspective the way that "Toxic Faith" does.
IP: ElofR1joAU6dcILF